Philippine Airlines Receives Two New A321 Aircraft

Philippine Airlines has accepted delivery of two new Airbus A321 aircraft direct from the Airbus factory in France. This brings the total Philippine Airlines fleet up to forty eight aircraft. 

Copyright Photo: Dennis Muller/Aviagraphy

The arrival of the two new aircraft is part of an on-going fleet renewal program for the airline that is aiming to improve operating efficiencies and cut fuel costs by replacing older aircraft. With the recent additions, Philippine Airlines now operates 39 Airbus aircraft and 9 Boeing aircraft.

The Philippine Airlines fleet is presently comprised of the following:

AIRBUS

• Ten Airbus A330-300: Seating Capacity of 302
• Eight Airbus A340-300: Seating Capacity of 264
• Twelve Airbus A320-200: Seating Capacity of 150-156
• Four Airbus A319-100: Seating Capacity of 134 
• Five Airbus A321-200: Seating Capacity of 199

BOEING

• Five Boeing 777-300ER: Seating Capacity of 370
• Four Boeing 747-400: Seating Capacity of 427

As the carrier is phasing out a number of its old aircraft as new aircraft are delivered, Philippine Airlines did not renew leases on at least seven aircraft this year. The refleeting program is designed to restore the airline back to profitability and involves the acquisition of up to one hundred new modern fuel-efficient aircraft. In 2012, the airline announced a $7-billion deal with Airbus that involved the purchase of 64 new aircraft. It is considered the largest aircraft order in Philippine history. The order consists of forty-four Airbus A321 aircraft and twenty Airbus A330 wide-body aircraft.

Copyright Photo: PJ Enriquez/Philippine Daily Inquirer

Philippine Airlines will be accepting delivery of thirteen new aircraft in 2013 alone. 2014 will be the year where the highest number of deliveries are expected with PAL anticipating delivery of seventeen new aircraft. PAL President Ramon Ang remains confident that the airline will be able to achieve profitability in 2014 with the addition of its new fuel efficient aircraft. The airline is planning to cut its losses by half in 2013 with the introduction of the new aircraft and additional long-haul routes. "By next year, PAL will earn money," said Ang. With the modern aircraft, Philippine Airlines believes that it can save as much as 20 percent of its average revenues. 

Copyright Photo: PJ Enriquez/Philippine Daily Inquirer

Meanwhile, the new twin-engined A321 aircraft are expected to gradually replace PAL's fleet of smaller A320 aircraft. The A321 aircraft is configured to accommodate 199 passengers in three distinct classes. There are 12 seats in Business Class featuring a spacious 37 inch seat pitch and an ergonomic design providing enhanced bottom support and increased knee and leg room. Seats will recline 120 degrees and feature six-way adjustable head rests. USB ports and universal sockets are also provided for added convenience. 

Image Source: Philippine Airlines

The Premium Economy class features 18 slim line seats with an enhanced 34 inch seat pitch and four way adjustable head rests while passengers in Economy class will find 169 seats configured with a 30 inch seat pitch. The A321 aircraft are being deployed on major domestic routes and alternating on a number of high-density Asian regional routes. 

Image Source: Philippine Airlines

Philippine Airlines serves an average of 23,000 passengers daily with 164 daily domestic flights and 73 international flights. As of October 2013, the average age of aircraft in the Philippine Airline fleet was 8.9 years.

Image Source: Philippine Airlines