Philippine Airlines Airbus A350-1000 with PAL Executives – Photo from Philippine Airlines/Facebook
Philippine Airlines on Saturday marked a historic milestone as its most-awaited aircraft, the Airbus A350-1000, arrived in Manila at 4:30 PM.
The arrival makes the flag carrier the first in Southeast Asia to operate the next-generation widebody aircraft, supporting its long-term global growth strategy.
PAL Holdings Inc. president Lucio Tan III led a group of top executives, including PAL board adviser Kyle Tan, PAL president Richard Nuttall, and executive vice president and COO Carlos Luis Fernandez, in taking delivery of the first of nine A350-1000s.
The delivery ceremony was held in Toulouse, France, where Tan expressed gratitude to Airbus, the company’s partner of over 40 years.
He highlighted the importance of welcoming “the world’s most modern widebody aircraft that has set new standards for intercontinental travel.”
“The arrival of the A350-1000 marks a significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to fleet modernization and network growth. It will be a source of Filipino pride and a transformational step for our airline,” said Tan.
The new aircraft is expected to operate PAL’s transpacific routes and features a tri-class cabin that can carry up to 382 passengers, with 42 Business, 24 Premium Economy, and 316 Economy seats.
With the addition of the A350-1000, PAL’s total fleet now stands at 82 aircraft.
Powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines delivering up to 97,000 pounds of thrust, the aircraft offers improved efficiency and reliability.
The A350-1000 also advances sustainable aviation, cutting fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions by up to 25 percent compared with previous-generation aircraft and is capable of operating on sustainable aviation fuel.