PAL Stops Manila to Basco Flights, Moves All Batanes Trips to Clark

It’s now official: Philippine Airlines (PAL) has stopped flying from Manila to Basco, the gateway to Batanes.

All PAL flights to the country’s northernmost province will now depart from Clark International Airport, Pampanga, under its Basco–Clark–Basco route.

The change is part of the airline’s effort to decongest NAIA and strengthen its Clark hub, which now handles more domestic turboprop routes.

PAL now operates Basco flights daily. Current services include GAP2696 / GAP2697 and GAP2688 / GAP2689, using the De Havilland Dash 8 Q400.

• Frequency: Daily

• GAP2696 (Clark → Basco): ETD Clark 10:05 AM — en route ~1 hr 15 mins

• GAP2688 (Clark → Basco): ETD Clark 10:50 AM — en route ~1 hr 15 mins

• Return flights operate the same day from Basco back to Clark.

These flights replaced the old Manila–Basco (PR2932/2933) route, which officially ended on October 25, 2025, following government orders to transfer turboprop operations out of NAIA.

Image credit: Clark International Airport

Yes. While PAL is no longer flying from Manila, Batanes remains accessible through other airlines.

Sky Pasada currently offers flights to Basco from Binalonan (Pangasinan), Laoag, Calayan, and Tuguegarao. Meanwhile, Northsky Air is also preparing to resume its Tuguegarao–Basco operations soon.

Those coming from Metro Manila must now travel to Clark first, which adds about two to three hours of land travel.

For many travellers, this could mean extra time, higher costs, and more planning, especially since Batanes has always been one of the most expensive and logistically complex destinations in the Philippines.

Still, flying from Clark comes with benefits such as shorter queues, less traffic, and smoother transfers to other PAL destinations.

Image credit: Canva Pro

PAL launched its first Basco flights in 1947 using the Douglas DC-3, connecting Manila and Laoag to the remote province. The airline has long been a lifeline for Ivatans and travellers heading north.

Travellers heading to Batanes must now plan ahead and book their flights from Clark, or consider alternative routes from Northern Luzon through Sky Pasada and soon, Northsky Air.