Airlines in the Philippines

[Arianespace]

The problem with the Hajj flights is that there are more Indonesians riding the plane than Filipinos do. That has been corrected now thus the dwindling traffic flow which ultimately cut PR chances of JED survival.

[B77Wflyer]

Since PAL has been reducing the number of destination in the ME. I think this will give them opptunity to re-configured some of there Bi-class A330-300 to a Tri-class configuration as they currently need more then just 8 aircraft to operated in Asia, Australia ans Hawaii. Something liked 2-3 frame can be refurbished while the remaining 4-5 to frame can retain the Bi-class configuration for routes in the ME like RUH, DOH, DXB etc.

[Arianespace]

I think that is the idea. Ratings won't climb higher unless you have consistent product.

And speaking about PAL, JJB has this to say about CEB-LAX, a plane that is not ordered yet.

“When we take delivery of the right aircraft, we will again consider flying Cebu to the US. That’s depending on the delivery of the airplanes,” he said.

Read more: http://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/181877/t2-opening-prompts-pal-boost-cebu-hub-ops#ixzz5JoUDGfyA

[Solblanc]

Shouldn’t PAL reconfigure some 77Ws before they do more A330s?

[Arianespace]

two 77w are off the lease soon and they gonna do d checks. I don't know if its cheaper to reconfigure than just buy new ones

[seastwofly]

If this action done in EU, it'll be much cost to shoulder, system here, mas mahal ang labor cost sa dismantling/repair against
Installing brand new (equiptment) on a bare area/space..

[seastwofly]

O. T.
Example: the RECARO seats for AC/Bus...
Punit yung leather or cotton covering sa foam, they just tapon na lang the whole seat than repair it and reinstall...
Kung malapit lang Pinas dto sa Italy, pwd na ko magtayo ng HARDWARE ukay ukay first time in PH...
Like, Cars, aircon, ref, w.m., m.o, f1tires, seats (bus or a/c) and etc...

[Solblanc]

Arianespace wrote

two 77w are off the lease soon and they gonna do d checks. I don't know if its cheaper to reconfigure than just buy new ones

Even with the D-checks, we are experiencing a 77W glut in the market. Renewing the leases should in theory be dirt-cheap compared to acquiring new planes.

Plus, the fleet is relatively young. PAL tends to use planes as long as they possibly can. Or perhaps that was a circumstance of their receivership.

[Arianespace]

Renewal should be cheap as it is the trend, and following CX footsteps refurbishment should make the older frames at par to the new ones for its intermediate life that is 16 years. And that is how far as it goes because maintenance expenditures would climb after this period. I will post later why this is so. As for the B744, it was the exception considering the circumstances at that time, and no it was not related to receivership.

In short, while the refurbished aircraft would have identical product than newer ones, it would sit more often at the hangar than its younger siblings. There is reason why I think newer ones are better replacement after 10 years.

[B77Wflyer]

PAL has just published the seat map for there A321neo and upcoming A350-900.

Airbus A321neo
https://www.philippineairlines.com/en/travel%20information/beforeyoufly/palaircraft/a321-neo

Airbus A350-900
https://www.philippineairlines.com/en/travel%20information/beforeyoufly/palaircraft/a350-900/seatmapA350-900

One Intresting observation is that the A350-900 will have a galley between 3rd set of doors the aircraft will have nine lavatory and 11 galley Curious what will the economy seats look like.

[B77Wflyer]

Cebu Pacific is converting two of its ATR 72-500 from airliner to freighter both will be operated by there subsidiary Cebgo.

https://businessmirror.com.ph/cebu-pacific-eyes-air-cargo-biz/

[Arianespace]

Fish Run. Not actually the first airline to do that. Honor belongs to SEAIR.

[B77Wflyer]

Routes online has published the deployment of the A350 as follow

https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/279400/philippine-airlines-adds-a350-london-service-from-late-oct-2018/

Also mentioned is the deployment of the A350 to regional routes looks like it will fly twice daily in HKG. However can be subject changes.

Yesterday it was confirmed that the A350 will also fly to LHR the same date Oct 28.

https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/279400/philippine-airlines-adds-a350-london-service-from-late-oct-2018/

[Arianespace]

B77Wflyer wrote

Routes online has published the deployment of the A350 as follow

https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/279400/philippine-airlines-adds-a350-london-service-from-late-oct-2018/

Also mentioned is the deployment of the A350 to regional routes looks like it will fly twice daily in HKG. However can be subject changes.

Yesterday it was confirmed that the A350 will also fly to LHR the same date Oct 28.

https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/279400/philippine-airlines-adds-a350-london-service-from-late-oct-2018/

As I was saying last year...

Arianespace wrote

PAL president Jaimie Bautista told CAPA that whether PAL is able to operate the flight daily year-round depends “on the requirement of the market”.

Interesting insight by CAPA on PAL's LHR route. According to JJB, 77W will stay in the market.

I however would believe otherwise, JJB statement notwithstanding. Airline planners are telling me that 77W deployment is only temporary as this route is destined to be operated by A350 in 2018 as the aircraft is too big for the market. It is true however that the first two A350 frames are destined for New York, and the third and fourth frames should be rotating to LHR on daily basis.

The reason apparently is quite simple, the UK market frowns upon infrequent services. As most of their passengers, particularly seating in the front, are UK-based, PAL is compelled to raise frequency to mend their flying behavior in their favor although  with bigger aircraft. The outcome to that decision is not quite good as they will surely have more empty seats at the back. They however have a decent load up front. That makes their choices more like a poison pill. Thus, the necessity of the smaller plane.

Lets see how it turns out next year!

Well... it turns out to be accurate.

[Dmitrivich]

Philippine Airlines to introduce Manila-Sapporo route starting Sept. 10, 2018.
PR406 0450H Dep MWF
PR405 1740H Arr

[idp5601]

I saw a comment on an article about PAL starting non-stop flights to JFK mentioning PR and DL entering into a codeshare agreement on said route. Can anyone confirm this or is this just a false rumour?

And are there any updates on PAL's new foreign investor? Or have they stopped trying to attract one?

[Evodesire]

B77Wflyer wrote

One Intresting observation is that the A350-900 will have a galley between 3rd set of doors the aircraft will have nine lavatory and 11 galley Curious what will the economy seats look like.

Almost the same as the tri-class A330s except, they will have a 3-3-3 abreast configuration

[seven13]

The tri calss does have a galley in between L/R3 versus the bi class.
The galley at L/R3 are dry galleys for compartments. They need that extra galley to fill up the extra service for the ULH flight. Service on the upcoming nonstop JFK will surely be similar to the current YYZ.

[Travelbug_89]

Looks like the A321NEO is flying PR211 today https://www.flightradar24.com/PAL211/1d138d50 its RP-C9932, the second one delivered, operating.

[Arianespace]

JJB has made declaration that SEA and ORD are the next likely route in North America within the next 12 months.

PAL eyeing new routes to US, Europe next year

In Europe, the Lucio Tan-owned airline is exploring the possibility of flying to Paris and Rome as it hopes to hitch a ride on the growing tourism market between Manila and Europe and to cater to the continuously growing number of overseas Filipino workers.

In the US, PAL is also looking at opening possible routes to Seattle and Chicago within the next 12 months.
PAL president and chief operating officer Jaime Bautista said the new routes in Europe would open one at a time.

“It would depend on the slots,” Bautista told The STAR.

For Rome, PAL would be targeting the overseas Filipinos as well as Catholic pilgrims who want to visit the Vatican.

The Manila-Paris route, meanwhile, can cater to Filipino travelers to Europe and the mainstream French market, Bautista said.

But Bautista said the company is still looking at these two routes to Europe, stressing that nothing is final yet.

PAL senior vice president for strategic planning Angelito Alvarez said the two new routes may be opened as early as next year, depending on the available slots in the targeted markets.

“We’re looking at Paris and Rome. There is a market…It can be in 2019,” Alvarez told The STAR.

Originally, PAL was looking at opening a Manila-to-Amsterdam route, but there were no slots available.

They are also keeping an eye on Brussels, he said.  


Read more at https://www.philstar.com/business/2018/07/16/1833802/pal-eyeing-new-routes-us-europe-next-year#ELQww22L5agAVyDM.99

There is nothing new with respect to North American routes as it has been announced before.

Rome, Paris, Frankfurt and even Amsterdam is also not new. In fact, RSA wanted to fly there as early as 2014. There was no problem in slot allocations at Rome, Amsterdam, and Paris, even Frankfurt. It is in Manila which is incompatible to the slots provided by the former. They eventually found a way with MNL by flying early morning with A340-300 service, just like LHR, but launching the route was dropped when LT bought back PAL , and slots are becoming scarcer as ever back home.

What is new is Brussels.

We may find two EU routes next year. How this pan out is really wait and see, with the terminal reshuffling looming. PAL already prepared multiple slots for the A321N and A359 by relocating all turboprops operation to Clark. And then there is still the A340 which is gonna leave the fleet in 2021. You might wonder why they gonna fly until then coexisting with its youngest sibling?

I also wonder whats in store in 2020?