Airlines In The Philippines III

[Arianespace]

CTS is not really surprising. JP is the number 1 list for Filipino travelers. It was just unfortunate the flag carrier couldn't serve them due to fleet constraint. They even lost substantial market share domestically for the same reason. For winter wonderland, Sapporo's snow is 10 times better than the French alps.

Japan emerged as the top leisure destination for Filipino travelers, with 32% visiting in the past year. Singapore (22%) followed by Hong Kong (21%) and Thailand (18%) were the next most popular destinations.

https://www.visa.com.ph/about-visa/newsroom/press-releases/japan-ranks-as-top-leisure-travel-destination-for-filipino-travellers-visa-study.html#:~:text=Japan%20emerged%20as%20the%20top,the%20next%20most%20popular%20destinations.

[Arianespace]

Still with JJB, Captain Manuel Antonio Tamayo joined him with his exit and was replaced with PAF Pilot Raul del Rosario as CAAP Director General. The triumvirate, with Sydiongco as the third, were touted the best that ever happen to Philippine Aviation. But none of that even reached the news. What it did reached is this:

Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Vince Dizon confirmed that around 400 engineers have resigned from the agency in the past six to eight months. 

The mass resignation, he said, was primarily due to administrative challenges, including salary delays.  

Read more at: https://tribune.net.ph/2025/02/26/dotr-faces-administrative-challenges-as-400-engineers-resign

And what causes the delay is when multi-billion pesos railway project is halted, thus causing him his head. I thought the job was too much for the man, which his predecessor couldn't even solve but gets the job done. So the old Tugade boys are back to bring balance to the force, and replaces his lieutenants. They were good on aviation though.

Former transportation secretary Jaime Bautista initially sought legal advice from the Department of Justice (DOJ) on matters regarding compensation for those affected by these projects. While the DOTr got a reply, it has placed the DOTr in a bind as the opinion opened up a can of worms.

You should read the background story here. They are very interesting to read. Sorry for the Segway. This is out of topic already, so i digress.
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/explainers/why-major-railway-projects-face-delays/

[N751PR]

I guess their setup with TR via TPE seems to suffice for now but IIRC CTS used to have a seasonal SQ charter flight more than a decade ago back when the only other ASEAN nonstop option was TG. Usually the main option to get it was booking via tour groups but one time I managed to get this specific flight in one of my booking searches as a lengthy routing option...between LAX to TYO!

[JNC03]

Trump - Marcos Jr. meeting might happen around April to June

There is a chance we might order something from Boeing, Trump wants to buy something from them before you can get something from them. An order might place the Philippines in a good shot for continuous military aid

Since the beneficiary here is the Philippine government aside from PAL, the gov might consider lending some to PAL via Maharlika Investment Corp. PH sovereign wealth fund. They recently lended money to a mining company.

[airline_builder]

With the current geopolitics changes in the US towards its approach to Russia, nations who are aspiring to appear always under the favors of the US like the Philippines would have to dance with the music.

So when Russian resumes flights to the US vis a vis US carriers' overflight - Russia to Europe if and only if EU would allow access to such traffic since they are quite bitter so as just to defend Zelensky and not Ukraine.

Perhaps PR can resume its LHR flights?

Thoughts?  

[filipinoavgeek]

Would either the A220 or the E2 be a good fit for PR or perhaps another airline? Cebu Pacific said they weren't interested for now, but wouldn't such planes help the Philippines get more thin and long routes? It could lead to resuming Siem Reap or even Phuket for example, or perhaps help open up new routes like Yangon, Vientiane, Surabaya, etc. Considering the Philippines' relationship with ASEAN it's a bit surprising that we aren't as connected to our neighbors in terms of air routes. The demand is obviously not high, but it's there, and perhaps having such planes could help stimulate demand.

[filipinoavgeek]

https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-03-06/national/socialAffairs/Philippine-flight-foulup-leaves-Jejubound-travelers-stranded/2256089

Royal Air in the news again for all the wrong reasons.

[Arianespace]

airline_builder wrote

With the current geopolitics changes in the US towards its approach to Russia, nations who are aspiring to appear always under the favors of the US like the Philippines would have to dance with the music.

So when Russian resumes flights to the US vis a vis US carriers' overflight - Russia to Europe if and only if EU would allow access to such traffic since they are quite bitter so as just to defend Zelensky and not Ukraine.

Perhaps PR can resume its LHR flights?

Thoughts?

PR never lose its Russian overflight rights. JFK and YYZ regularly utilizes the Russian Airspace, the only ASEAN country that do so. What it lost is the plane that flies across Russia to Europe. We might see a different picture next year.

[Arianespace]

If you see travel habits of Filipinos, only 3 places stand out, SIN, BKK, and HKG. The upper middle class usually have Japan and South Korea as destination.

[filipinoavgeek]

I imagine the demand would be coming from the non-Philippine side, not the Philippine side. For example, Laos to the Philippines, not the other way around. And it's not like niche destinations aren't possible: that's part of why this new generation of planes was developed. I get that in many cases, it would be easier to just transit via Bangkok or Singapore, but Manila's connection to the rest of ASEAN is kind of embarrassing when you think about it despite being well-connected to East Asia and North America.

[Arianespace]

That is mainly because of airport constraint. MNL is very much a restricted airport. Take note too, of all ASEAN airlines, including Hongkong, only PAL is privately owned. That spills huge difference in capital investments.

[filipinoavgeek]

To Arianespace, is it true that 5J considered the 717 at one point? If they did, why didn't they push through?

[chowpau]

filipinoavgeek wrote

To Arianespace, is it true that 5J considered the 717 at one point? If they did, why didn't they push through?

Yes they did considered B717. It was that time they were still using DC9s. Airbus gave 5J a good business deal or package to 5J which fits their new business model which we know now

[Arianespace]

filipinoavgeek wrote

To Arianespace, is it true that 5J considered the 717 at one point? If they did, why didn't they push through?

Consider, yes. As replacement for the DC-9 because it was cheaper. But their expat consultant, i forgot his name, told them that there was better economics with the A320 for LCC operations following financial performance of Easyjet for regional operations (4 flight hours). Same story their CEO is telling now. At this time they were already awarded flag carrier status for Hongkong, South Korea, and ASEAN countries, and this route was being served by B757s. Lance told this story himself in their inflight magazine Smile when they decided to go with the A320 sometime in 2003. I read it on one of my flights so I remembered. Their first Airbus was delivered to them in 2005. I will update the post when i find the link to that statement. Google is not that helpful nowadays.

[JNC03]

Repainted too I think

[romantic_guy08]

anyone know the owner of the G550 that took PRRD to the Netherlands?

[JNC03]

The same owner with the A319

[filipinoavgeek]

https://www.bworldonline.com/corporate/2025/03/13/659020/airasia-philippines-revives-ipo-plans/

At this rate, given all the broken promises about AirAsia and their own issues even back home in Malaysia, I can't help but feel skeptical.

[Arianespace]

CEBU Air, Inc. (CEB), operator of budget carrier Cebu Pacific, announced on Wednesday its board’s approval of a restructuring plan to use the company’s paid-in capital of P20.66 billion to address its earnings deficit.

This follows the company’s commitment to purchase up to 152 A321 new engine option (NEO) aircraft from Airbus.

Cebu Air Chairman Lance Y. Gokongwei has said the company aims to secure financing for its P1.4-trillion Airbus aircraft order through a combination of loans and equity injections.

In a regulatory filing on Wednesday, Cebu Air said the company has approved the proposal to eliminate its deficit amounting to P16.27 billion by infusing a portion of its paid-in capital, leaving it with a capital of P4.39 billion.

“After the deficit is completely eliminated, the corporation’s additional paid-in capital as of Dec. 31, 2023, will be reduced to P4.389 billion,” Cebu Air told the stock exchange.


“[This] will put the company in a position to start accumulating retained earnings that can be used for dividend payments or share buybacks,” Chinabank Capital Corp. Managing Director Juan Paolo E. Colet said in a Viber message on Wednesday.

“This should improve investor sentiment towards the stock,” he added.

https://www.bworldonline.com/corporate/2024/07/18/608796/ceb-board-oks-restructuring-plan-following-airbus-commitment/

[Arianespace]

INSIDER INFO: Who owns that jet used to ferry ex-President Duterte to The Hague?

Well.. word among the aviation industry cognoscenti is that the plane was, as of last year, owned by another billionaire taipan who also has a number of planes and helicopters in his private fleet.

But this captain of industry (in Tagalog… uhmm… Kapitan ng industriya?) is advancing in age and has since relinquished the day-to-day running of his empire to a young scion who isn’t big on planes. In fact, their helicopter fleet is gathering dust, we hear.

Read more at:https://insiderph.com/insider-info-who-owns-that-jet-used-to-ferry-ex-president-duterte-to-the-hague

Andyan yung clue