PAL A321ceo retrofit takes off
International flyers of Philippine Airlines (PAL) will soon experience a “standardized” in-flight experience, with upgraded interior equipped with in-seat screens, as the flag carrier pursues the retrofitting of its Airbus A321ceo fleet.
PAL’s first refurbished Airbus A321ceo aircraft will return to commercial operations on Wednesday, debuting the flag carrier’s “comprehensive” cabin upgrades for overseas flyers.
At the Lufthansa Technik Philippines hangar in Pasay City, the company showed the media the first aircraft out of 18 units covered by its retrofitting program.
The cabin can accommodate 194 passengers—12 business class and 182 economy class seats, a reduction from the original 199 passenger seating capacity. This, as the group seeks to give travelers more space and comfort.
Aside from the business class section having an in-seat power supply and inflight entertainment, those booked in the economy class will also enjoy 10.1-inch entertainment displays on each seat.
The airline has likewise tapped local talents to produce the economy class aircraft seats, which were manufactured at the Collins factory in Batangas.
“This cabin retrofit program reflects PAL’s vision of world-class excellence and heartfelt care. At the core of this undertaking is the dedicated craftsmanship showcased by Filipino workers in the manufacture of aircraft seats and the reconfiguration of the cabin in the Philippines,” PAL’s vice president for marketing, Alvin Miranda, said.
Two more retrofitted aircraft will be launched within the year. PAL is eyeing to release nine more aircraft in 2026.
By 2027, it hopes to cover all 18 A321ceo aircraft.
Asian destinations
The refurbished aircraft will be used on flights to Tokyo (Haneda and Narita), Osaka, Jakarta, Bali and Guam this year, and to other key Asian destinations in the PAL network by next year.
PAL operates flights to 31 destinations in the Philippines and 38 destinations in Asia, North America, Australia and the Middle East.
In the first six months of 2025, the airline saw its bottom line increase by 12 percent to $137 million from $122 million. Operating income in the first half, meanwhile, stood at $146 million.
It mounted 57,598 flights in the January to June period, carrying 8.47 million travelers.
