Philippine Airlines has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus for the purchase of nine Airbus A350-1000s. Under the carrier’s Ultra Long Haul Fleet project, the A350-1000s will be operated nonstop between Manila and North America.
On Wednesday (May 10, 2023), Airbus announced that Philippine Airlines (PAL) has selected the Airbus A350-1000 for their future long-haul fleet. The carrier signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the purchase of nine Airbus A350-1000s, which will be operated under the airline’s Ultra Long Haul Fleet project on nonstop routes between Manila and North America, including New York and Toronto. The new aircraft will join two A350-900s already in PAL’s fleet and currently flying to destinations in North America, Asia and Australia. Like the carrier’s A350-900s, the new A350-1000s will be configured with Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy Class cabins.
In Wednesday’s announcement, Philippine Airlines’ President and Chief Operating Officer, Captain Stanley K. Ng, said,
“The A350-1000 combines greater range capability with the higher capacity we need to serve future demand. It’s the perfect aircraft to enable PAL to meet its expansion plans in a sustainable way, while offering passengers the highest levels of onboard comfort. We are committed to offering our passengers the best possible travel experience, and these state-of-the-art aircraft will enable us to do just that as we carry out our mission to connect the world, and grow trade and tourism.”
Also commenting on the new aircraft order, Airbus’ Chief Commercial Officer, Christian Scherer, said,
“Flying passengers farther and in greater comfort, the A350 brings a step-change in fuel efficiency and an immediate significant contribution to reduced emissions. These are the attributes that have made the A350 the choice of leading airlines worldwide. We look forward to working closely with our long-standing customer Philippine Airlines as it moves forward with its long haul fleet modernisation programme.”
The Airbus A350 offers the longest range of any commercial airliner in production today, and is capable of flying nonstop 8,700 nautical miles (16,100 km). At April 30, 2023 the Airbus A350 Family had won 928 firm orders from 54 customers worldwide, making it one of the most successful widebody aircraft programs ever. Approximately 530 A350s are currently in service with 40 airlines, and are deployed primarily on long-haul routes. In addition to their A350-900s, Philippine Airlines also flies A330-300s on routes to the Middle East, Australia and Asia. The carrier also operates Airbus A320 and A321 single aisle aircraft across their extensive domestic and regional network from their hubs in Manila and Cebu.
Source: Airbus