PAL Adds Direct Doha and Jeddah Flights

Direct Beginning March 26

30 January 2017

Philippine Airlines (PAL) will fly direct to Doha thrice a week starting March 26 PR684 departing Manila at 1:30pm every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from the existing midnight departure of PR656 via Abu Dhabi.

PAL will also start direct flights to Jeddah beginning March 26 PR662 departing Manila at 6:50am three times a week every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from the usual 10:00pm departure of PR658 via Dubai.

FA-50's Baptism Of Fire

28 January 2017

The Philippine Air Foce (PAF) has unleashed for the first time and the first combat sortie of any FA-50 manufactured jet as it delivered precision ordnance to Butig, Lanao del Sur on the night of January 26, 2017 against ISIS targets from Mactan Airbase in Cebu.

The two of the four newly acquired FA-50 fighter aircraft with tail numbers PH001 and PH004 delivered surgical air strikes against the terrorists group using highly advanced laser technology causing casualties to the militants.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana confirmed the used of said military asset and ammunition yesterday. Target coordinates were provided by a US Air Force drone flown from Cotabato City.

The jets from the 7th "Bulldogs" Tactical Fighter Squadron in Clark Airbase, Pampanga was sent to Mactan on January 22 in preparation for the precision strike. -image courtesy of Pinoy Aviator

The Race To Fill Cebu Hub

26 January 2017

Prime slot allocation at Mactan Cebu International Airport is fast disappearing after Low Cost Carrier Cebu Pacific and PAL Express flooded the airport with new slot request for new flights from the country's second busiest gateway.

The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) has noted that the two carriers are scrambling for slots to fly domestic points by fielding smaller planes in exchange for more frequency out of Cebu airport. Slots intended for international operations are not affected at this time.

Cebu Pacific (CEB) has ordered a fleet of 16 new ATR 72-600s, with 78 seats with options for 10 additional aircraft which will be operated by Cebgo, its wholly owned subsidiary while Philippine Airlines (PAL) has ordered a fleet of 5  new Bombardier DH8-400 aircraft with 86 seats and options for 7 additional aircraft which will be operated by PAL Express. It also operates four Q300 planes.

CAB said that a substantial majority of this turboprop orders will be stationed in Cebu for rotations to Visayas and Mindanao while some are heading for destinations in Luzon other than Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila. 

The airline regulator cited as an example Cebu Pacific which flies A320 aircraft twice daily to Cagayan de Oro and now intends to operate four times daily on a smaller ATR aircraft. PAL also intends to double frequency to major Visayas and Mindanao hubs with smaller Q400NG planes which is now serviced by existing A320 aircraft.

Cebu Pacific is quick to respond saying the equipment downgrade was due to the exit of its A319 planes out of its fleet and has nothing to do about slot advantages in Mactan. PAL Express on the other hand argued that it is funneling passengers to Mactan so that it can connect passengers to Manila which they are unable to do at  other major airports due to slot concerns at NAIA.

CAB however maintains the position that should CEB and PAL eventually upgrades the aircraft, it will already have rights of first refusal on the unused slots and would most likely keep them away from the competition unless surrendered by the airline which is not going to happen considering its economic value in a congested airport, perhaps taking a cue on their experiences in Manila.

Small airline operators has already opposed such moves by two major airlines as anti-competitive behavior and vows to challenge them holding majority of MCIA slots that would be detrimental to their growth.

Airlines are known to fly non-revenue flights just to keep the slots allotted to them at the fully-booked airport like NAIA.

$2.1 Billion Airport Contract Up For Grabs

₱108 Billion Airports Bid Opens

• ₱40.57 billion (Davao)
• ₱30.4-billion (Iloilo)
• ₱20.26-billion (Bacolod)
• ₱14.62-billion (Cagayan De Oro)
• ₱2.34-billion (Tagbilaran)

25 January 2017

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has announced bidding for the Development, Operations and Maintenance Contract (O&M Contract) of Davao International Airport Terminal with a minimum bid price of ₱40.57 billion under the amended Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program.The four other provincial airports include the ₱20.26-billion Bacolod-Silay International Airport, the ₱30.4-billion Iloilo International Airport, the ₱14.62-billion Laguindingan Airport, and the ₱2.34-billion New Bohol (Panglao) Airport.

The amended PPP program has a minimum price tag of ₱108-billion covering auctions for Silay, Davao, Iloilo, Laguindingan and Panglao airports with DOTr releasing its invitation to pre-qualify and bid the O&M contract yesterday, un-bundling the contract originally offered to private investors in 2015.

The project was previously bundled with Laguindingan and Panglao airports while another bundle covers Puerto Princesa, Iloilo, and Silay. In its stead is the individual offer for each airport for what its worth to the investors.

That simply means bidders would make a separate offer for each airport, in contrast with the previous arrangements wherein the five airports were grouped into two separate packages.

National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board resolved on 14 November 2016 to unbundle the regional airports development, operations, and maintenance projects after encountering criticism from President and NEDA chair Rodrigo Duterte after finding the high cost of parking and terminal fees that would be assessed by the winning concessionaire to the operated airports.

The planning authority said the contracts is being opened to new bidders. NEDA clarified however that the pre-qualified bidders before in the bundled projects are still considered pre-qualified bidders even if the projects are now unbundled provided that there are no changes in their legal, technical and financial capacity set by the department and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines(CAAP).

The PPP Center disclosed that among those pre-qualified bidders were “Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which partnered with Aéroports de Paris and TAV Havalimanlari Holdings A.S; San Miguel Corp. and South Korea’s Incheon Airport; Aboitiz Equity Ventures with VINCI Airports; Megawide Construction Corp. and India’s GMR Infrastructure, and the Filinvest Group with Japan’s Sojitz and Jatco.”

Under the contract, the winning bidder will be responsible for airside and landside construction according to ICAO standard classifications,like terminal maintenance, improvements and expansion, construction of parallel taxiway and apron expansion as well as airport navigational systems to address future demands for the next 30 years which is the concession period.

For Davao concession for example, the winning bidder will be responsible to undertake the operation and maintenance of the airport as well as provide additional facilities and other necessary improvements to include the following in various phases:
• Passenger terminal building expansion
• Cargo terminal building expansion
• Expansion of other key facilities such as car parking, and administration bldg.
• Passenger terminal building: additional area from 65,000 to 125,000 sq.m.
• Cargo terminal building: Additional area from 13,000 to 27,000 sq.m.
• Apron Area expansion
• Construction of full parallel taxiway

The obligation of the concessionaire is necessary to enhance passenger safety, security, access, passenger and cargo movement efficiency, and operational efficiency under a defined concession period.

The proceeds of the contract will be used to fund other airport development and improvement projects across the country to expedite and upgrade airport services to all comply with ICAO safety standards.

PAL Upgrades A330 Cabin

25 January 2017

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) will introduce new business class and economy seats on its Airbus fleet currently bound for the Middle East beginning July of this year.

The eight A330-300's originally designed to fit 404 passengers has started reconfiguration program at cost of $6 million over a period of seven months and from June 2017 will feature three classes layout, business, premium economy and economy cabins consisting of only 309 seats when refurbishment is completed. It will be 54 seats fewer than the existing tri-class A330-300 product and 105 fewer than the existing variant it replaces.

The new cabin will feature 18 business class seats with full aisle access and full-flat recline. It will also sport “pneumatic comfort system”, which allows the passenger to adjust the seat’s firmness, a first in Asia.

The economy class section will feature the old 2-4-2 layout from the existing 3-3-3 which boast 24 premium seats that are 19 inches wider and have 39 inches of legroom, while the 267 economy class seats are 17in wider and have 32in of legroom as compared to the present 16.5" seat width and 31" pitch. 

The airline has selected the Thompson Vantage XL for its 18 Business Class seats, the Zodiac 5810 for the 24 Premium Economy class seats and Zodiac’s economy product for the 267 Economy Class seats.

Likewise, passengers in all cabins will have access to USB ports and in-seat power outlets, touch-screen backseat in-flight entertainment systems, and on board Wi-Fi connectivity.

PAL has selected the backseat RAVE in-flight entertainment (IFE) system for the eight refurbished aircraft. Passengers will have 18.5 inch screens in Business Class, 13.3 inch in Premium Economy and 10.1 inch in economy. Passengers will be able to download the IFE content to their own tablets or smartphones using the myPAL Player app.

The re-configured A330 will first be deployed on longer routes to Honolulu and Melbourne beginning July, followed by Sydney the next month after. It will also be doing rotations to Hong Kong, Singapore, Seoul, Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka from Manila while the denser A330-300 variant is scheduled to fly to the Middle East beginning with Doha, Dammam and Riyadh scheduled on July, August and September, respectively. followed by Jeddah in October.

West Air Opens Kalibo and Cebu

24 January 2017

Chinese Low Cost Carrier West Air is introducing flights to Kalibo and Cebu beginning March 26 and March 28 respectively for Chongqing, China. The route will be served by Airbus A320-200 aircraft.

5J Opens CGY Hub

Flies Bacolod and Tagbilaran beginning March 15

24 January 2017

Cebu Pacific said Monday it will launch two new routes from Cagayan de Oro City, as it expands it's Mindanao operations.

Cebu Pacific said it would fly four times weekly (Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday) between Cagayan de Oro and Tagbilaran City from March 15, and thrice weekly (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday) between Cagayan de Oro and Bacolod starting March 16.

The route will be serviced by ATR 72-600 aircraft.

Meanwhile, the airline is also considering Puerto Princesa, Iloilo and re-opening of its Zamboanga flights from Cagayan de Oro when more aircraft becomes available.

The airline operates flights to Manila, Cebu and Davao from Laguindingan airport.

Sweeter The third Time?

PAL Returns To Kuala Lumpur Again

19 January 2017

Philippine Airlines (PAL) is returning back to Kuala Lumpur for the third time after suspending flight in February 2014 in favor of code share flights with Malaysia Airlines.

PAL will relaunch flight from Manila to Kuala Lumpur International Airport on daily basis from June 8, 2017 using Airbus A320-200 aircraft.

The route will still be code-shared with Malaysia Airlines which earlier streamlines its operations from 4x daily flight to 3x daily. The fourth flight will be restored in summer to be operated by PAL.

The airline earlier re-opened the route to Kuala Lumpur in May 1 of 2013 after seven years of absence.