Philippine Airlines to acquire new aircraft

Philippine Airlines (PAL), which operates four-times weekly service between Doha and Manila, is set to acquire more brand new aircraft and expand its route network globally as it aims to become a five-star airline by 2020, it was announced.
“This year, 15 new aircraft will join our fleet – from the luxurious Airbus A350-900s to the A321neos and next-generation Bombardier Q400 turboprops,” PAL’s Qatar area manager Marvin B Aranzanso said.
He was speaking during the airline’s first anniversary celebration of non-stop service between Doha and Manila and its second anniversary of operations in Qatar recently. The event was attended by Philippine ambassador Alan Timbayan, other embassy and PAL officials.
The A350-900s will allow PAL to mount Manila – New York non-stop service and new routes to more cities in the US and Europe, he noted.
The A321neos will be used for PAL’s Manila – Brisbane non-stop service and to New Delhi and Mumbai, offering full-flat Business Class seats and in-seat video monitors throughout the cabin, according to Aranzanso.
“Our Q400 turboprops will let us open more inter-island routes, bringing passengers faster to their favourite paradise islands in the Philippines. We just opened a new Davao-Siargao route this week,” he added.
Aranzanso noted that PAL previously served Qatar since the 1990s through a joint code share arrangement with Qatar Airways.
However, the airline opened the Doha – Manila route two years ago to serve Qatar and hundreds of thousands of Filipino expatriates “who have made Doha their home.”
PAL stopped its stop-over in Abu Dhabi and switched to non-stop flights to Manila (Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday) on March 26, 2017, aimed at adding further comfort and convenience of its passengers between Doha and Manila.
On July 16, 2017, the airline started offering Business Class service by utilising its Airbus A330 aircraft with a capacity of 368 seats.
It offers onboard Wi-Fi connection and free meals with authentic Filipino inflight dishes.
PAL also offers “generous free baggage allowance” onto its passengers’ final destination within the Philippines, along with free shuttle transfer to other airport terminals when arriving in Manila.
“From Manila, we have convenient connections to 32 domestic and 43 international destinations, including the only direct flights to the US West Coast, Canada, Hawaii and New Zealand, and more flights from the Philippines to Japan, Australia and China than any other airline,” Aranzanso said.
“We have much work to do to pursue various initiatives so that we can consistently provide the desired customer experience worthy of that fifth star,” Aranzanso said.  “We will continue to innovate and try to exceed the expectations of our passengers.”
PAL also awarded return tickets to winners of raffle draws during the anniversary celebration in Doha.