BIZ BUZZ: PH gets ready to welcome first A350-1000
Senior executives of flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL), led by PAL Holdings Inc. and LT Group head Lucio Tan III, are now in Toulouse, France, getting ready to bring home the country’s first A350-1000, a favorite among international airlines offering premium long-haul services.
The “game-changing” A350-1000, which will become the largest aircraft in the country, is said to “open a new chapter” in the development of the Lucio-Tan-led airline’s trans-Pacific operations.
Fitted with Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines, the A350-1000 from Airbus flies with a range of up to 16,100 kilometers or 8,700 miles, offering ultra-long-range connectivity with improved fuel efficiency and reduced carbon emissions.
Biz Buzz sources said that on Friday, the elated PAL executives will get on the new plane that is expected to be welcomed with great fanfare at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Saturday afternoon.
It is the first of nine Airbus A350-1000 aircraft already on the production line at the Airbus Toulouse facility, marking a milestone in the modernization program of PAL, which seeks to ward off competition that want to muscle into its lucrative American flights.
Each A350-1000 can accommodate 382 passengers in a tri-class cabin configuration with distinct cabins allotted for Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy Class travelers.
PAL executive vice president and chief operating officer Carlos Luis Fernandez, who will accompany the new plane home, earlier emphasized the strategic importance of the aircraft.
“We selected the A350-1000 because it will provide us with the flexibility to balance demand with capacity. The new-generation aircraft are central to responding to the demands of our growing market, regionally and internationally,” he said.
The global airline community has testified to the performance of the A350-1000, PAL said, and many international carriers have selected the aircraft to operate the world’s longest routes. PAL is now part of the brotherhood as it begins the next chapter of long-haul excellence, a fitting way to celebrate its coming 85th birthday.
