Love, Your PAL (Philippine Airlines)

As far as i can remember when i was younger, I travel a lot from luzon to visayas from air travel to sea travel. During the 90s, PAL is the emirates of asia, it competes with cathay pacific. I recall when i first fly with PAL, it was a B747 to Hong Kong and that was 1997. Back then, PAL was extremely a very classy airline. My grandfather had unlimited alcoholic beverages at that time. PAL Flight Attendants were very friendly, and many of them foreigners. Food serving was same but drinks were limited at this time.

Throughout the years and due to the asian financial crisis, PAL became a corporate failure. They had to downsize their route slashing half of their domestic route and terminating their long haul flights. 

last 2011, PAL went trough a very tough crisis with their ground staff. almost 2000 are lay offed and these positions are outsourced. Over the years, PAL have reported losses due to oil prices and weaker passenger rate. Also, it was the re-birth of Cebu Pacific in becoming a budget airline.

Browse the pictures below:

NAIA Terminal 2 (international)

PAL A320

Boarding Pass

My Plane A340 going to Bangkok

Old Drop-down Monitor

Cathay Pacific Cargo

Safety Manual

Hugo

Interior

Leg Room

Believe it or not, these was the exact look of PAL during the 90s. Although it's old but it was comfy and well maintained. The cabin pressure upon taxi was humid but upon take off, it goes back to cool temperature.

I was glad the load factor was 90% at that time.

The DOTC is boosting it's resources to address the congestion problem that is happening in NAIA. NAIA currently has 2 runway crossing each other.

PAL was awarded before as the most punctual airline in Asia, but apparently not anymore. It became a part of the delayed airlines in the country.

Honestly, when San Miguel Corp. bought 49% of PAL, i was thrilled. Finally! a bright future ahead. As of now, the airline is on their final stage of ordering wide body aircraft such as B787-8 (dreamliner) and B747-8 (intercontinental). Too bad they slash the A380 but rationally, no domestic airport can handle such besides NAIA and Clark Airport. The ne B787-8 and B747-8 will replace PAL's ageing wide body aircraft such as B747-400, A330 and A340. 

I hope CAAP address the Category 2 status of country.

With SMC in the picture, the future of Asia's First Airline will Shine Trough.