01/08/2020
JULY 31, 1946
This day in PAL’s history, the flag carrier rose from the ashes and devastation of World War II to achieve a first for all Filipinos: Philippine Airlines operated a Manila to Oakland (California) flight, the first crossing of the
Pacific Ocean by an Asian airline.
PAL's Douglas DC-4 brought home American servicemen who were stranded in the Philippines due to a dock strike in the U.S.
The flight took 41 hours with stops at Guam, Wake Island, Johnston Atoll and Honolulu before arriving in California.
This historical feat paved the way for a regular Manila-San Francisco service by December of 1946.
This is the fighting spirit animating PAL today, rising from the depths of the 2020 pandemic to do what we do best: bringing people home, uplifting the economy, linking the Philippines with the world.