Time To Say Goodbye!
April 24, 2014
“2013 was a clean-up year for PAL as we go through the costly yet necessary fleet renewal process but we are on track with our goals and we remain committed to improving your airline’s financial and operational performance,” says Ang in a statement.
Ang also added that switching to fuel-efficient B777s would result in about $160 million in annual fuel and maintenance savings in the near-term for the airline.
Ang did not answer queries whether new wide body orders for long haul are forthcoming but said the airline’s six Boeing 777s would be “enough, for now” to the US West Coast and soon to be launch flights to the US East Coast, the airlines most profitable destination.
April 24, 2014
Philippine Airlines (PAL) will bid farewell to its flagship fleet of Boeing 747-400 in May as it completes the first stage of its major fleet modernisation programme.
The airline signed a $9.5-billion deal with Airbus in August of 2012 covering 34 A321ceo, 10 A321neo (new engine option) and 10 A330-343s with 10 more options slated for delivery between 2013 to 2019. In 2013 however, 5 A330-343 option orders were traded for 8 additional A321neos as part of fleet renewal.
No announcement has been made by the airline as to the last flight of the seven four sevens whose retirement has been announced Tuesday.
PAL’s main long-range fleet of six Boeing 777-300ERs were set to replace its four aging Boeing 747-400s plying the Manila to San Francisco and Los Angeles routes, PAL President and COO Ramon S. Ang said.
“2013 was a clean-up year for PAL as we go through the costly yet necessary fleet renewal process but we are on track with our goals and we remain committed to improving your airline’s financial and operational performance,” says Ang in a statement.
Ang also added that switching to fuel-efficient B777s would result in about $160 million in annual fuel and maintenance savings in the near-term for the airline.
PAL reported a comprehensive loss amounting to $229.7M for the first nine months of 2013 following a one-off expense of $261M consisting of 20 pre-termination penalty payments of its sold-and-leased-back jets covering four Boeing 747-400s, four Airbus 340-300s, eight Airbus 330-300s, and four Airbus 320-200s to be stricken off its fleet this year.
Ang likewise discloses that by 2015 PAL will be one of Asia’s airline operating the youngest fleet at 4.5 years old seen to reduce costs amid expected productivity gains.
Ang did not answer queries whether new wide body orders for long haul are forthcoming but said the airline’s six Boeing 777s would be “enough, for now” to the US West Coast and soon to be launch flights to the US East Coast, the airlines most profitable destination.
