Philippine Airlines to boost U.S. routes with new Boeing 777s

Philippines’ national carrier Philippine Airlines is set to further expand its U.S. network by 2016 end. The airline will be deploying two new Boeing 777-300ER aircrafts to fulfill strong passenger demand and thus increase frequencies between the two countries.

Media reports said that Philippine Airlines will be taking the delivery of new Boeing 777-300ER aircrafts before this year end. The new aircrafts would be utilized for increasing frequencies to three major destinations in the United States, which includes New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Philippine Airlines has announced it will be increasing the frequencies of its flights services to Los Angeles in December this year to tackle the peak Christmas season demand. The airline is currently operating flights from Manila to Los Angeles once daily, which will now be doubled to twice daily. The airline, which is presently offering 11 times weekly flights to San Francisco, will be increasing it to 14 flights per week.

According to the airline, the flights between San Francisco and Manila are being operated thrice weekly with the help of Airbus A340 aircraft. The airline has decided to replace Airbus A340 on San Francisco-Manila route with the new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. Jaime

Bautista, President and COO of Philippine Airlines, said, “More flights to the United States would be added effective from December this year in time to cope with the peak Christmas season demand. The airline will also be adding two new Boeing 777-300ER aircrafts replacing them with the existing Airbus A340 aircrafts in order to increase the capacity as well. It is noteworthy that the U.S. market is continuing to grow, and Philippine Airlines being a nonstop carrier to the United States from Philippines has the advantage to cash in and tap the opportunity.”

Bautista said that with the new Boeing 777-300ER aircrafts being deployed the seating capacity to the United States will increase significantly by 15 to 20 percent. The Airbus A340 aircrafts currently operating between the two countries can only accommodate 254 passengers, while the larger Boeing 777-300ER aircraft has the capacity to carry up to 376 passengers.