Airlines In The Philippines III

[seven13]

Can't verify the accuracy of the following details regarding PR fleet

A321ceo
- cabin reconfig with seatback IFE due to start around May. It will take a little over a month for each aircraft to complete it.
- After the first ac has been reconfigured/retrofitted, it will take slightly over a quarter after the second aircraft will undergo the program because certifications will be needed.
- there will be 5 less seats but lavatories in ECY will remain the same
- there will be wifi across the A321 fleet
- interior design will be similar to those of the A35k

A330
- PR hired a 3rd party company to study its fleet. It is still yet unclear if the A333 will stay and be refurbished or will be replaced. Decision "may" be announced 1Q25.
- Wifi in all class will be available.

B777
- Will also undergo cabin retrofit with interior design similar to the incoming A35K - though I'm personally quite skeptical about this since the incoming A35K will replace the B777 1:1. Wifi for all class will also be available.

Wifi provider SITA will be replaced by INMARSAT, expect faster speed onboard.

Again, can't verify the accuracy of these information. Let's hope for the best.

[JNC03]

A350K's cabin design is not revealed yet publicly

[filipinoavgeek]

If ever the A330s are replaced, what's the favorite to replace them: A330neos, 787s, or even possibly both?

[Evodesire]

PAL needs to put in a plane order soon because aside from improving their hard product, those PALex A320s badly need replacements. And just my thought. Why did they hire a 3rd party to study their fleet only now? Feeling the crunch already from those AOGs, flight cancellations, suspensions, and poor customer satisfaction reviews? Problem with PAL is they have always been reactive and continue to be reactive in their decision making. That is why they are having a hard time compete with other airlines and even LCCs.

[Solblanc]

JNC03 wrote

A350K's cabin design is not revealed yet publicly

Are they still going to push through with 10-abreast on the A35K when ET has shown with their new A35K that 9-abreast can still yield a good seat count? They can still fit 380 seats in J, Y+, and Y at 9 abreast. At 10 abreast, will it still have the range for New York and Toronto?

[seven13]

JNC03 wrote

A350K's cabin design is not revealed yet publicly

We still have several months to go. Im personally guessing it will not be too far from the cabin design of the A21N, blue and green.

[frequentflier]

RP-C9933 did a test flight yesterday. Based on planspotters.net, the aircraft was stored since Feb 2023. 🤯 Hoping to see 9932 and 9937 flying soon.

[Solblanc]

seven13 wrote

JNC03 wrote

A350K's cabin design is not revealed yet publicly

We still have several months to go. Im personally guessing it will not be too far from the cabin design of the A21N, blue and green.

Other airlines do teasers for new cabins a year in advance. In theory, they should have ordered the products for linefit by now.

[Arianespace]

A retrofitted A330 will give PAL additional 6 years of life left with the plane, which retires about 16 years old. The same waiting time for B787-900 and B787-10, assuming they order this year. Same story with the 77Ws.  These will make room for their expansion should they desire new routes. The ordered A35k covers only their existing route network.

A retrofit choice is actually a good idea if you wait the cue, following CX example. It also ties less of your finances. By sheer coincidence, the -ten happens to be a lot cheaper than 359s. Good enough for ME and EU flight, at their desired configuration, 330 pax or thereabouts. More so, the -10 gains almost 500nm of range from PIP. Sadly, it is still not a transpacific plane from Southeast Asia, particularly PH. Still, these two planes are good  A330 replacements for their long desired destinations.

[JNC03]

Lufthansa will codeshare TG's BKK-MNL flights

[Solblanc]

With Trump in the White House, it’s kinda imperative to keep Boeing in the orderbook. I have a feeling they’ll announce these orders on the sidelines of a meeting

[seven13]

Well, actually it was mentioned that the B777 is also included in the program so are we looking at the extension of these planes? I thought C7777 is due to retire upon C7784’s arrival, is PR keeping the frame?

[Arianespace]

Those refer to the newer frames. Not the old ones

[Solblanc]

Arianespace wrote

Those refer to the newer frames. Not the old ones

Newer frames including Garuda frames?

[Arianespace]

i guess not. 76 and 77 are GECAS planes. Subsequent ones are PAL planes. It should refer to the 8 planes.

[JNC03]

Sunlight to add ATR72-600 to its fleet, it will arrive next month

[Evodesire]

Speaking of A35Ks, PAL executives said last year that they were to exercise the three A35K options in 2024. It didn't happen. As they say even within PAL, "don't believe anything they say until it is there." So while we can all speculate that they will order soon, I'd rather just be on the pessimistic side and just get the surprise I had long been waiting for should PAL order planes this year.

[JNC03]

First flight of 5J to CTS

[JNC03]

Scoot will introduce SIN-ILO flights in the next few months taking advantage of their E190s

[Arianespace]

JNC03 wrote

Scoot will introduce SIN-ILO flights in the next few months taking advantage of their E190s

Solblanc wrote

About the E190… while it can make a few turboprop routes work, it has the range to open up new international routes for MNL, CRK, and CEB. Maybe even SGY. If they do decide to get them Embraers, it would be very versatile. They can make ports like HAN and SGN double-daily to connect with their US services. They can even start routes like VTE or REP. They can experiment with the Indian market again with low-cost 5th freedom from BKK. Perhaps they can even explore the likes of DRW or return to Chinese cities where there is still some demand. They can kill several birds with one stone with such a versatile aircraft that is already available now. If they want to stop losing market share to 5J, this is low—hanging fruit

E190 do work wonders for thin routes. It now works in DVO and CEB and soon ILO too.