Philippine Airlines (PAL) will mount a direct nonstop service to New York from Manila starting October 29, 2018, making it the first domestic airline with a direct service between the Big Apple and the Philippines.
A brand-new PAL Airbus A350-900 will launch the new service when it departs as PR126 from Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) for a 16-hour nonstop journey across the North Polar regions to land at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport on the evening of the same day.
“We look forward with eager anticipation, as we prepare to fly almost halfway around the world on the longest route ever to be served by a Philippine carrier. What’s in store for travelers is a journey unparalleled—an ultra-comfortable flight on one of the world’s most advanced commercial airplanes,” PAL president and chief operating officer Jaime J. Bautista said in a statement.
“The maiden nonstop 16-hour Manila-New York journey will usher in a long-haul travel experience marked by comfort, convenience and efficiency,” he added.
For his part, PAL vice president for sales Ryan Uy noted brisk sales for this newest product offering.
“People want to experience this much-talked about A350 aircraft. They want to sample the spacious cabin designed for rest, relaxation, fine dining and wide choices of video entertainment. Now they can enjoy the A350 on a flight that takes them directly to the U.S. East Coast, with no more time-consuming stopovers and no inconvenient transfer connections along the route. One take-off and one landing, and you’re in the Big Apple.”
PAL said tourists and balikbayans based in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut will now find it easier and more convenient to visit the Philippines. Prior to the new PAL service, Manila-bound passengers had to go through intermediate stopovers in Canada, the U.S. West Coast, or airports in other Asian countries, usually by connecting from one flight to another.
The PAL service between Manila and New York City gives passengers the flexibility to choose from a wider selection of departure days, the airline added.
From October 29 to November 3, PAL will operate four times a week (Monday / Tuesday / Thursday / Saturday) from Manila to New York.
PR126 departs Manila at 8:10 p.m. and arrives in New York JFK at 11:15 p.m. (local time) on the same day. By November 5, Manila departure will shift to 9:00 p.m. and arrival in New York JFK remains at 11:15 p.m. Starting December 6, PAL will be serving the MNL-NYC route five times weekly with the introduction of a fifth frequency (every Wednesday).
From October 30 to November 5, PAL will serve the New York to Manila route four times weekly (Tuesday / Wednesday / Friday / Sunday).
PR127 will leave New York JFK at 1:45 a.m. (local time) and touch down in Manila at 6:25 a.m. the following day. By November 7, arrival in Manila will be at 7:25 a.m. (note: departure from New York remains at 1:45 a.m. local time.)
PAL will operate the fifth frequency (every Thursday) out of New York starting December 13.
All PAL flights to New York will depart from NAIA Terminal 2. PAL flights from New York will arrive at NAIA Terminal 1. (However, PAL flights to and from Canada, i.e. Vancouver and Toronto, will use NAIA Terminal 1 as their point of departure and arrival in Manila.)
The new long-range A350 can fly up to 8,000 nautical miles (14,800 kilometers) and boasts a quieter cabin with up to four times less noise, making it the most quiet twin-aisle aircraft to date. It also has an all-new design and state-of-the-art technology, with the aircraft’s advanced Rolls Royce Trent XWB engines producing unparalleled range and efficiency. The aircraft also has a lightweight but sturdy structure which also costs significantly less to maintain: 70% of the structure is made of advanced material including 53% composite.
The aircraft also features special LED mood lighting, customized especially for PAL, giving passengers a more intimate in-flight experience that helps them adjust to time zone and day versus night changes.
PAL for this flight offers Wi-Fi service to all passengers (subject to time and volume caps), with affordable renewal plans.
The business class cabin—with 30 seats configured in 1-2-1 format so that every passenger enjoys direct access to the aisle—offers a seat pitch of 44 inches and seat width of up to 24 inches. The seat—which reclines to a fully flat bed measuring 78 inches in length—has an adjustable air cushion to adjust seat firmness, lumbar massage feature, additional storage for personal items, power ports, and augmented reading lights.
The premium economy class has 24 seats in a 2-4-2 configuration in an exclusive cabin. Seat pitch is 38 inches and seat width is 19 inches. Premium economy seats—which have a recline of up to 8 inches—are equipped with leg rest and footrest, additional front pockets for personal items, bottle holders, reading lights, and power ports.
The economy-class cabin—with a total of 241 seats in a 3-3-3 configuration—offers passengers roomier leg space and greater seating comfort with a seat pitch of 33 inches and seat width of 18 inches; plus a recline of up to 6 inches. Features include a four-way headrest and USB power ports.
In the pipeline are new PAL services to other destinations in North America and Europe as more A350 aircraft join the fleet. Seattle, Chicago, and a point in Western Europe are being eyed, the airline said.
