Philippine Airlines has taken a progressive step towards its fleet expansion program by selecting the Airbus A350-1000 aircraft. The carrier already operates the -900 version of the plane, and the A350-1000s will allow it to increase capacity to popular destinations, such as those in the US and Canada.
Memorandum of Understanding
Philippine Airlines has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus for the purchase of nine A350-1000s. The new aircraft will join the two A350-900s already in the carrier’s fleet, which fly to destinations in Australia, Asia, and the US.
The new aircraft will also feature premium cabins just like the -900s and will include separate business class, premium economy, and economy class cabins. Airbus Chief Commercial Officer, Christian Scherer, commented,
“Flying passengers farther and in greater comfort, the A350 brings a step-change in fuel efficiency and an immediate significant contribution to reduced emissions. These are the attributes that have made the A350 the choice of leading airlines worldwide. We look forward to working closely with our long-standing customer Philippine Airlines as it moves forward with its long haul fleet modernisation programme.”
Greater range
The A350-1000 would enable Philippine Airlines to fly non-stop transpacific and transpolar routes in both directions all year. These would also include some of the longest commercial flights in the world, such as those linking the Philippines with the East Coast of the US and Canada to cities such as New York and Toronto. The carrier already flies to these destinations, but the new planes will allow it to add capacity amid growing demand.
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An expanded A350 fleet would also mean that Philippine Airlines could once again provide a direct link from the Philippines to Europe. Captain Stanley K. Ng, President and Chief Operating Officer of Philippine Airlines, commented,
“The A350-1000 combines greater range capability with the higher capacity we need to serve future demand. It’s the perfect aircraft to enable PAL to meet its expansion plans in a sustainable way, while offering passengers the highest levels of onboard comfort.”
Fleet expansion
With travel demand increasing significantly, Philippine Airlines is hopeful of a profitable 2023. Things are very different for the carrier compared to the COVID years, when it had to ground six of its A350-900 aircraft due to a cash crunch.
But the airline is facing a different challenge now. It wants to expand its widebody fleet immediately but is facing difficulty in finding available Airbus A350 or Boeing 777 aircraft. According to ch-aviation.com, the carrier has 21 widebody aircraft in its fleet, including 10 Airbus A330s, nine Boeing 777-300ERs, and two Airbus A350-900s.
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But with passengers returning in huge numbers, Philippine Airlines is keen on acquiring widebody planes almost immediately. While the current MoU with Airbus will take care of its long-haul fleet expansion, it remains to be seen how long it will take for the airline to obtain these new aircraft.
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