Airbus Offers A220 to PAL

For Turboprop Replacements

15 October 2025

European plane maker Airbus has offered its A220-100 plane to flag carrier Philippine Airlines according to Anand Stanley, Airbus President for Asia Pacific region.

Stanley stated that A220 offered better economics than its existing turboprop fleet which would be phased out of Ninoy Aquino International Airport. 

The A220 (Bombardier CS100) is the bigger jet sibling of its Bombardier Q400NG fleet capable of seating 100 passengers, 20 seats more than its turboprop fleet prior to its acquisition by Airbus. 

Stanley said the A220 which cost around $81 million could be a game changer for island destinations in Visayas and Mindanao, particularly Basco, and Siargao where airport infrastructure is inadequate for big jet operations.

Airbus said the A220 could also be used by the airline in reaching high-demand cities like Hongkong, Singapore, Taipei, and Seoul from its smaller hubs in the Philippines. 

"Introducing the A220 to the Philippines could balance the need for the government to keep provincial airports as is, without having to convert them into larger gateways that require additional land and resources." Stanley said. 

The 220 has two versions, -100s and -300s (CS100,CS300), with the bigger variant seating 120 passengers in two class configuration and a price tag of $91 million. The plane can be seated to high density configuration of 135 and 160 seats respectively, but could substantially affect its landing and take-off performance from smaller airports.

“This is an aircraft that can do island airports, turn around and connect to places like Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, which is extremely powerful in terms of connectivity. Today, we may need mega airports for these connections, but sometimes you need to balance this also with micro airports,” Stanley said.