PHILIPPINE AIRLINES’ AWARDS HAUL
Flag carrier wins four awards in 2018, the latest for most improved airline
FLAG carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) has won another international victory by clinching the world’s Most Improved Airline Award 2019, according to the Australiabased airline review firm AirlineRatings.com.
This is the fourth major global accolade that PAL received in 2018.
In February, PAL was certified a four-star global airline by the international rating firm Skytrax following rigorous independent audits of the airline’s inflight and ground services and products.
London-based Skytrax also gave PAL the Second Most Improved Airline for 2018 award in July, based on worldwide passenger surveys.
Most recently, PAL received the four-star Major Regional Airline 2019 award from New-York based Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) – again based on a comprehensive verified passenger voting system.
In addition, PAL also earned a seven-star safety rating (the highest possible) from AirlineRatings.com. The Filipino flag carrier likewise vaulted to the Top 50 World’s Best Airlines rankings as well as Top 30 Best Cabin Cleanliness rankings on Skytrax, both in July this year.
For the Most Improved Airline Award 2019, AirlineRatings.com praised Philippine Airlines for its initiatives “to expand its global footprint using new generation fuel-efficient aircraft equipped with the latest cabins”.
AirlineRatings.com editors stated that Philippine Airlines’ bold expansion plans and its commitment to a next-generation, easy product made it a stand-out for the most improved airline.
“The world is taking notice of the continuing transformation of Philippine Airlines,” said PAL president and COO Jaime J. Bautista.
“We are once again elated and truly humbled by this latest seal of approval, this time from AirlineRatings.com. I share this honour with my PAL family – a team of hardworking professionals dedicated to maintain and sustain a high quality brand of service that is fuelled by the Heart of the Filipino service philosophy.
“This recognition will inspire the PAL team to further enhance and level up our products and services so that our beloved passengers can enjoy a convenient and comfortable travel experience. I hope it will also inspire Filipinos everywhere to dare to be achievers and strive for excellence in a world of big challenges,” said Bautista.
The rating body pointed out that “Philippine Airlines has expanded its global footprint by more than 60% in recent years with innovative services such as a single-aisle (Airbus) A321neo flight between Manila and Brisbane and an A350900 trans-polar route to New York”.
“Nor has (PAL) stinted when it comes to giving its passengers the latest product,” declared AirlineRatings.com in announcing the award.
The big leap in service standards was manifested in the roll-out of PAL’s new and improved business class, premium economy and economy class products, whose passenger-friendly features were described extensively in the AirlineRatings.com award statement, highlighting specific details on expansive legroom, large in-seat video screens, lumbar seat-massage controls, power ports, wi-fi access and storage pockets.
AirlineRatings.com also lauded the barrier-breaking “historic milestone” set by PAL’s 16-hour nonstop flights to New York City that “crosses the north polar regions to land at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport on the evening of the same day.”
The airline review website cited PAL’s fleet modernisation initiatives that will see the airline receive up to 21 brand-new and state-of-the-art aircraft in 2018 and 2019. The brand-new fleet enables international and domestic route network expansion plans that include forthcoming services to the Japanese city of Sapporo, along with New Delhi and Mumbai.
“The airline said last month other destinations being eyed as more A350 aircraft join the fleet included Seattle, Chicago and a point in Western Europe,” it said.
AirlineRatings.com editors also cited PAL’s extensive Asia network, and flights to London’s Heathrow, the Middle East and several North American destinations including Toronto, New York and Los Angeles. (PAL also flies to San Francisco, Vancouver and Honolulu, all with nonstop flights from its Manila hub.)
PAL’s move to introduce the advanced A321neo aircraft to Australia through nonstop flights to Brisbane and Sydney helped set an industry trend “which is seeing the new breed of more extended range, single-aisle planes replace bigger aircraft on routes of up to eight hours and part of an ongoing expansion by the Filipino carrier.”
Also cited were PAL’s initiatives to boost frequencies on routes such as Cebu-Siargao, Davao-Tagbilaran, Davao-Clark, and Cebu-Bangkok.
The AirlineRatings.com is a leading global authority on airline safety and product ratings with an estimated 25 million visitors from 232 countries, and is widely recognised for its annual Airline Excellence Awards.
The award-winning airline continues to focus on the next major goal to enhance its position as the Philippines’ only full-service airline with a global network.
“In this very challenging and competitive airline environment, we renew our determination to keep on improving, so that we can eventually earn the highest fivestar certification in the name of our country and our people,” said Bautista.
Philippine Airlines flies daily from Kuala Lumpur to Manila using the 199-seater Airbus A321neo jet.
From Manila, travellers from Kuala Lumpur can connect to PAL’s nonstop flights to New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Honolulu, Vancouver and Toronto.