Philippine Airlines set to order A350s

Philippine Airlines (PR, Manila) has chosen the A350-900 as a replacement for its outgoing fleet ofA340-300s CAPA has said. According to the report, the Filipino carrier is "close" to committing to at least six A350-900s for delivery from 2017. 

Of the order, an undisclosed number will be High Gross Weight variants which will enable PAL to start non-stop flights to the eastern part of the United States - New York JFK and Chicago O'Hare in particular. Airbus Industrie (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) has reportedly told PAL that it does not require the A350-900ULR which Singapore Airlines (SQ, Singapore Changi) is acquiring for its planned resumption of ultra longhaul operations in 2018.

A formal announcement is expected by the end of the current year. 

Philippine Airlines' widebody fleet currently consists of fifteen A330-300s, six A340-300s, and sixB777-300(ER)s.


Philippine Airlines set to order A350s - ch-aviation.com