Philippine Airlines (PR, Manila Ninoy Aquino International) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus to order nine A350-1000s to support its non-stop US services and a potential return to Europe.
The airline said the aircraft are scheduled to deliver between the fourth quarter of 2025 and 2027. It confirmed that they would be configured in a three-class layout, with business, premium economy, and economy classes, but did not reveal the exact number of seats.
The A350-1000s will be used predominantly on services to the United States and Canada, including non-stop flights both to the West and the East Coast.
"These will include some of the longest commercial flights in the world, such as those linking the Philippines with New York and Toronto Pearson. With an expanded A350 fleet, PAL will have the ability to once again provide a direct link from the Philippines to Europe," the carrier said.
The ch-aviation schedules module shows that the airline's current network to North America comprises flights from Manila Ninoy Aquino International to Los Angeles International (2x daily operated with B777-300(ER)s), New York JFK (4x weekly with A350-900s), San Francisco (daily with B777-300(ER)s), Toronto (2x weekly with A350-900s), and Vancouver International (daily with B777-300(ER)s), as well as the relatively shorter flights to Honolulu (5x weekly with A330-300s). Services to JFK and Toronto are scheduled at around 16 hours outbound and 17 hours inbound.
The airline terminated its last European service - to London Heathrow - in March 2022. The flights used to operate with A350-900s and B777-300(ER)s.
Philippine Airlines was evaluating the A350-1000 before the pandemic, but the subsequent crisis forced it not only to drop its plans for the larger type but also to trim its -900 fleet. Out of six aircraft sourced via lessors, the Filipino flag carrier retired four in 2021-2022. Besides the two A350-900s, its widebody fleet also comprises ten A330-300s and nine B777-300(ER)s.
