Philippine Airlines
Philippine Airlines (PAL) is the flag carrier of the Philippines.[12] Headquartered at the PNB Financial Center in Pasay, the airline was founded in 1941 and is the oldest operating commercial airline in Asia.[13][14][15]
This article is about the airline based in the Philippines. For a full list of all active Philippine-based airlines, see List of airlines of the Philippines.
The airline's main flight operations are located at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Metro Manila. Its subsidiary PAL Express mainly operates regional routes while PAL operates both domestic (Cebu, Davao, General Santos, Kalibo, Laoag, Manila, and Zamboanga) and international routes.[16][17]
1950–1960
1960–1970
1970–1986
In-flight services[edit]
Cabin[edit]
Philippine Airlines currently offers three classes of service: Business, Premium Economy, and Economy depending on the aircraft. Its Airbus A330s and Airbus A350s offer three classes, while its other aircraft offer two classes.[40][41] On September 15, 2022, the airline rebranded its premium economy service to Comfort Class for its domestic flights.[42]
In 2017, PAL reconfigured the cabin layout of eight A330s, from a single class 414-seater into a 309-seater tri-class with Business, Premium Economy, and Economy sections.[40] The reconfigured A330s were rolled out within seven months in 2017.[43] The IFEs were Zodiac's RAVE system.[44] The seats were designed by Lift Strategic Design,[44][45] and Lufthansa Technik Philippines performed the reconfiguration.[40]
The previous aircraft acquired had no embedded in-flight entertainment (IFE), except for Boeing 777-300ERs. Instead, they offered rentable (Economy) or complementary (Business) iPad Minis with OnAir's wireless IFE solution, OnAir Play.[46] New aircraft have embedded IFE, due to the failure of PAL's wireless IFE program for long-haul flights.[45] They still offer wireless IFE on all aircraft.
Issues[edit]
Financial issues[edit]
PAL experienced significant financial losses in the late 2000s. On March 31, 2006, PAL's consolidated total assets amounted to ₱100,984,477, a 200% decrease from March 31, 2010. On March 31, 2013, the company's consolidated assets continued to diminish by 8%, an amount equivalent to ₱92,837,849, compared to 2007 figures. The decline of PAL's assets was primarily due to a net decrease in property and equipment and advance payments to aircraft and engine manufacturers. On March 31, 2001 other current and noncurrent assets fell by 29% to ₱2,960.4Mand by 20% to ₱2,941.7M "due to the effect of re-measurement to the fair value of certain financial assets and derivative instruments".[57] After carrying 17% more passengers in 2009 due to acquisition of additional aircraft and growth in the local market, PAL annual income report showed an increase in revenues of US$1.634 billion from US$1.504 billion in 2008. Despite this, PAL expenses escalated as a result of more flight operations and higher maintenance costs aggravated by fuel price fluctuations; forty-four percent (44%) of PAL income operating expenditures is utilized for fuel consumption.[58]
Labor issues[edit]
PAL has a history of labor relations problems. On June 15, 1998, PAL retrenched 5,000 employees, including more than 1,400 flight attendants and stewards to reduce costs and alleviate the financial downturn in the airline industry. Represented by the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines (FASAP), retrenched employee sought remedy through the judicial process, filing a complaint on the grounds of unfair labor practices and illegal retrenchment. It took a decade before the suit was finally settled. It passed the Labor Arbiter to the National Labor Relations Commission, then on to the Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court. The Philippine Highest Tribunal favored the aggrieved party and on July 22, 2008, in its 32-page decision ordered PAL to: