16 June 2017
Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) is pushing back delivery of its Airbus A321 NEO (new engine option) orders to January next year due to engine supply issue with Pratt and Whitney's PW1100G-JM geared-turbofan that will be used for the aircraft.
PAL ordered 21 A321 NEOs, which was supposed to begin delivery by November 2017 says PAL President Jaime J. Bautista.
“Our first aircraft delivery of the NEO will be January 2018 from November this year, so it’s three months delayed,” he said.
PW1100G-JM is having initial operational teething troubles which involved failures of some engines’ number three bearings, according to Airbus.
Pratt & Whitney is trying to produce enough modified PW1100G-JMs to meet both the demand for initial installation on new-delivery A320neos planes and replace existing in-service engines which have to be swapped after failures were reported to conform to upgraded specifications.
According to Bautista, unlike the current A321 the NEO aircraft is embedded with backseat IFE's comprising business, premium economy and economy class seats meant for regional destinations and will replace old A320s and A321s flying regional routes.
The new plane is expected also to fly new international points from the Philippines to be announce next year, particularly India and two other key cities in Australia..
PAL ordered 21 A321 NEOs, which was supposed to begin delivery by November 2017 says PAL President Jaime J. Bautista.
“Our first aircraft delivery of the NEO will be January 2018 from November this year, so it’s three months delayed,” he said.
PW1100G-JM is having initial operational teething troubles which involved failures of some engines’ number three bearings, according to Airbus.
Pratt & Whitney is trying to produce enough modified PW1100G-JMs to meet both the demand for initial installation on new-delivery A320neos planes and replace existing in-service engines which have to be swapped after failures were reported to conform to upgraded specifications.
According to Bautista, unlike the current A321 the NEO aircraft is embedded with backseat IFE's comprising business, premium economy and economy class seats meant for regional destinations and will replace old A320s and A321s flying regional routes.
The new plane is expected also to fly new international points from the Philippines to be announce next year, particularly India and two other key cities in Australia..
Mr. Bautista said PAL is however on target with the delivery of its Q400NG turboprops from Bombardier Commercial Aircraft starting July until November for its Cebu hub, and two more Boeing 777-300ER in December and January 2018 for North America and European destinations, followed by first A350 delivery in June of 2018 from SMBC Aviation Capital for direct flights to New York.
Well this is not a suprised considering Cebu Pacific has announced that they will ordered 7 Airbus A321ceo for delivery March next year and pushed back the delivery date of thier Airbus A321neo to the 4Q of 2018. I'm curious however since PAL stated that they will replaced exsisting A320 and A321 on some regional routes and will feature a three-class configuration Busines, Premium Economy and Economy Classes. Also this should hardly be supriseing that they will have Seat Back IFE at every classes but I'm more intrested will PAL current A321ceo will they recived IFE or will they have the same configuration.
ReplyDeleteA321CEO will all go to 2P.
ReplyDeleteTrue?
DeleteI'm skeptical they will trasnffered all of thier A321CEO to 2P. probably some of thier A321CEO will go to 2P. while others will remain with PR to complement thier A321NEO.
Deletefor the new 321 NEO, i hope they have less seats for more comfort in all classes, and a mid-cabin restroom. The old 321 CEO is just too tight at 199 seats.
ReplyDeleteWhere the heck that a narrowbody aircraft like the Airbus A321 has a mid cabin restroom. All the narrowbody aircraft I rode including here in north america has a restroom in only both ends of the plane. Mid cabin restrooms are only applicable in widebody aircraft or maybe in a business jet. Maybe a business jet is a best for you if your asking for more comfort not an airline like PAL.
DeleteBecause they are meant to upgrade Domestic services.
DeleteUmmm... Air Canada, American (incl US Airways) & Delta have mid-cabin lavs on their 321's by doors L3/R3. Only Jetblue doesn't but they have 3 lavs instead of 2 at the rear.
DeleteI heard from James Bautista himself during an Interview with CAPA late last year that PAL A321neo will have a capacity of 172 with 12 Lie-flat Business class seats and 160 Economy class seats. But he did not mention that they will have premium economy however hance I think the premium economy seats in the A321 will be more of and extra-legroom economy seat with extra seat pitch and recline smilar to PAL current A321ceo but with Personal IFE.
ReplyDeleteI havent heard that the A321NEO will have premium economy nor extra-legroom economy similar to A321CEO. But I'm not sure, a friend told me that the definition of the cabin is already final, and its only in 2-class layout. However, it's already ironic that regular flights to ICN and PUS already have premium economy service sold higher than economy. Maybe they changed their minds.
ReplyDeleteAn aircraft with business, economy, and premium economy is not a true tri-class service. For that to make one it needs a first class section, with its heavy seats/suites, lavs, and amenities (food & drink). Removing first class and adding premium economy makes the product a two-class configuration. Most airline does it away with seat row and pitch, ie 1-2-1 and 2-3-2 together with 2-4-2 in a WIDE BODY, and some folks call it two-and-a-half class services. In a narrow-body, 3 class service would only be possible if the premium economy also has a 2-2 layout together with the J, not the 3-3 seats even if it has a better legroom. Few argue however that the middle seat can be left blocked like some EU carriers do, making it 3 class service just the same. Coincidentally, PR does the same on the A320 on some flights. Not so sure on the A321 though. And it remains to be seen if they still do it on the NEO.
DeleteThanks for the input. I did notice that there is now a curtain between premium economy (extra legroom economy) and economy on the A321. Meaning they are marketed as distinct products.
DeleteFirst A350 will be on June 2018? Is that the A350 order that was cancelled by Sri Lankan and then offered to PAL? I thought Iran Air was going to take it.
ReplyDeleteI think those 4 Airbus A350-900 ordered by SriLankan Airlines where from AerCap not SMBC Aviation Capital unless of course AerCap could have sold the A350s that where originally intended for SriLankan Air to SMBC but I don't know. Anyway I'm somewhat suprised that PAL will take thier first A350 in mid 2018 instead of end of 2018 which they previously announced.
DeleteSMBC's first A350 was from Asiana delivered this April. They have three more coming in 2017 and two more in 2018. The two deliveries next year are of course the ULR of PAL.
DeleteSecond, The PAL variant happens to be the ULR while ALK orders were for standard A359 at 268mtow.
Note also that it's delivery is 5 frames after SQ's ULR, the launch customer. Glad to be of help.
so those two A350 for PAL on June 2018 is not part of the 6 ordered for delivery in late 2018? does that mean the onboard hard products will be different since it's the lessor who will customize it? I believe the PAL A350 is marketed as a 'HGW' variant at 278 mtow while the 'ULR' variant is at 280 mtow.
DeleteIt will be up to PAL what kind of onboard product they will introduced on their A350s. However I've heard that PAL will still need to make an agreement with the lessor if PAL wants to changed the onboard product like the A330s as an example which took time to refurbished also had to matched thier maintenance scheduled to minimize disruption.
DeleteI think it is still part of the 6 Airbus a359 that PAL has ordered, and the reason for early delivery is Deferrals and Cancellations stated by @The Philippine Airspace
Deletehttps://www.smbc.aero/news/smbc-aviation-capital-concludes-two-aircraft-deal-new-customer-philippine-airlines
Early delivery schedule is the result of order cancellations and deferrals by some airlines causing production numbers to jump. So there will be 2 delivery of A350 by Q3 of 2018 and another 2 by Q4. The last pair is scheduled for 1Q of 2019.
ReplyDeleteThe topic here is A321 neo not A350..why not open a A350 blog? Just wondering..
ReplyDeleteIs it okay to be rude.... whatever
Deletereminds me of Jay Fillarca of PPSG. if the topic was solely about the A321neo, the author wouldn't have mentioned the A350.
Delete