PAL to reassert domestic position with new Q400s
MACTAN, Cebu – Philippine Airlines (PAL), the country’s flag carrier, signaled its determination to reassert its dominance in the domestic travel with the commercial flight of the world’s first dual-class turboprop airplane took off yesterday (August 1, 2017) from Mactan International Airport bound for Caticlan and Clark.
The special flight ferried guests from Manila was welcomed by a water spray canon. A sendoff ceremony was held at the airport prior the aircraft’s first commercial flight to Caticlan. Passengers were surprised to find they were boarding the next-generation Bombardier Q400.
A total of 12 next-generation bi-class Bombardier Q400 – with a seating capacity of 86, including six Premium Economy seats – will be utilized to expand PAL’s domestic network using operational hubs in Manila, Cebu and Clark.
By year-end, PAL will utilize the propeller-driven Q400 and Q300 on seven domestic routes out of Clark and 12 out of Cebu.
PAL flies its fleet of turboprops to – Basco, Busuanga, Naga, Calbayog, Catarman, Surigao, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Caticlan, Tacloban, Legazpi, Iloilo, Bacolod, and soon to Zamboanga and Jolo.
PAL is the first airline to use the next-generation Q400 with enhanced features, offering passengers full service even on short flights.
Over the last seven decades, PAL operated various types of turboprops to link far-flung islands and outlying rural communities.
For over a decade (1988-1999), the 54-seater Fokker 50 was the domestic operations workhorse. A decade later, the Bombardier Q400 and Q300 were introduced (May 2008).
Five next-generation Q400s are to be delivered before December 2017, with seven more for delivery before end of 2019.
VIPs onboard the new aircraft include Bonifacio Sam, PALex President; Marianne Raymundo, PAL SVP Finance; Marshall Ycong, Lapu-Lapu Vice Mayor; John Holmes, Canadian Amb., Rob Burdekin, Regional director, customer service Bombardier; Aman Kocher,(Bombardier Director for Sales), Ria Domingo (PAL VP Marketing), Atty. Siegfred Mison (PAL SVP General Counsel), and Crista Mcinnis, senior trade commissioner of Canadian Embassy.
The flight crew members include Captain Anthony Lanera, who flew the plan from Toronto to Manila last July 26, 2017, Captain Orson Organo., Owen Tagle, Manbel Sevilla, Eloisa Navarro and Leo Bartolome.
“We congratulate pal for choosing Bombardier Q400 aircraft, a plane that performs like a jet. Bombardier commits full cooperation in technical support to PAL to make this move successful and profitable on its part,” said Kocher at the airport ceremony.
Ambassador Holmes commended PAL for being the launch airline and brand ambassador for Q400 in the Asian region.
On the part of PAL, Sam of PALex said the Q400 aircraft will improve operating efficiencies on its domestic operations while at the same time providing comfort to passengers. The new plane signals PAL’s determination to reassert dominance in the domestic market.
Aside from the first Q400 aircraft, the 11 other aircraft that will come between now and 2019 will enable PAL to mount flights to more destinations and increase flight frequencies.