PAL finalizes $3-B aircraft order
Published Jun 20, 2023 09:21 am
Philippine Airlines (PAL) has finalized a purchase agreement with Airbus for the firm order of nine A350-1000 long range aircraft with a list price of $356 million each, or $3.204 billion total, the flag carrier announced Tuesday, June 20.
The A350-1000 has been selected under the flag carrier’s Ultra Long Haul Fleet project and will fly on non-stop services from Manila to North America, including to the East Coast of the US and Canada.
The new aircraft will join two A350-900s already in service at the airline.
The purchase deal was signed during the Paris Air Show by Captain Stanley K. Ng, PAL President and Chief Operating Officer and Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International, in the presence of Lucio C. Tan III, President & Chief Operating Officer, PAL Holdings Inc.
“This order will see PAL operating one of the youngest and most modern widebody fleets in Asia," says Captain Ng.
"We selected the A350-1000 to give PAL the power to match capacity closely to predicted demand on both the very longest routes to the North American East Coast but also on our prime trunk routes to the West Coast and potentially to Europe as well," he explained.
Ng added that, "At the same time the aircraft will use significantly less fuel than older aircraft of a similar size, which also brings an important reduction in carbon emissions.”
PAL’s A350-1000 fleet will be able to accommodate 380 passengers in a three class layout, with separate cabins for Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy Class.
"The A350-1000 is our “Mission Aircraft” to connect the world and boost the Philippine economy and society,” according to Tan.
The A350 is the world’s most modern and efficient widebody aircraft and has set new standards for intercontinental travel.
It offers the longest range capability of any commercial airliner in production today and is capable of flying 9,700 nautical miles or 18,000 kilometres non-stop.
At the end of May 2023, the A350 Family had won 967 firm orders from 54 customers worldwide, with 535 aircraft currently in the fleets of 40 operators, flying primarily on long haul routes.
PAL operates various Airbus types on its full-service network.
In addition to the A350 on long-haul intercontinental routes, PAL flies A330-300s on services to the Middle East, Australia and various points in Asia.
The flag carrier also operates a fleet of A320 and A321 single aisle aircraft on its extensive domestic and regional network out of hubs in Manila and Cebu
The A350-1000 has been selected under the flag carrier’s Ultra Long Haul Fleet project and will fly on non-stop services from Manila to North America, including to the East Coast of the US and Canada.
The new aircraft will join two A350-900s already in service at the airline.
The purchase deal was signed during the Paris Air Show by Captain Stanley K. Ng, PAL President and Chief Operating Officer and Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International, in the presence of Lucio C. Tan III, President & Chief Operating Officer, PAL Holdings Inc.
“This order will see PAL operating one of the youngest and most modern widebody fleets in Asia," says Captain Ng.
"We selected the A350-1000 to give PAL the power to match capacity closely to predicted demand on both the very longest routes to the North American East Coast but also on our prime trunk routes to the West Coast and potentially to Europe as well," he explained.
Ng added that, "At the same time the aircraft will use significantly less fuel than older aircraft of a similar size, which also brings an important reduction in carbon emissions.”
PAL’s A350-1000 fleet will be able to accommodate 380 passengers in a three class layout, with separate cabins for Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy Class.
"The A350-1000 is our “Mission Aircraft” to connect the world and boost the Philippine economy and society,” according to Tan.
The A350 is the world’s most modern and efficient widebody aircraft and has set new standards for intercontinental travel.
It offers the longest range capability of any commercial airliner in production today and is capable of flying 9,700 nautical miles or 18,000 kilometres non-stop.
At the end of May 2023, the A350 Family had won 967 firm orders from 54 customers worldwide, with 535 aircraft currently in the fleets of 40 operators, flying primarily on long haul routes.
PAL operates various Airbus types on its full-service network.
In addition to the A350 on long-haul intercontinental routes, PAL flies A330-300s on services to the Middle East, Australia and various points in Asia.
The flag carrier also operates a fleet of A320 and A321 single aisle aircraft on its extensive domestic and regional network out of hubs in Manila and Cebu