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Philippine Airlines signed definitive agreements with Airbus and Rolls-Royce in Manila on Thursday for nine additional A350-1000 aircraft, with purchase rights for five more, firming up a long-haul expansion first announced in July.
The contracts bring the airline’s total firm A350-1000 orders to 18 aircraft, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported. The nine additional aircraft are expected to arrive between 2034 and 2036.
For travelers between the Philippines and North America, the order supports PAL’s plan to add long-haul capacity with aircraft designed for nonstop transpacific services. The delivery schedule places this expansion in the next decade.
July commitment becomes a firm order
The signing completes commitments announced at the Farnborough International Airshow in July. In its July 21 announcement, PAL described a memorandum of understanding for nine A350-1000s and purchase rights for five more, with deliveries planned for 2034-2036.
Airbus said at the time that finalizing the contract would double PAL’s total orders for the type to 18. Thursday’s agreement firms up that second batch of nine aircraft.
“For eight and a half decades, we have connected people, businesses and communities across the Philippines and around the world,” PAL chairman Lucio Tan III said at the signing, according to the Inquirer. “As we honor that legacy, we must also prepare for the decades ahead, and today’s agreements are an important part of that preparation.”
Engines and maintenance support included
The agreements cover Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines and the engine maker’s TotalCare maintenance program, Travel Weekly reported. The additional jets are intended to extend PAL’s A350-1000 operations across more of its long-haul network.
PAL’s three-class A350-1000 configuration accommodates 382 passengers: 42 business-class suites with privacy doors, 24 premium-economy seats and 316 economy seats, according to Airbus. The manufacturer describes North American routes as a central focus of PAL’s expansion with the aircraft.
JBizNews Desk | Global & Business
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