News
Philippine Airlines aims for five-star rating and partners with SITA for free Wi-Fi
March 18th 2016
Philippine Airlines (PAL) has an ambitious plan: By 2020, it aims to lift its three-star Skytrax rating to five stars, joining All Nippon Airways, Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways, Garuda Indonesia, Hainan Airlines, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines as the best Skytrax carriers in the world. Read More » "Before, people looked at PAL as the best airline in Asia, but we were overtaken by events," PAL president, Jaime Bautista, told Japan’s Nikkei Asian Review. "Now we want to bring back the glory days." The carrier planned to achieve its goal by investing more than $80 million in new cabin and seating reconfigurations, including more legroom, and upgraded in-flight entertainment.
As part of its 75th anniversary celebration, PAL has partnered with SITAONAIR to launch a “freemium” Wi-Fi service, myPAL Wi-fi, for all passengers across all cabins. The service is available on the carrier’s 15 A330-300s and six B777-300ERs and will be fitted on the two -300ERs PAL plans to receive later this year. “The myPAL Wi-fi freemium offering is a key part of our commitment to give the best possible service to our passengers. With 30 minutes each across all travel classes, this is the Asia-Pacific region’s best free inflight internet offering, at least doubling that of almost every other airline,” said Bautista.
Recent analysis by SITAONAIR showed 69% of passengers actively use their personal devices when flying. The number of Wi-Fi adoptions increases tenfold when connections are free. Eighty three per cent of sessions are on smartphones, 10% on tablets and 7% on laptops.
Operating in the black since 2014, PAL said this week it is considering more fifth freedom flights where it can, that is to Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and Thailand. It already serves Taipei via Osaka, and Dubai via Kuwait. From 2018, Bautista told the Nikkei, he would like to extend PAL’s network to Amsterdam, Hamburg, Paris and Rome with the arrival of the six A350-900s (plus six options) PAL ordered in February.
