Philippine Airlines announces upgrade to 777-300 on LAX route

(Boeing)

Philippine Airlines (PAL) is ready to implement an expansion plan in the United States, following the re-classification of the country’s aviation safety rating to Category 1, which it said would boost tourism and trade and open up new and exciting opportunities for the flag carrier.

With the upgrade, the Philippines now re-joins the ranks the most important aviation nations in the world, made up of select countries that meet the US’ strict standards of aviation safety.

Following the re-classification, the flag carrier said it is set to immediately deploy a fleet of newly - acquired Boeing 777-300ER aircraft for its long-haul flights to the US. With this, passengers can now enjoy non-stop flights to Los Angeles and San Francisco aboard new aircraft equipped with the most modern cabin and state-of the-art amenities, including lie-flat beds in business class.

PAL President & Chief Operating Officer Ramon S. Ang said: “Your flag carrier welcomes the return of the country’s aviation rating to Category 1. This is a culmination of the government’s hard work, as exemplified by the efforts of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, to upgrade the country’s international aviation safety standards.”

“This latest development allows us to deploy our modern and fuel-efficient Boeing 777-300ER fleet to the US, and enables us to explore new destination opportunities in one of the Philippines’ largest passenger markets,” he added.

Currently, PAL operates a total of 26 weekly flights to the US, with frequencies to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Honolulu and Guam.

The flag carrier said it would deploy six Boeing 777-300ERs, amounting to US$1.2 billion, for US flights within a month’s time. For its flights to Honolulu and Guam, PAL will continue to utilize new wide body Airbus A330-300s and single-aisle A320-200s.

Apart from ushering a new era in the flag carrier’s trans-pacific service, Mr. Ang added that the upgrade will also allow PAL to explore possible airline partnerships with foreign carriers in order to maximize its growth potential.  

(PAL Press Release)