PAL’s first A350 XWB is a game changer in the industry with wider aisles and seats, mood lighting, better air quality, the biggest personal screens in the industry, lower fuel burn emissions and lower operating costs
When flight PR 5003 took off from Blagnac Airbus Delivery Center in Toulouse France, the 80 passengers on board spontaneously applauded as the first airbus of Philippine Airlines headed to its new home in Manila. Onboard the ultra long-range jet were PAL officials led by PAL President Jaime J. Bautista, who was a gracious host to the invited members of Philippine media.
Non-stop New York
A day preceding the maiden flight of the mid-sized, wide body aircraft, the four-star carrier Philippine Airlines accepted the first of six Airbus 350s that Mr. Bautista described as “a game changer in the industry with their greater range, lower fuel burn emissions and lower operating costs.” The new flagship of PAL will fly non-stop to New York beginning in October 2018. Succeeding PAL A350-900 XWBs will also be deployed to serve the London routes and also possibly to Seattle, Chicago and a point in Western Europe.
During the delivery dinner, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer Eric Schulz highlighted “the all-new efficient design which includes the latest technologies improving operational performance, burning 25% less fuel and generating 25% less CO2 emissions.”
Free Wi-Fi
Ceremonies before the Manila flight of PAL’s Airbus 350-900 began with the blessing of the aircraft. It was the first time for some of the guests who are veterans of aircraft deliveries to experience Catholic rites for a new airplane. There was a festive air as the Manila-bound passengers boarded the plane. It was like a party inside with flight attendants serving canapés and drinks along the wide aisles between 1-2-1 seat configurations. Every passenger on business class had direct access to the aisle.
Behind the 30 business class seats are 24 premium economy seats in a separate, exclusive cabin arranged in 2-4-2 configuration. The rest of the aircraft seats 241 in economy with a roomy 3-3-3 configuration. All seats on the PAL Airbus 350-900 have personal TV screens with dual screen functionality. Passengers can navigate the entertainment feature on screen with their mobile device through the myPAL Player App, selecting preferred content on the screen or track the flight progress through the Flight Map. Depending on the time and volume caps, all passengers can avail of free Wi-Fi service.
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Mood Lighting to Reduce Jet Lag
A special treat for the guests was an LED light show in the cabin that moved from the side to center, displaying the mood for Christmas, fiesta and celebration. The mood lighting feature is designed to provide a more intimate in-flight experience and help passengers adjust to the time zone changes. Airbus officials worked with designer Daniel Baron who was commissioned by PAL to integrate Philippine heritage into the interiors.
Daniel created a contemporary look using color and patterns to reflect the sky on the ceiling and the sea surrounding the thousands of islands of the archipelago on the carpet. He chose seat fabric that changed colors depending on the angle of the 24 inch wide seat that reclines to a full flat bed measuring 78 inches in length. The side integrated traditional Filipino weaving design.
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Fresh Air in the Cabin
It was a relaxing 13-hour flight in an aircraft that was noticeably more quiet, owing to the state of the art technology of the advanced Rolls Royce Trent XWB engine. The A350 can fly up to 8,000 nautical miles or 14,800 kilometers with as much as four times less noise than any twin aisle aircraft in the industry. Air quality was also better. Total cabin air is renewed every two to three minutes in a draft-free environment with 20 percent more fresh air.
There was time for a movie, two meals and a restful sleep before the descent to Manila. Two green trucks with water canons waited on the runway, waiting to welcome the A350-900 with a dousing. The smooth landing, a shower and more applause brought the maiden voyage to its destination.
Philippine Airlines recently received a four star rating from Skytrax. The addition of the Airbus350-900 sets the course for the national carrier towards the five star goal and the new long haul destinations in other continents of the world.
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