PAL takes delivery of new Airbus A320 aircraft

TOULOUSE, France — Philippine Airlines (PAL) took delivery here yesterday of a new generation A320 plane, completing its two-year fleet modernization program.

The 156-seat short-range aircraft was turned over to PAL president and chief executive officer Jaime Bautista by John Leahy, chief operating officer of Airbus, at the aircraft manufacturer’s facility in Blagnac, just outside Toulouse. The delivery completed PAL’s $840-million order of 15 aircraft from Airbus over three years.

“This is a milestone for Philippine Airlines,” Bautista said. “We now have one of the youngest and most modern single-aisle fleets in the world.”

Bautista told The STAR that PAL is exercising its option for two more A320s for delivery in 2010, with a further option of three more planes for delivery in 2011.

PAL’s fleet of 22 Airbus aircraft of the A320 versatile family gives the airline greater efficiency and flexibility in terms of maintenance, route and crew assignment.

We now have the advantage of operating a uniform fleet, with one aircraft type, one engine type and one bi-class (Mabuhay or business and Fiesta or economy) cabin layout,” Bautista added.

The delivery concludes the main part of the fleet modernization program that began in October 2006. The program, valued at over $840 million, includes 11 units of the 156-seat A320 and four of the smaller 134-seat A319.

Cesar Chiong, PAL senior assistant vice president, told The STAR that PAL was able to secure very favorable financing terms from Credit Lyonnais for the $76-million aircraft, taking advantage of the current drop in interest rates for a 2.3-percent rate over 12 years.

PAL is also upgrading its medium- and long-range fleet with the acquisition of six Boeing 777 aircraft for delivery over three years, starting with two in the fourth quarter of 2009. PAL currently has 17 wide-body aircraft — five Boeing 747s, four Airbus A340s and eight A330s, which are used for medium- and long-haul intercontinental sectors.

This is the fifth A320 delivered to PAL this year, bringing to 33 the total number of Airbus aircraft in the 46-plane PAL fleet. The new A320 will be used for intra-Asia and domestic routes.

A month-long inspection by engineers from PAL preceded the turnover, with the final boroscope inspection of the engine over a 24-hour period concluded just over a day before the plane took off from the Airbus facility here at 5 p.m. (midnight Manila time) to Manila, with technical stops in Dubai and Bangkok. The flight, identified as PR008, was piloted by Captain Arne Mangubat and Captain Roland Narciso, with two first officers and two flight attendants. Its first passengers included Bautista, Chiong, and other PAL executives and engineers, and a Philippine media delegation.

The flight is expected to arrive in Manila at 7 p.m. today.