The Philippines in the aviation world is known as “Airbus country,” with most commercial airlines operating Airbus aircraft. Only a few use Boeing jets, like Philippine Airlines, which has ten 777-300ER in the fleet.
Even the Philippine Air Force now operates Airbus C295 transporter aircraft. Some pilot training centers in the country are equipped with Airbus A320 simulators. Most new pilots also in the Philippines right away seek to be rated for Airbus since this would give them a bigger chance to find commercial airline pilot jobs in the country.
This relationship started 41 years ago in 1978 when Philippine Airlines placed orders for Airbus’s only aircraft, the A300B4.
The PAL Airbus A300, the very first in the Philippines
The Airbus A300B4 which PAL dubbed as the “Love Bus”, was the very first twin-engine widebody aircraft in the world, a time when Boeing 747s, 707s, and DC-10s were the main widebodies then. The very first A300B4 which had a “Love Bus” livery arrived in the Philippines in 1979.
In 1997, PAL further strengthened its partnership with Airbus with an order of A320s, A330s, and A340s. During that time, PAL was the only airline with the complete line-up of Airbus aircraft in its fleet from the A300B4, A320-200, A330-300, A340-200, and A340-300.
Today, PAL operates a vast majority of Airbus jets in its fleet consisting of A320s, A321-200CEOs, A321NEOs, A330-300s, and A350-900s. To commemorate their long-standing partnership, PAL had 2 of its A350s carry the original “Love Bus” logo, a mix of the present and nostalgia.
The second operator of Airbus aircraft in the Philippines was Grand Air in 1995. They operated 5 A300B4 in the fleet. They only lasted for four years.
Cebu Pacific becomes a major operator of Airbus in the Philippines
Cebu Pacific became the third airline in the Philippines to operate Airbus aircraft when they took delivery of ten A319s and two A320s in 2004 to replace its McDonnell DC-9s and Boeing 757s. This allowed the airline to operate as a low-cost carrier, flying more passengers at lower fares! It also became the first low-cost airline in the Philippines.
In April 2019 during the Paris Air Show 2019, Cebu Pacific placed an order for another 31 Airbus aircraft consisting of 16 A330-900NEO, 10 Airbus A321XLR, and 5 more A320NEO.
Cebu Pacific’s goal is to operate an all-Airbus NEO (New Engine Option) fleet by 2025.
AirPhil Express and Zest Air
Air Philippines also took the leap from Boeing to Airbus when it rebranded as AirPhil Express. The airline acquired two former PAL A320s. And later on, it expanded its fleet of A320s to compete with Cebu Pacific as the country’s third low-cost airline.
Today, Philippines AirAsia, formerly AirAsia Zest, operates ten A320 aircraft.
More airlines in the Philippines later spouted and operated Airbus aircraft. Pan Pacific Air used to operate 5 Airbus A320 aircraft with hubs at Cebu and Clark. However, this was reduced amid the covid-19 pandemic.
Royal Air, otherwise known as Royal Air Charter, used to operate Avro RJ100s before moving to Airbus A319 and aircraft. They are currently using Airbus A320.
Airbus looks to further increase its presence and foothold in the Philippines as more aircraft are expected to be delivered. This includes training systems for the A320 and A330, aircraft maintenance, and parts manufacturing.
It is safe to say then that the Philippines will remain to be an Airbus country for the next 15 years or so, and we expect more Airbus presence in the future.
First love never dies. I fell in love with airplanes and aviation when I was a kid. My dream was to become a pilot, but destiny led me to another path: to be an aviation digital media content creator and a small business owner. My passion for aviation inspires me to bring you quality content through my website and social accounts. Aviation is indeed in my blood and blog!
