Airlines In The Philippines III

[filipinoavgeek]

https://onemileatatime.com/news/delta-asia-expansion-plans-singapore-manila-more/

In other news, looks like Delta will be returning to MNL sooner rather than later. The question is if it's from LAX (as has been speculated in the past), or from SEA (where they will have to compete with PAL).

[Arianespace]

Arianespace wrote

Not 2025. Most likely 2026


My statement awhile back still holds. No slot allocations yet for DL. Route applied is LAX as stated earlier also in this forum. Their previous slot was taken by KE

[JNC03]

There is a theory that the said "secret purchase" is the presidential aircraft wearing PAL's livery on its tail.

PAF allocated budget for the purchase of the a new presidential jet

[filipinoavgeek]

Do we know if the new presidential jet will just be another private jet, or if it will be an airliner? I thought the PAF already has no shortage of those, including the Gulfstream one that they got a few years ago? It seems odd if the PAF would get a 737 MAX or 787 for the presidential jet considering the Philippines isn't really into Boeing aircraft these days. I could see it happening if, for example, it is a package deal with PAL getting 787s.

[Gustavo J Oppenheimer]

I heard rumours that PAL is applying to CAB for entitlements to mount flights in Palau and Maldives, additional services in Australia and also flights to Saipan via 2P

is this true?

[filipinoavgeek]

The Palau news was surprising to me considering I can't imagine the Philippines-Palau market being all that big with Palau's small population. I thought United's MNL-ROR flights already sufficed. MNL-MLE would be interesting though, considering the Maldives have gotten local attention as a tourist destination, and right now to get there you'd need to connect via places like SIN and BKK. I'm not sure if the demand is there to warrant nonstops though.

[seven13]

filipinoavgeek wrote

The Palau news was surprising to me considering I can't imagine the Philippines-Palau market being all that big with Palau's small population. I thought United's MNL-ROR flights already sufficed. MNL-MLE would be interesting though, considering the Maldives have gotten local attention as a tourist destination, and right now to get there you'd need to connect via places like SIN and BKK. I'm not sure if the demand is there to warrant nonstops though.

There is AK from KUL if one is looking for budget airfare.

[filipinoavgeek]

Word on the grapevine is that the MNL (and SIN) announcement is "imminent".

https://x.com/xJonNYC/status/1983632386404577332

[xzibit31]

filipinoavgeek wrote

Do we know if the new presidential jet will just be another private jet, or if it will be an airliner? I thought the PAF already has no shortage of those, including the Gulfstream one that they got a few years ago? It seems odd if the PAF would get a 737 MAX or 787 for the presidential jet considering the Philippines isn't really into Boeing aircraft these days. I could see it happening if, for example, it is a package deal with PAL getting 787s.

I have a feeling that Geopolitics will dictate the kind of Presidential Aircraft the Air Force will get.  Likely its going to be a Max8.

According to Chat GPT the Max 8 BBJ can do the ff:

The 737 MAX 8 BBJ (Boeing Business Jet) variant, for example, has a range of up to 6,600 nm with auxiliary tanks.

The aircraft would need ETOPS-180 or ETOPS-207 approval for trans-Pacific operations — easily achievable for VIP-configured MAX jets.

So, if a presidential aircraft is based on the BBJ MAX 8, then yes — it can easily fly nonstop to Honolulu and even beyond (e.g., Los Angeles or Sydney).

[Arianespace]

 

xzibit31 wrote

filipinoavgeek wrote

Do we know if the new presidential jet will just be another private jet, or if it will be an airliner? I thought the PAF already has no shortage of those, including the Gulfstream one that they got a few years ago? It seems odd if the PAF would get a 737 MAX or 787 for the presidential jet considering the Philippines isn't really into Boeing aircraft these days. I could see it happening if, for example, it is a package deal with PAL getting 787s.

I have a feeling that Geopolitics will dictate the kind of Presidential Aircraft the Air Force will get.  Likely its going to be a Max8.

Sorry its not a Boeing. It does have an American engines and an XLR extension

[xzibit31]

Arianespace wrote

xzibit31 wrote

filipinoavgeek wrote

Do we know if the new presidential jet will just be another private jet, or if it will be an airliner? I thought the PAF already has no shortage of those, including the Gulfstream one that they got a few years ago? It seems odd if the PAF would get a 737 MAX or 787 for the presidential jet considering the Philippines isn't really into Boeing aircraft these days. I could see it happening if, for example, it is a package deal with PAL getting 787s.

I have a feeling that Geopolitics will dictate the kind of Presidential Aircraft the Air Force will get.  Likely its going to be a Max8.

Sorry its not a Boeing. It does have an American engines and an XLR extension

Airbus? or Embraer?

Embraer does not have and XLR. Airbus has.  So its likely to be an 321N XLR.

[filipinoavgeek]

https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/philippine-airlines-brings-back-inflight-magazine-after-five-year-hiatus
In other news, Mabuhay magazine is officially back. Interesting they brought it back considering most airlines have already phased out their inflight magazines.

[JNC03]

Looks like someone gave up their slot for it

[ewh1]

Don’t know who this person who owns this channel is but, they’re compiling a lot of nostalgic gems, such as Air France’s Concorde delivering delegates to the IMF-World Bank meeting in Manila with the old MIA terminal in the background

https://youtu.be/5qJLKBwd_OE?si=jEbj67S9l6WU7fXK 

[Arianespace]

According to Monde Ortiz, the Concorde flew to Manila not once but twice (if I am not mistaken). The first time was in 1972 when the Concorde first landed in Manila. The second time was in October 1976, carrying IMF delegates. Here is a photo of Mr. Edgar Perez with the Concorde behind him in 1976!
📷: Raymund Edgar Perez

The guy was correct. The plane was in Manila on June 10, 1972 for an overnight stop from Singapore to Japan. The reason why it landed in Manila was for sale and demonstration tour. In fact, Concorde was offered to Philippine Airlines in 1971. PAL would not even tell that story because the people there doesn't even know. Even its former President's Sonny Belmonte (1986) and Carlos Dominguez (1992) were not aware of it.

Anyway, the 1976 Air France flight was actually chartered by the Philippine Government to bring the IMF delegates for the Annual Meeting of the Boards of Governors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank held from October 4 to 8, 1976. Some would argue it was our illusion of grandeur to operate one. But only few knew that sale was actually tied to PH-UK bilateral and our access to LHR, as we were merely relegated to LGW. Unfortunately, the Labour Government of James Callaghan said no. And President Ferdinand Marcos also declined Concorde. As you may know, Concorde was an Anglo-Franco (British-French) project.

Did you also know that Concorde has connection to PICC, yes the convention center. But that is another story.

[ewh1]

I saw a pic of it in the PAL livery, I don’t know if it was from here or the web, but still, pretty cool piece of history!

Curious about the PICC connection. It seems like they held the meeting there so there’s already that.

Edit, it was Mond Ortiz who first brought that awareness to me. He actually posted it here https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1254481563353444&id=100063748368021

[Gustavo J Oppenheimer]

5J says they will consider buying C919 jets from COMAC once it receives certification by FAA and ISSA

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/cebu-pacific-ceo-mike-szucs-philippines-air-travel-sustainable-aviation-fuel-5438156

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8tvuJCYHw9E&t=1s&pp=2AEBkAIB

[peterpiloto]

Here’s an ad back then. (c) Gorio Belen

[Arianespace]

ewh1 wrote

I saw a pic of it in the PAL livery, I don’t know if it was from here or the web, but still, pretty cool piece of history!

Curious about the PICC connection. It seems like they held the meeting there so there’s already that.

Edit, it was Mond Ortiz who first brought that awareness to me. He actually posted it here https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1254481563353444&id=100063748368021

You can read more about this story on his website here

This is what he posted there


Ortiz stated the reason why Concorde was not taken in favor of DC-10 because of the oil crisis in 1973.

Well, that is only half the story. Perhaps a better excuse for the LHR exclusion, and why Labour government blocked PAL entry to London's premiere airport. And the reason has partly have to do with KLM.

As a matter of fact, PAL approached KLM for the lease of a pair of DC-10 in 1971, long before the crisis even began, to which KLM agreed. So DC-10 was assigned to be PAL future long haul fleet as replacement for the DC-8 prior to the Concorde offer. Not the other way around. Fun fact still, KLM owns some of the DC-8, which PAL operates. Why PAL operates KLM planes? That is another story. More fun fact, PAL first DC-10 is PH-DTI delivered in June to KLM and transferred to PAL a month later in July 11, 1974. That is 51 years ago. PAL eventually bought these planes and sold in 1984, a story similar to the DC-8 which PAL bought eventually.

So you see, PAL connection with KLM is very deep, the last ones being the Fokker, predecessor of Hawker Siddeley of the UK, and precursor to Bombardier fleet, if PAL people can still remember. Now, its mostly Lufthansa, courtesy of the LTP connection and the A359, which has similar story to the DC-8.

[filipinoavgeek]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaxgXK1BRng

This video has been showing up on my feed lately. Is it me or is it just plain wrong? I don't think PR is doing better than its peers, and it feels either inaccurate or even AI-generated. It doesn't help that a previous video by this channel on PR has an AI-generated thumbnail.