United Airlines has landed

More carriers from the United States are keen to fly to the Philippines, Ambassador Mary Kay Carlson said on Monday.

Carlson made the announcement after welcoming United Airlines' first non-stop flight from San Francisco, California to Manila.

The inaugural flight carrying 325 passengers touched down at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.

Starting Monday, United Airlines will have a daily service between the two cities.

"Presidents (Joe) Biden and (Ferdinand R.) Marcos (Jr.) agreed in May to explore how to expand air ties, highlighting how this effort will strengthen our economic and people-to-people ties," she said.

Carlson added that the US engagement with Philippine aviation authorities will help open more opportunities to American carriers seeking to serve the country's market.

"I am confident that United's flight is simply the first of many more air links between our countries," she said.

Aside from United Airlines, only flag carrier Philippine Airlines has been flying directly to San Francisco.

United Airlines, on the other hand, has been offering non-stop services to Palau and Guam via Manila.

Its newest route to and from San Francisco will utilize its largest Boeing aircraft. 

The arriving passengers were greeted by United Airlines executives and US and Philippine government officials as they celebrated the milestone with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the airport departure gate.

The officials are: United Airlines regional director for APAC Walter Dias; country manager for Sales — Philippines Pam Navarro; managing director for International Sales Marcel Fuchs; US Ambassador to the Philippines H.E. MaryKay Carlson; Department of Transportation Undersecretary Roberto Lim; Department of Tourism regional director Sharlene Batin; American Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Ebb Hinchliffe; and general manager for Airport Operations — Guam Samuel Shinohara.

With the opening of the United States route, passengers travelling between the Philippines and the continental US now have more choices of airlines to fly with. US Ambassador to the Philippines Mary Kay Carlson said that United's flight would be the "first of many more air links between our countries."

"The San Francisco-Manila flight is indeed the first time a US airline has flown between the US mainland and the Philippines, Manila. So, we are just really, really pleased to be high in the air and to be leading this new service," Marcel Fuchs, United's managing director of international sales, told reporters on Monday.

United Airlines has more than 40 years of history in Manila dating back to 1982 and currently operates nonstop service to Guam and Palau. With this new Manila-San Francisco daily nonstop service, UAL will be the first and only U.S. airline connecting Manila and the continental U.S.

"The Filipino team created the menu for this flight so customers can expect a good meal," UAL country manager for Philippine sales, Pam Navarro, said.

"We have to make Manila-San Francisco work. Everything we see — from the support of the travel, trade, and business communities — would suggest that we're going to be successful in this market."

The US hosts one of the largest communities of overseas Filipinos, with remittances from the country accounting for 41.2 percent of all cash remittances. Filipinos who have permanently migrated to the US and those who work there temporarily often travel between the Philippines and the US, she added.