Announced Paris
4 December 2015
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| At 6500nm the A350-900 proves to be the most efficient plane from Los Angeles to Manila |
4 December 2015
Amidst jubilation during the carrier’s recent party to celebrate the second anniversary of its London route, Philippine Airlines (PAL) admitted that it has chosen the Airbus A350-900 as its mid-sized long haul jets. (See our leak here long before others have known)
David A. Lim, PAL senior vice president, Commercial Group, confirmed the Airbus A350 orders, and said these long haul aircraft will fly North America and Europe.
Lim said they will start Paris next year after securing favorable slots at Charles de Gaulle Airport. (We also broke the story here, a long time ago)
Meanwhile, Ryan T. Uy, PAL vice president for Sales, added that the Paris route will be flown by Airbus 330-300, which carry 368 passengers.
“This is temporary, until we get the A350.” Uy said.
The Airbus A350-900 ordered by PAL will carry 325 passengers in two class configuration and will be used for its long-haul destinations when they start arriving in 2017.
PAL will be flying Airbus A330-300 to Paris four times a week via Dubai with evening departures out of Manila while they are still sorting the flights to Frankfurt in Germany thrice a week to be flown also via Dubai.
Lim added that the carrier is also considering flying to Amsterdam via Dubai where the airline has fifth freedom rights while existing flights to Jeddah would be flown direct soon.
Why not Rome?
“It would be nice if we could fly to Rome, because there is a large religious tourism market, as well as a great number of OFWs. But we don’t have fifth freedom rights with Italy,” Ryan Uy said.
The airline would have considered linking Israel and Italy but only Istanbul granted them beyond rights.
The fifth freedom right allows an airline from one country to fly between two other countries. With the current restriction, PAL cannot fly passengers between Dubai and Rome.
Uy said PAL had wanted to fly to Rome via Dubai as well, but the Italians granted only direct flights preventing them to introduce intermediary points. They can however transport passengers from Italy to the Philippines and vice versa, but no UAE-Italy traffic similar to that employed in Vancouver and Toronto.
PAL Group has 21 flight entitlements to the United Arab Emirates daily, while Cebu Pacific just rammed up its rights to 14 flights a day by applying for the seven new slots, based on the current aviation bilaterals.
"Admitted" so theres a connotation there's something wrong?
ReplyDeleteBecause the airline has not announced the orders yet.
DeleteIs this really final?
ReplyDeleteThey were not supposed to say it yet. Their CEO has kept the media guessing until it blew out on their faces. It has long been denied by PAL pending official announcement saying they haven't chosen yet between A350 and B787. CAPA must be deriving their information from these men.
ReplyDeleteDid the table comparing the a359 and 789 come from PAL?
ReplyDeleteNope. Other professionals did it.
DeleteThanks!
DeleteSome links that you may find helpful,
ReplyDeletehttp://centreforaviation.com/analysis/philippine-airlines-international-expansion-continues-with-5-new-destinations-a350-900-hgw-order-254207
And here is the general circulation newspaper in Manila saying the same thing.
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/pal-to-fly-to-the-city-of-light/
Why won't Philippine Airlines selected both Airbus A350 and Boeing 787?
ReplyDeleteThis is what I'm expecting since then. A350 over B787. If B777x family is available now in the market, no doubt that PAL will choose it. But unfortunately not. Probably the reason behind PAL choose A350 is the commonality of the functions and operations between A330/A340 and XWB. Though, B787 and A350 are both efficient aircraft, pilots play a big role in choosing an aircraft. Why hire new pilots and send them for trainings if you have a competent pilots that only needs a week to be certified to fly A330. Moreover, A330 pilots can switch with A350 pilots too.
ReplyDeleteTherefore, PAL just made a descent decision with their planes. I wonder how many and which country it will serve?
PAL may have to order the B777X to replace their existing B77Ws. By the time, they go into service. Few of PAL's B77Ws will be aging. Besides, PAL loves the Boeing 777-300ER. I don't see them replacing it anytime soon :)
DeleteIf it's slotting in to replace the A343, then CEB-LAX looks like a likely route for the A350 alongside MNL-JFK. If loads improve, I see the A350 flying MNL-YYZ as well. Still crossing fingers for PAL to expand CEB to include CEB-SFO as well, by then, they would need more than six A350s if they also intend to use the A350 to the EU (CDG, FCO and LHR) as well. I really think six A350s are not enough, I wonder how many options PAL signed for. Look at the 77W, they ended up ordering two more, set to arrive later this year.
DeleteGood choice. PAL is back!
ReplyDeleteThis is great news! I am really counting on them to choose the A350! Also, I really hope they can make the European destination work via Dubai, although, I would prefer a direct flight, I sure hope it will be a logical business decision for PAL (in short, profitable!).
ReplyDeleteGood luck! Mabuhay!
I hope pal will upgrade its cebu hub and open more international routes since manila airport is too congested and risky.cebu is more viable because it has more connection compare to clark.
ReplyDeleteCEB is more likely to decongest MNL more than CRK would in the next 10 years. This month alone, CEB is receiving several new international flights (PAL's CEB-LAX, EK's DXB-CEB-CRK-DXB, and XMN direct to name a few) whilst T2 is still under construction.
DeleteVisMin guests would like to avoid MNL as much as possible, and with world-class T2 coming soon, it's only but logical.
I can honestly see PAL fly SFO and an Aussie destination via CEB in the near future within 2016-2020.