Page 12 - AAA MARCH - APRIL 2018 Online Magazine

efficiency and ease of maintenance, which
makes the aircraft less costly to operate.
We are able to maintain the airplanes at the
least possible expense and aircraft reliabil-
ity and customer satisfaction has also been
very good and this was very important to
us.”

“We have high expectations for the
new Q400s and presently we are
obtaining an average utilisation rate
of 8-10 hours per day with our first
five aircraft and on an average we
are operating the aircraft on four
daily flights,” Bautista adds

Commenting on placement of additional
this year in September and the airline will end the year with Q400 orders, Bautista says, “for the
6-9 aircraft. The new Q400s will be configured to seat 86 meantime we will stay at 12 and we are
passengers and SpiceJet will also launch the high-density very satisfied with the aircraft. The speed
90-passenger variant but delivery dates have yet to be made of the aircraft is certainly an advantage
public. The Indian LCC which has 50 aircraft on order (includ- but you know the engine is very quiet and
ing options) is the largest customer for the Q400. SpiceJet is passengers like it and we have a very com-
the only Indian Q400 operator and has operated the aircraft fortable seats on the aircraft even though
since 2010. It presently has a 22 aircraft fleet configured for we have an 86 seat configuration.” Bautista
78 seats, in addition to 38 Boeing 737s. also rules out orders for Bombardier’s C
Series stating that the A320 and A321s
Showcasing Capability are perfectly suited to PAL’s needs and
hilippine Airlines (PAL) displayed its 86 seat Q400 strategy to operate as much as possible

at the recently concluded Singapore Airshow. PAL one type of aircraft. PAL has elected to
was the launch customer for the Q400NG and the opt for an eight-year Smart Parts agree-
P86 seat variant when it placed orders for five aircraft ment with Bombardier for component
in December 2016 and an additional seven aircraft in June management for its 12 new, dual-class
2017. PAL took delivery of its 1st aircraft in July 2017 and Q400s. Bombardier will provide compre-
the airline is operating five aircraft on domestic routes as hensive component maintenance, repair
of February. PAL will add five more aircraft this year and will and overhaul (MRO) services to PAL, with
take delivery of the final two aircraft in 2019. The airline has access to a strategically located spare
decided to opt for an option of leased and owned aircraft parts exchange pool, and on-site inven-
for its Q400 fleet and the first five aircraft delivered are on tories based at the airline’s main hubs of
finance lease and the next two aircraft to be inducted will operation in the Philippines.
be on operating lease. The new airplanes are operated in a
challenging environment in terms of weather conditions and In an effort to differentiate itself from
weak airport infrastructure. PAL’s new Q400s regularly oper- smaller LCCs in the region, PAL chose a
ate from runway distances of 1200 , 1400 m. The Q400NG 86 seat, two Class layout with a six seat
is used by the airline as an island hopper, connecting the Premium Economy Cabin. Since the air-
many far flung islands of the Philippines and the expanding craft are operated on short-routes, which
fleet of Q400NGs has enabled it to launch many new routes. typically have a stage length of less than an
hour, PAL decided not to install an Inflight
PAL President & COO Jaime J. Bautista told Asian Airlines & Entertainment (IFE) system on any of its
Aerospace during an interaction at the Singapore Airshow, Q400s. PAL’s Q400 cabin crew are all
that the key reasons for purchasing the Q400 were, “fuel praise for the aircraft interior, “The cabin

12 | March/April 2018 www.GBP.com.sg/AAA