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Philippine Airlines expects to take delivery of its first Airbus A350-1000 aircraft by December this year or January next year
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The long-range wide-body aircraft will be used for the New York service
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It is one of nine ordered by PAL from Airbus
Philippine Airlines (PAL) expects to take delivery of its first Airbus A350-1000 aircraft by December this year or January next year.
“We’re still working on the final delivery date, but it will be either December or January. But we’re still waiting for Airbus to give us the final delivery date,” PAL president Richard Nuttall told media in an interview at the sidelines of the recent 2025 Philippine Aviation Summit.
The long-range wide-body aircraft will be deployed on the New York service.
In June, PAL said the first of its nine A350-1000 aircraft orders will be delivered in the fourth quarter of the year; the other eight will be delivered from 2026 to 2028.
Asked if more US routes will be added once the other A350-1000s are delivered, Nuttall said this is being considered. He noted, though, that Europe is “not in the plan at the moment” but then quickly added: “Never say never.”
PAL said the A350-1000 will open a new chapter in the development of its transpacific long-haul operations. Fitted with Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines, the aircraft flies with a range of up to 16,100 kilometers (8,700 miles), offering ultra-long-range connectivity with improved fuel efficiency and reduced carbon emissions.
Each A350-1000s can accommodate 382 passengers in a tri-class cabin configuration with distinct cabins allotted for business class, premium economy, and economy class travelers.
The flag carrier currently has 79 planes in service. Apart from the nine A350-1000s, PAL expects to receive 13 brand new units of A321neo regional jets starting in 2026.
PAL noted that the global airline community has testified to the performance of the A350-1000, and many international carriers have selected the aircraft to operate the world’s longest routes.
PAL’s US network currently includes Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Seattle, and Honolulu. Thrice-weekly nonstop flights between Cebu and Guam will also be starting on December 16, 2025.
