Some think that Philippine Airlines’ main competitor is Cebu Pacific. Honestly, I really don’t see Cebu Pacific as main competitor of PAL as the former is a low-cost airline and the latter is a full service carrier. The way I see it, PAL’s main competitor is Cathay Pacific. Not only are they the closest neighbors in terms of hubs, but both Cathay Pacific and PAL share almost the same fleet, and perhaps future fleet.
The main advantage of PAL over Cathay Pacific is that the former offers domestic flights while the latter only has international routes.
But there was one thing I observed. Take a look at Cathay Pacific’s fleet if you want to forecast the future of PAL’s fleet. There are several parallels to be found. In fact, even before the pandemic, PAL was contemplating ordering newer long-range planes to replace part of the fleet’s older Boeing 777-300ER.
Comparing the fleet of Cathay Pacific and Philippine Airlines
The disparity between the number of aircraft in the Cathay Pacific fleet is far from that of PAL. They are, nonetheless, nearly identical in terms of aircraft type.
| Aircraft | Cathay Pacific Fleet | Philippine Airlines fleet |
|---|---|---|
| Airbus A321-200 | 2 | 17 |
| Airbus A321neo | 7 | 8 |
| Airbus A330-300 | 40 | 9 |
| Airbus A350-900 | 28 | 2 |
| Airbus A350-1000 | 15 | X |
| Boeing 777-300 | 17 | X |
| Boeing 777-300ER | 41 | 10 |
Both run the same types of aircraft families, with Cathay Pacific having a few more versions. In addition, the Boeing 777-300 is gradually being phased out. Cathay Pacific has also placed an order for a Boeing 777-9X. Cathay Pacific presently operates A320 family planes as a result of the merger of Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon. The former absorbed the latter, which included aircraft, notably narrowbodies. As a result, Cathay Pacific has taken over all pending Cathay Dragon A321neo orders.
I would never say that PAL is a carbon copy of Cathay Pacific or vice versa, but they are both comparable airlines that serve nearly the same international passenger market. Cathay Pacific and PAL both employed Airbus A340-300 and Boeing 747-400 aircraft. PAL likewise never contemplated buying the Airbus A380 superjumbo. So did Cathay Pacific.
Philippine Airlines and Cathay Pacific are direct competitors amidst being based from different countries.
Singapore Airlines, Korean Air, Thai International Airways, China Southern, Asiana, Malaysia Airlines, and ANA are among the closest airlines that operate A380s.
Cathay Pacific noticed a trend toward increased frequencies rather than more capacity and chose to keep a fleet of twin-engine aircraft. PAL’s approach of having more frequencies than capacity is also maintained.
Prior to the pandemic, PAL was researching prospective replacements for some of its older Boeing 777-300ER, with the Airbus A350-1000 and the Boeing 777-9X being heavily studied. While no announcement was made, Cathay Pacific uses the A350-1000 and has pending orders for the Boeing 777-9X.
Will PAL order new planes?
In reality, refleeting is part of PAL President Captain Stanley Ng’s strategy to propel the airline to become one of the finest in Asia. In order to survive, reflecting is also necessary. First and foremost, PAL needs more efficient planes, as part of its current fleet is getting old. Second, PAL must satisfy the International Air Transport Association’s aim of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Third, PAL must be able to provide better products and experiences to its consumers with new planes. Fourth, PAL needs new planes in order to expand its network worldwide.
Personally, I believe that the Airbus A350-1000 will join the PAL fleet. The airline still has six Airbus A350 options that can be exercised at any moment.
However, I am sure Boeing is working hard to persuade PAL to buy the 777-9X as a prospective 777-300ER successor. Cathay Pacific has placed orders for both the A350-1000 and the Boeing 777-9X.
It might be a toss-up between the A330-900neo and the 787-10 to replace the A330-300. The A330neo is the most likely choice for PAL, but who knows, the Boeing might triumph. If this happens, then PAL and Cathay Pacific will not have similar fleets anymore.
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!
