Airlines In The Philippines II

[crash&burn]

I think 9932 scheduled to return by 4thQ this year

[crash&burn]

So far…from 309 to 359 seats I gather. 8781 scheduled up to Mid March while 8782 for mid-May completion.

[Evodesire]

Will those ME "RSA" A330s (876X) planes also be configured to 359 seats with IFEs? I think PAL needs to really have a more consistent product. One of the many complaints of customers is inconsistent product, especially when its contrary to what's advertised.

[seven13]

crash&burn wrote

So far…from 309 to 359 seats I gather. 8781 scheduled up to Mid March while 8782 for mid-May completion.

Damn, I’m scared to see those 3-3-3 in Y again and be the standard config. It’s really cramped when seating as a pax and quite hard to work with that config. Hoping that it would retain the IFEs after reconfiguration.

Tha old A333 had 42J and 260Y if I recall correctly. Should the W section be removed, it can fit 4(?) rows of 2-4-2, 32 seats (should PR retain the 2-4-2 config.) Will they remove middle galley to squeeze in more seats and enlarge the rear galley or would they reconfigure the J class to 2-2-2?

[Arianespace]

According to source, the reconfigured bus will fly alternately to DXB and DOH. So they are ME bound principally. As was conveyed by the CEO last year.

[Evodesire]

Only question now left is if they will retain the IFEs and just remove Y+, convert it to all regular Y 2-4-2 config.

[JNC03]

Nice those flights are always full, I usually see a lot of people boarding those flights.

RP-C8781 is now on CRK for the reconfiguration

[JNC03]

What is the scheduled exit of one PAL 77W in the fleet?

[XWB_flyer]

If I'm not mistaken it will be either 7777 or 7776 both are the oldest B77W in PAL fleet the rest are fully owned except for 7778 to 7782 which are on 10 year lease which should expired by the end of 2028? I wonder if it will also be the year PAL will sloly phase out there A330-300 I won't be surpirsed they will start with 876X as their still featuring the old 9-abreast seating its successor will likely be either the A330neo or B787 Dreamliner with the recent big orders I won't be surprised AB will be pushing thier A330-900neo after Boeing recent success with the Dreamliner. But that dosen't mean it has disadvantages and overall the Dreamliner is supperior especially the B787-10 with its high-capacity configuration although I think for price they could also pitch the smaller B787-9 instead for both price and as 1:1 replacement for the A333.

[seven13]

With this, PR will have 3 configurations of the A333.

363 (8766,8771,8764)
359 (8781)
309 (8780,8782,8783,8786,8789)

Hmmm….is PR upgrading its inflight offerings to DXB and DOH (bi class layout with IFE, 2-4-2 cabin layout) for a possible codeshare agreement with QR and/or EK? Either way, EK and QR sends their older product to MNL.

[crash&burn]

7776 will be returned before year end, so I hear…

[JNC03]

Any other aircraft retirements aside from 7776?

What about new planes? aside from one 77W and the return of RP-C8786

[AnonBoy]

seven13 wrote

crash&burn wrote

So far…from 309 to 359 seats I gather. 8781 scheduled up to Mid March while 8782 for mid-May completion.

Damn, I’m scared to see those 3-3-3 in Y again and be the standard config. It’s really cramped when seating as a pax and quite hard to work with that config. Hoping that it would retain the IFEs after reconfiguration.

Tha old A333 had 42J and 260Y if I recall correctly. Should the W section be removed, it can fit 4(?) rows of 2-4-2, 32 seats (should PR retain the 2-4-2 config.) Will they remove middle galley to squeeze in more seats and enlarge the rear galley or would they reconfigure the J class to 2-2-2?

Unfortunately, with PECY removal, ECY will have its seatback IFEs removed as well. BCL will be retained, and ECY will revert back to those wireless IFE of SMC days. I think it is a step back for sure, but I guess economics of the ME flights just cannot justify the costs. Goes to show, PR cannot take the ME carriers head on on those routes for sure.

[frequentflier]

That’s very unfortunate. Removing existing PTVs is indeed a step back to the wrong direction.

[JNC03]

RP-C8786 has decals installed in its tail, no grey in the belly

[XWB_flyer]

frequentflier wrote

That’s very unfortunate. Removing existing PTVs is indeed a step back to the wrong direction.

That is true I wonder if they will refit the IFE system like on the Bi-class A330 which still feature the old configuratio or could be part of a?re evaluation on weither Wirless IFE maybe a viable option against in-seat IFE?

[seven13]

AnonBoy wrote

seven13 wrote

crash&burn wrote

So far…from 309 to 359 seats I gather. 8781 scheduled up to Mid March while 8782 for mid-May completion.

Damn, I’m scared to see those 3-3-3 in Y again and be the standard config. It’s really cramped when seating as a pax and quite hard to work with that config. Hoping that it would retain the IFEs after reconfiguration.

Tha old A333 had 42J and 260Y if I recall correctly. Should the W section be removed, it can fit 4(?) rows of 2-4-2, 32 seats (should PR retain the 2-4-2 config.) Will they remove middle galley to squeeze in more seats and enlarge the rear galley or would they reconfigure the J class to 2-2-2?

Unfortunately, with PECY removal, ECY will have its seatback IFEs removed as well. BCL will be retained, and ECY will revert back to those wireless IFE of SMC days. I think it is a step back for sure, but I guess economics of the ME flights just cannot justify the costs. Goes to show, PR cannot take the ME carriers head on on those routes for sure.

So it will be 5 no IFE and 4 triclass then. From a passenger’s POV, it definitely is a step back but economics says it’s a step forward for sustainability and profitability. With oil prices on the higher side nowadays, PR needs the plane as light as possible to keep weight of the plane light. I don’t have data supporting my claims but I believe DMM RUH are almost always full at the back and just around 20% full upfront. DXB on the other hand can fill up both Y and J. It’s surprising they will be retaining the current J of the triclass. So if these 2 birds will rotate between DOH and DXB exclusively, then there might be a market for premium passengers on these route.

[seven13]

frequentflier wrote

That’s very unfortunate. Removing existing PTVs is indeed a step back to the wrong direction.

It depends on the customer profile. Since for ME, price is king and PR is able to fill up the biclass A333 even without the IFE then it means there’s a group of passengers who are willing to give up IFE for cheaper fares.

In terms of food, PR is more generous with its portion versus EK and EY of its MNLDXB/AUH sector. I havent been on QR so I cannot comment on it.

From my observation, it is all about customer profile, PR could have easily deployed the A321ceo to JP yet they are sending the 993X series to all JP routes except the overnight NRT and KIX.

[XWB_flyer]

 I sometimes wonder if the ME routes are better served by GAP rather then mainline PAL from cost structure, price and product point of view they could also taken in between 3-5 of PAL A330-300 the once they owned which will be replaced by new generation aircraft like A330neo or B787 Dreamliner

It those make sense to offer a superior J-class while keeping the regular Y-class at a minimum for those routes

[seven13]

2P tried to fly DXB during SMC I think but was eventually given back to PAL. There was 1 monoclass transferred to GAP but did not last long. Also it seems like it would be too costly for GAP and the whole PAL group for 2P to operate 5 A330s should the ME routes be transferred to them. It will leave PR with a shortage of aircraft. It’s not economical for GAP to lease 5 A330s and PR to lease another set of A333 sized aircraft. Double costs.