In 2012, when Philippine Airlines (PAL), under the management of San Miguel Corporation, announced an order for 54 Airbus planes, including 34 A321ceos, 10 A321neos, and 10 A330-300s, there was widespread excitement. However, when PAL received its A321ceos, people were surprised, as the seats resembled those of a low-cost airline, lacking inflight entertainment systems (IFE), offering limited legroom, and upholstered in leather fabric.
Fast forward to today, it appears the current management of PAL has taken passenger feedback into account and is pleased to confirm that 18 of their A321ceos will be retrofitted with new seats equipped with IFEs.
Additionally, the A321ceos will feature business class seats with enhanced legroom and WiFi throughout the cabin, starting in 2025. This upgrade will provide PAL with a more consistent product across its fleet, which is excellent news for passengers.
At today’s media conference, PAL announced that 80% of its capital expenditures (CAPEX) would be allocated to fleet upgrades and improvements. This includes payments for nine Airbus A350-1000s, with deliveries starting in 2025, and 13 Airbus A321neos, with deliveries beginning in 2026.
The Current A321ceo Seat Configuration
PAL’s current A321ceos have received less-than-favorable reviews due to the absence of IFEs and mediocre seat materials. Although business class seats and comfort class seats include USB plugs, they only offer basic features. The A321ceos are configured with 12 business class seats, 18 comfort class seats, and 169 standard economy class seats.
The primary difference between comfort class and standard economy seats is the legroom, with comfort class offering a 34″ pitch. Shoulder room is virtually the same across both classes, with the same fabric material used throughout.
In contrast, PAL’s A321neos, acquired in 2018, come with IFEs and WiFi. Six A321neo LRs feature 12 full-flat business class seats and 156 standard economy seats, with economy class offering a legroom of 32″ pitch. PAL also operates two A321neos configured for regional and domestic flights, with 183 standard economy seats and 12 business class seats, all equipped with seatback IFEs—a significant upgrade from the A321ceos in the fleet.
The Story of the “LCC” Seats
In 2012, San Miguel Corporation’s management direction for PAL was to transform the flag carrier into a low-cost airline to compete with Cebu Pacific, rather than premium carriers like Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines. Consequently, the newly ordered A321ceos and A330-300s were configured like a typical low-cost airline cabin, without IFEs and with basic seat fabrics.
However, when Lucio Tan regained control of the airline in 2014, the focus shifted back to becoming a premium carrier. All planes received post-2014 were configured with IFEs and WiFi onboard, including 8 A321neos and 6 A350-900s. Additionally, about eight monoclass 414-seater A330-300s were reconfigured to a tri-class layout, complete with IFEs and WiFi.
While PAL has not yet announced the specific seats chosen for the A321ceos retrofit, the airline’s direction is clear: PAL is committed to enhancing its product and aspiring to be among the best airlines in Asia. Following their milestone earnings in 2023, these funds will be reinvested to further improve their products, services, and customer experience. It is hoped that the A321ceos will receive a configuration similar to that of their A321neo SRs.
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