Airlines In The Philippines II

[Arianespace]

Romero couple sells 60% stake in AirAsia Philippines

F&S Holdings Inc., owned by businessman and 1-PACMAN Party-list Rep. Mikee Romero and his wife Sheila, sold its majority 60-percent stake in AirAsia Philippines to Asian aviation company AA Com Travel Philippines Inc. to focus on power and ports.
https://manilastandard.net/business/314337430/romero-couple-sells-60-stake-in-airasia-philippines.html

Well, read this story at page 21, July last year. Except for the terminal reassignment, the story is practically the same.

As with Romero, they are really not prepared to take the capital A plan, to put it bluntly. See comment below. Covid losses really caused them to reconsider the plan. As Fernandez wasn't happy about it, there really was no choice but to sell their shares to other company willing to absorb the A330 plan of operations. I seriously doubt whether the new majority stockholders has the financial muscles of the port magnate. But  then, it was always Fernandes that ran the show at PAA. So he brought in AA. AirAsia Com Travel, a subsidiary of AirAsia Aviaton Ltd., holding company of Capital A, which makes PAA a wholly owned company of Tony Fernandes.

There is no more foreign restriction to domestic airline business, under the new Public Service Act (RA 11659). Air Asia is the first beneficiary of this law signed by Pres. Duterte in March 21, 2022, effective April 1, 2023.

Arianespace wrote

Eurest wrote

Also Z2 getting AirAsia group A333s or A339 for ops next year?

This I missed. Probably, referring to this article

https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/116602-philippines-airasia-eyes-widebody-ops-in-1h23

Well, the story was they are supposed to get 2 pairs for Cebu, Davao, Korea and China services in 2020 from XAX. And then covid came. XAX went bankrupt. While Mikee Romero has plenty of cash to burn, I think he will pass this Capital A plan. Problem for him is his slot in MNL. while APG has A320 slots from domestic terminal, its A330 can only park at T3 international. Meaning, APG can fly Korea and China but cant fly CEB and DVO. APG has no domestic slots at T3. I would say its not gonna happen until he spends a parking apron besides PAL. Although a pair of A330 is already in CRK.

[JNC03]

MORE DETAILS ON PAL'S A350-1000 and MEDIUM HAUL FLEET REPLACEMENT

Philippine Airlines’ commitment for nine Airbus A350-1000s will comprise the higher-weight variant – similar to those ordered by Qantas for ultra-long-haul flights – as it eyes replacements for its medium-haul fleet.  

Airline president Stanley Ng, who was speaking to FlightGlobal at the IATA AGM in Istanbul, adds that the new A350s – with deliveries expected to run from 2025 through 2027 – will not be direct replacements for its Boeing 777-300ER fleet.

“[The 777s and A350-1000s] will operate side-by-side for a few years during the transition, and that gives us the flexibility to possibly extend the leases of some of our 777s… based on the economic situation in the next two or three years,” says Ng.

Ng adds that the airline is expected to kick off a medium-haul fleet replacement campaign “in three or four years”, noting that A350-900s, 787s or A330neos are “all possibilities”. The current medium-haul network is served by A330ceos.

Article link: https://www.flightglobal.com/airlines/pal-to-take-higher-weight-a350-1000s-eyes-medium-haul-fleet-renewal-in-coming-years/153572.article

[JNC03]

I remember Ng's actions before the A350-1000 order

He said they are interested in purchasing new planes and looking at A350-1000s, after a few months Reuters leaked the order to the public and PAL announced it

Now he is doing the thing again, revealing their interest but this time he revealed the choices of PAL which is the A330neo, A350-900 and 787. But this time he didn't make a specific statement on what the airline will order.

There is a chance that they will order A330neo for the dense config while 787-9 for the tri-class at the same time?

[Evodesire]

Taking word from what Arianespace said way back, there is a possibility that PAL can get back their A350-900s from LH, with a 313 config. And then the Boeing 787-9. As of now, I doubt that PAL will go higher than the A35K. As for the A330neo, its only now that I heard them somehow express interest on the aircraft too. Most likely those they can send on ME flights.

[Evodesire]

Huge possibility that they will be retaining the premium flatbeds.

[JNC03]

Well ordering A35K, the A320 replacement and A330neo will be a good deal considering the quantity of the order. Huge discount will be given to PAL if they will order more

[Arianespace]

Evodesire wrote

As for the A330neo, its only now that I heard them somehow express interest on the aircraft too. Most likely those they can send on ME flights.

But then, re-read my take on PAL fleet planning. Fortunately, its there even if you haven't heard Stan say  anything about it until now. I just smile when everything I said forms slowly to concrete pieces.

As for the 35K, sure it does replace the 77w, in the same manner that it replaced the B744 in transition from 2009 to 2016. I hate to be right most of the time, but look at the past if its not true.

[Solblanc]

I can see A330neos being ordered side by side with 787s if it’s a matter of delivery slots. And the two will serve very different markets; it’s clear that 9-abreast works for the Middle East and high-volume domestic flights freeing up 787s to do high-yield regional like JP/AU and occasionally fly to North America as well.

But with A359s, even two of them, alongside the A35K, they don’t need planes with the flexibility to do east coast. An a330neo that’s less dense can reach Vancouver and Seattle and even Europe comfortably, freeing up the A350s for west coast duties. So why get another plane type at all?

What the 787 has going for it is that the 787-10 is an amazing medium-haul plane, and it definitely can do the Mideast routes as well, but it’s more expensive than an a330neo for sure.

As for the 320 replacement, doesn’t PAL still have A321neos on order? It shouldn’t be too difficult for them to either upgauge or even modify their existing NB order

[Arianespace]

PAL new A320 going to GAP will look like this

 

189 passengers as compared to CEBs 194 seats. That is cramp. Still better than CEB though. I rode GAP recently reconfigured with 180 seats and it was very tight on my size. The two inches allowance on my knee just disappeared as it now fits barely an inch. Gone are the days when A320 was made for 150 pax.

[Darkknight85]

Does the seat recline? I recently had a trip from Davao to Manila on a A320, the seat i had was loose. I hope they will fix it to make it more comfortable for the passengers.

[JNC03]

New A320?

[XWB_flyer]

I flew on 5J A320neo from MNL-CGK last Feb they have Y188 seats (8 more then the A320ceo at Y180 seats), it was alright flight didn't have the opportunity to check the rear lavatories though most LCC go with Y186 seats for their A20N while 5J and UO are the only airlines that went with Y188 seats. As for GAP going with an all-economy config with 186-188 seats I think its ok especially for sub 3 hour flights which they mostly operate though if they do order the A321neo I could see them going with 236-239 seats in an single-class configuration just wish they would added USB-port like 5J for their A320neo family and A330-900neo.

[JNC03]

Yes A35K will eventually replace 77Ws when the deliveries are completed. PAL will not remove them from the fleet without proper replacement

[XWB_flyer]

Solblanc wrote

I can see A330neos being ordered side by side with 787s if it’s a matter of delivery slots. And the two will serve very different markets; it’s clear that 9-abreast works for the Middle East and high-volume domestic flights freeing up 787s to do high-yield regional like JP/AU and occasionally fly to North America as well.

But with A359s, even two of them, alongside the A35K, they don’t need planes with the flexibility to do east coast. An a330neo that’s less dense can reach Vancouver and Seattle and even Europe comfortably, freeing up the A350s for west coast duties. So why get another plane type at all?

What the 787 has going for it is that the 787-10 is an amazing medium-haul plane, and it definitely can do the Mideast routes as well, but it’s more expensive than an a330neo for sure.

The advantage of the A330-900neo is its lower CASM compared to the B787-9 which would be better suited for medium-haul flights like the Middle East, I suspect Airbus is offering both the A330-900neo and A350-900 to counter Boeing 787-9 offer which they may hope PAL will eventually order the bigger B787-10 for its superior economic especially in the Middle East or Inter-Asia flights as a future option.  As for the Boeing 777-9 I think the door is still open though will have to wait and see when the A35K join the fleet in 2025 for comparsion and if PAL will still need something bigger? Which the CEO seem to hint in that FlightGlobal article.

[Arianespace]

XWB_flyer wrote

The advantage of the A330-900neo is its lower CASM compared to the B787-9 which would be better suited for medium-haul flights like the Middle East, I suspect Airbus is offering both the A330-900neo and A350-900 to counter Boeing 787-9 offer and is hoping PAL will eventually order the B787-10 for its superior economic especially in the Middle East or Inter-Asia flights as a future option.  

Why is your suspicion quite spot on? I beg to disagree however to the -10 as it is quite an expensive airframe for low cost operation. It is also too big for regional operations.

[Arianespace]

JNC03 wrote

New A320?

Haven't you heard? They have pending A21 orders but not A320 which they need right now for their subsidiary. PAL will be paying GAP its debt, and new frames financed by these payments.

[JNC03]

Ahh the A321 order pending delivery from 2026 onwards

I thought the new A320 is the A320 replacement


Like PAL, Qantas is also replacing their A330s and they will sell all of it!

If PAL have some owned aircraft they can sell it to generate money


Nice week to start about Philippine aviation industry

[Solblanc]

The A359 did beat the 787-9 in a previous battle for PAL’s wallet, but the requirement back then was ULH.


The last time Boeing won a PAL order, the 77Ws benefitted from previous 744 deposits. Right now, you last said 5 frames and 2 options. Is that what we’ll see in the Paris Airshow? We were under the impression that the 787 was a done deal. I wonder why the announcement of several medium-haul choices?

[Evodesire]

I believe that the A330 is optimized for the ME routes and I doubt PAL switching manufacturer after what came out in FlightGlobal. Just maybe to "update" with the A330-900 but not to change. 5J's 459-seater A339 speaks a lot about how optimized the aircraft is to serve the ME market. And rumors has it that 5J are considering to reopen some ME routes like RUH and DOH, considering the amount of A339Ns they'll be taking in.

I just can't imagine myself though taking a 9-hour flight on seats that don't recline but if it sells well to the OFWs in the ME, then I guess its all good for them.

[XWB_flyer]

Airbus would like to gain any opportunity over Boeing when it comes to aircraft orders even if they control the local market. AB needs to increased numbers for their Wide-body which Boeing is leading thanks to the B777-300ER and B787 Dreamliner.