Philippine Airlines (PAL) to choose 773 over 346

[Pieter C. 5]

According to the Dutch website "Luchtvaartnieuws" (Aviationnews) Philippine Airlines will announce an order for a number of Boeing 777-300ER aircraft shortly; These will be delivered in 2009. The airline has choosen this aircraft over the Airbus A340-600, says Flight International on basis of "industry sources". PAL would buy two 777-300ER's directly from Boeing, while two more will be leased from GECAS. Also, an option of two more has been placed with Boeing, replacing a previous 10-year old order of four Boeing 747-400's. Due to large financial problems, PAL has never taken up these aircraft. The airline had tried to cancel this order previously, but to no avail.

The current wide-body fleet of PAL consists of five Boeing 747-400's and twelve Airbus aircraft: eight A330-200's and four A340-300's.

 

 

Surprising, more so, that they've to introduce another cockpit-division and not opt for the commonality of the current Airbus 330/340 fleet

[Isaac 0]

The current wide-body fleet of PAL consists of five Boeing 747-400's and twelve Airbus aircraft: eight A330-200's and four A340-300's.

It's 8x 333, not 8x 332 Pieter

 

[Seth K 3]

Well, no surprise, expected already. 77W performance better than the pencil plus it looks sexier than A346.

Hope to see this new purchase will help PAL boost their profit. PAL, TG, SIA, AK, GA etc. from SEA region already add/replace their fleet, when is MH turn?

[Andrew Ong 1]

Would like to see a B773ER in PAL livery

[Sandeep G 1]

PAL, TG, SIA, AK, GA etc. from SEA region already add/replace their fleet, when is MH turn?

 

2008 apparently.

[Pieter C. 5]

It's official now...

 

Philippine Air Orders Boeing 777s

 

December 6, 2006

Philippine Airlines (PAL) will buy two Boeing 777-300ER planes for USD$500 million, the airline's president said on Wednesday.

 

President Jaime Bautista told reporters the company had signed a firm order for two planes for delivery in 2010 and that the airline had purchase rights for another two planes for delivery between 2011 and 2012.

 

PAL will also lease two more for delivery in 2009. He said each plane costs USD$250 million.

 

PAL said in October that it wanted to add eight wide-bodied planes to its fleet and would decide by the end of the year whether to buy them from Boeing or European planemaker Airbus.

 

"The acquisition of the B777-300ER allows PAL to expand direct services between the Philippines and the United States," Bautista said.

 

Bautista said that the two planes that will be leased in 2009 will be funded internally, while the two other aircraft it plans to buy will either be financed by the US Ex-Im Bank -- the official export credit agency of the United States -- or other banks.

 

The expansion is on top of the 20 narrow-bodied Airbus planes that PAL is set to acquire, starting this year, for more than USD$840 million. PAL received the first of the 20 planes, an A319-100, which it plans to use for domestic and regional flights.

 

PAL's wide-bodied fleet comprises 17 aircraft -- five Boeing 747-400s, four Airbus A340-300s and 8 Airbus A330-200s.

 

The airline flies to 19 domestic and 24 international destinations, including San Francisco, Los Angeles and Las Vegas in the United States and Vancouver in Canada.

 

It wants to expand its foreign routes to include Seattle and San Diego initially.

 

PAL, which shut briefly in 1998 due to labor disputes before entering into a 10 year rehabilitation program, is aggressively expanding despite a projection of a global industry loss of USD$1.7 billion this year, volatile fuel costs and only a modest expected rise in global passenger traffic of 4.8 percent.

 

(Reuters)

 

[Seth K 3]

There been an upgrade for world aviation, each airline is moving forward. Wow, PAL has made a great decision, four 77W coming to them, I know more will come later on after they happy with it! I might consider PAL for the first time in my life from US-Asia flights too! I heard this one will have PTV and new interior. PAL has aging aircrafts, they need to replace all of them, mixing both 748i(if) and 77W will raise cost as we know PAL is now making a bit profit and will cut cost at huge amount. I predict, PAL gonna have a type of widebody in future! I hope it will be Boeing

[Pieter C. 5]

I might consider PAL for the first time in my life from US-Asia flights too! I

 

You should: I've flown endless times with them between SFO/LAX and MNL between 1980-1992 and always have enjoyed them

 

Their airmanship is excellent and I've never experienced 'softer' landings but on this airline

 

(OT - some good looking stewardesses also )

[S V Choong 4]

Here is PAL's first 777-300ER in Everette, Washington.

 

http://paineairport.com/kpae2467.htm

[Pieter C. 5]

This was a chance to update their livery i.e. make it less white; unfortunately, it's not gonna be...

 

Registration very appropriate: RP-C7777...

[C.Foo 3]

Maybe because they alreday had some deposits with Boeing and not airbus so it makes sense to order Boeing.

 

 

 

According to the Dutch website "Luchtvaartnieuws" (Aviationnews) Philippine Airlines will announce an order for a number of Boeing 777-300ER aircraft shortly; These will be delivered in 2009. The airline has choosen this aircraft over the Airbus A340-600, says Flight International on basis of "industry sources". PAL would buy two 777-300ER's directly from Boeing, while two more will be leased from GECAS. Also, an option of two more has been placed with Boeing, replacing a previous 10-year old order of four Boeing 747-400's. Due to large financial problems, PAL has never taken up these aircraft. The airline had tried to cancel this order previously, but to no avail.

The current wide-body fleet of PAL consists of five Boeing 747-400's and twelve Airbus aircraft: eight A330-200's and four A340-300's.

 

 

Surprising, more so, that they've to introduce another cockpit-division and not opt for the commonality of the current Airbus 330/340 fleet <img src="http://www.malaysianwings.net/forum/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ohmy.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="ohmy.gif" />