PAL Selects HBCplus to Power A35K and A21N Fleet

31 May 2024

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) has selected  HBCplus satellite internet communication to equip the 12 A350-1000s and the 13 A321Neo which it ordered from Airbus.

Airspace Link HBCplus launched by Airbus in 2022 is a new flexible satellite connectivity solution that will be offered as an SFE* line-fit catalogue option and available also as retrofit kit on all Airbus programmes. 

HBCplus, which initially encompasses Ka-band services, will enable airlines to connect to a choice of Managed Service Providers (MSPs) via a new certified terminal and radome built as part of the aircraft. In the future it is planned to extend HBCplus to include MSPs which offer Ku-band services.

André Schneider, Airbus VP Cabin & Cargo Programme said: “We are excited to offer airlines a new connectivity service solution that will provide improved speed and reliability for passenger experience and more flexibility. Together with our leading industry partners we are pleased to enable future connectivity business opportunities in the context of the Airspace Link open ecosystem.”

PAL Ends Baguio Flight

Citing Poor Sales

30 May 2024

Flag Carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) is ending its flight from Cebu to Baguio effective July 1, 2024 due to poor passenger traffic.

“Passengers of the cancelled flight Cebu-Baguio-Cebu will be provided the necessary assistance and refund,” the flag carrier said.

PAL launched its four times a week Cebu-Baguio flights in December 2022 using the De Havilland Canada Dash 8 Series 400 NG aircraft, but poor passenger loads prompted the airline to terminate the route as flights become economically not viable.

Gripen Acquisitions On Final Stage

28 May 2024

The Philippines and Sweden have signed the final agreement to support Manila’s planned acquisition of 36 multi-role fighter (MRF) aircraft, command systems and airborne early-warning aircraft for the Philippine Air Force (PAF) under the $35B revised “Re-Horizon 3” modernization program.

The agreement was signed by Joakim Wallin, the Swedish defense materiel head of exports, and Joselito Ramos, the Philippines’ Assistant Secretary for logistics, acquisitions and self-reliant defense posture of the Department of National Defense (DND), and is titled “Implementing Arrangement Concerning the Procurement of Defense Material and Equipment” and it provides the framework for the purchase. 

In June 2023 the two countries had signed and MoU on the same topic, and it was ratified again in September 2023.

“The logistics cooperation is part of the commitment of the two countries under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) concerning cooperation in the acquisition of defense materiel signed by the two countries on 3 June 2023, ratified on the same day by Sweden and by the Philippines on 4 September 2023,”  the Sweden embassy said Monday, referring to the MOU signed on the sidelines of Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore last year.

The purchase would be part of the final stage of the three-phase Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program, a military capability upgrade plan, which started in 2013. 

According to a statement from the Swedish Defense Materiel Administration, the Philippines has expressed interest in JAS-39 Gipen, Saab 340 airborne early-warning and control aircraft and 9Air ground-based C4I solutions command and control suite.

DND sources said the planned acquisition of the MRF aircraft under the “Re-Horizon 3” would be “multi-platform” and would consist of a “mixed fleet.” 

Last year, PAF chief Lt. Gen. Stephen Parreño led a small delegation to Sweden, where they engaged with the Swedish Air Force and toured the Saab facility to check the JAS-39 and Saab 340 airborne early warning and control aircraft.

 

Gov't Approves New Camiguin Airport Project

5 Billion Airport To Rise In Mambajao

25 May 2024

The Philippine senate has approved the construction of  2.1km new Camiguin Airport with a price tag of ₱5 Billion pesos designed to replace the old Mambajao Airport and upgrade it to International Standard by 2035.

Under the new Mambajao Airport Development Project plan, the runway of the existing airport would be reoriented to the east to avoid terrains that prohibit the airport from growing and allow it to accommodate narrow bodied Airbus and Boeing jets under category C. 

Former Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said in a briefing recently that they have allocated already an initial amount of ₱700 million to lot acquisition for the 2.7 km runway safe area, and runway preparation works  as initial amount for the implementation of the project under phase 1, which will have 5 phases of airport development.  

Senator Zubiri said another ₱1.2 billion is allocated to the airport under phase 2 in the 2025 budget of the DOTr for runway concreting works spanning 2.1 kilometers.

Phase 3 of the project will cover construction of apron and taxiways, and phase 4 construction of new passenger terminal building, while phase 5 covers construction of control tower and navigational equipment.

Presently, the airport can accommodate only ATR and Q400 aircraft on one way traffic direction from the sea due to terrain issues on the west side. 

China Southern Returns To CEB

Flies To Shanghai and Re-starts Guangzhou

24 May 2024

Chinese carrier China Southern (CSN) returns to Cebu on July 2 as it flies to Shanghai and another flight to Guangzhou resumes in July 13.

CSN flight CZ8423 leaves Shanghai Pudong at 2030 and arriving in Mactan Cebu at 0110 the following day. Its return flight CSN flight CZ8424leaves Mactan Cebu at 0220 and arriving at Pudong at 0620. 

The route will be service by A320 thrice  a week, every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday from Cebu.

Meanwhile, CSN flightCZ5001 leaves Guangzhou at 2215 and arriving in Mactan Cebu at 0110 the following day. Its return flight CSN flight CZ5002 leaves Mactan Cebu at 0220 and arriving at Pudong at 0525.

The Guangzhou route will be service by A321 thrice a week, every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday from Cebu.

China Southern served Mactan Cebu to Guangzhou until February 2020 when it was forced to suspend operations due to covid19 pandemic.

 

PAL Wet Leases Widebodies to Augment Fleet

 17 May 2024

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) has wet-lease two Airbus A330-200 aircraft from European operator Wamos Air for five (5) months to boost its wide-body fleet in the heat of supply chain disruptions to its A330-300 fleet caused by western sanctions to Russian parts supplier brought about by war in Ukraine.

The two Airbus A330-200 aircraft was delivered to Spain’s  Wamos Air in 2019. It will be flown to Sydney and Melbourne, Australia from June 1, 2024 to November 30, 2024.

 

 

Qanta Expands Manila Services

Opens Brisbane-Manila Flight

15 May 2024

Australian flag carrier Qantas will begin direct flights between Brisbane and Manila beginning October 28 2024, four times a week. Flight services will be flown with Airbus A330-300 aircraft.

Flight QF97 will depart Brisbane at 7.15pm every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday arriving Manila's Terminal 3 at 1am the following day.

Flight QF98 will depart Manila at 2.45am arriving Brisbane at 12.20pm the same day. 

Qantas also offers flight services from Sydney to Manila daily with Airbus A330-300 aircraft.

According to the airline, the new route is part of a series of changes made to Qantas’ Asia network, which has seen the axing of Sydney-Shanghai flights beginning July 28, due to poor demand but boosting Sydney-Singapore, Sydney-Bengaluru, Brisbane-Singapore and introducing Brisbane-Manila, due to 30% hike of business travelers to the Philippines.

Flight numbers QF97/QF98 to Manila were used to be assigned to Brisbane-Hong Kong route, which indicates Qantas not returning any time soon. 

 “Since Covid, the demand for travel between Australia and China has not recovered as strongly as expected,” Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace said in a statement.

“In some months, our flights to and from Shanghai have been operating around half full. That’s why we’ve decided to suspend this route and boost flying to other popular destinations with a new route from Brisbane to Manila and additional flights to Singapore and Bengaluru,” said Wallace. 

The airline said “the move will create more choice for our corporate and leisure customers” and make it “even easier” for them to access the places they need to travel to in Asia.

“We’ll continue to maintain a presence in China through our partners and our existing flights to Hong Kong and look to return to Shanghai in the future,” adds Wallace.

PH Amends ASA With Singapore

MNL Open Skies by 2028

13 May 2024

The Philippines and Singapore have signed a new Air Services Agreement (ASA) allowing for its respective airlines to offer up to 150 weekly services to carry passengers, and cargo between the two capital, up from the current limit of 35 weekly services.

The new ASA also allows Airlines from third countries to serve as code-share partners. This technically allows for example Jetstar Airways of Australia to Fly from Australian Cities to Singapore towards Manila by partnering with Singapore Airlines for servicing a slot allocation. Similarly, China Airlines may partner with Philippine Airlines from Taipei to Manila onwards to Singapore for similar rights.

The new limit of 150 weekly codeshare services will double by end-March 2026, and will be fully lifted by March the following year, allowing for unrestricted access to Manila by 2028. New Manila International Airport under construction in Bulacan is slated to open to commercial flights in March of 2028.

The ASA provides no limit on code-share services between Singapore and other gateway points in the Philippines, as well as between Singapore and any points in the Philippines involving airlines from members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) or the European Union.

The Philippines represented by DOTr Assistant Secretary for Aviation and Airports Enrique Antonio J Esquivel together with Singapore’s Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Transport Yee Ping Yi signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Thursday (May 9).

It upgrades the bilateral Air Services Agreement (ASA) between the two ASEAN countries, which was signed in 2010 and last amended in 2015.

The upgraded ASA also allows Philippine-based airlines, like Air Asia that are fully owned or controlled by nationals of other countries to access the traffic rights exchanged in the ASA, as long as their principal place of business is in the Philippines.

Previously, only airlines that were substantially owned and effectively controlled by Philippine nationals could do so.

Sky Pasada Resumes LAO-BSO Flights

 11 May 2024

Northern airline Sky Pasada has resumed flights services from Laoag, Ilocos Norte to Basco, Batanes on May 4, 2024. Regular flights are scheduled every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (MWF). It will be flown by Let L410-MA aircraft.