Philippine Airlines said Friday it signed an agreement with Airbus for cabin modification and to expand the material services program for its Airbus fleet.
The cabin modification agreement covers 11 A320s, two A330-300s, and two A350-900s.
“Philippine Airlines believes that, as we exit the pandemic, our fleet restructuring strategy helps us to better adapt to changing market situations and ensure that we are well-positioned for recovery,” said PAL chief financial officer Nilo Thaddeus Rodriguez.
“Our aircraft deployment decisions and related technical support arrangements are tailored for a restructured network that suits a vastly different global environment,” he said.
When completed, PAL’s A320s would have 24 extra seats to bring the total seat count to 180, a configuration that suits the airline’s requirements for short-haul inter-island domestic routes.
The two A330s will gain an additional 50 seats to bring the total seat count to 359 for better airlift capability on key higher-density regional routes and repatriation flights.
The A350s will gain another 18 seats for a total of 313 seats, which still preserves the roomy cabin layout and passenger-friendly experience that PAL Business Class and Economy Class travelers enjoy on the A350’s long-haul routes.
PAL contracted Airbus to provide the relevant service bulletins and kits required for the cabin modification program, which comes as part of the carrier’s fleet restructuring plans.
“We chose Airbus with the firm expectation that PAL will receive high-quality service bulletins and timely updates to technical documentation, along with the highly-regarded extensive engineering support we expect from a leading aircraft manufacturer,” said Alvin Kendrich Limqueco, PAL senior vice president for supply chain management.
PAL also is extending its ‘flight hour services’ material program with Airbus to cover more of its fleet, with guaranteed parts availability to secure the operational reliability and efficiency of its widebody and narrowbody aircraft.
The FHS program, which covers two A350s, now includes 37 more aircraft, comprising 29 A321 family (including eight A321neos) and eight A330ceos. Airbus will provide components standard exchange, components repair, component reliability and engineering services and on-site stock at PAL’s main base in Manila.