FLAG CARRIER Philippine Airlines (PAL) expects to receive its Airbus A350-1000 by December or January, as it also moves to refurbish older aircraft under its fleet modernization and growth plans.
“I think we are still working on the final delivery date, but it would be either December or January. We are still waiting for Airbus to give the final delivery date,” PAL President Richard Nuttall told reporters on the sidelines of an aviation forum last week.
The new aircraft will be deployed on flights to New York, PAL Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer Carlos Luis L. Fernandez said.
In May, the airline said it was preparing for the delivery of nine Airbus A350-1000s and 13 A321 New Engine Option (NEO) aircraft, which will be deployed on nonstop flights to North America and other international destinations.
The company is also planning to refurbish all of its older fleet, Mr. Nuttall said, noting that it has started the refurbishment of its Airbus A321ceo aircraft.
Last month, PAL began deploying its first refurbished aircraft as part of a retrofitting program that will see 18 planes operating across Asia through 2027.
The program covers 18 Airbus A321ceo aircraft, which will operate on routes to Tokyo (Haneda and Narita), Osaka, Jakarta, Bali, and Guam starting this year, and on other key markets in PAL’s Asian network by 2026-2027.
PAL has said the rollout is part of its fleet modernization program, with three refurbished aircraft scheduled this year, nine by 2026, and six in 2027.
“After that, we are going to be looking at the 330s and 777s. It is going to probably take about three years before we can start… We got the same supply chain issues on engines and everything else. As soon as those seats are available, we will be refurbishing and we are looking at doing it on 330s and 777s,” Mr. Nuttall said.
For the planned refurbishment of Airbus A330 and Boeing 777 aircraft, Mr. Nuttall said initial estimates are between $14 million and $15 million for the Airbus A330 and more for the Boeing 777.
“It is still a lot of money, but it is cheaper than buying a new aircraft,” he said.
PAL is also planning to launch new routes and increase frequencies to some domestic points.
“We are strengthening Manila’s long-haul and regional banks, while building Cebu into a true inter-island and international hub. This means not only operating long-haul flights but also expanding domestic services that feed into our international waves,” Mr. Fernandez said at a forum.
He said PAL will open new connections such as Cebu-Guam, Cebu-Calbayog, and increase flights from Cebu-Siargao and Cebu-Busuanga.
“We do have the ability to adjust to the demand. The domestic has been booming,” Mr. Nuttall said. — Ashley Erika O. Jose
