Philippine Airlines Slips in the Latest Top 100 Airlines Rankings
Philippine Airlines Slips in the Latest Top 100 Airlines Rankings
Philippine Airlines, the country's flag carrier, drops from 80th to 96th in the latest ranking of the World’s Top 100 Airlines, which is part of Skytrax's annual World Airline Awards.
The Skytrax World Airline Awards, often dubbed the "Oscars of the aviation industry," are highly regarded for their comprehensive and unbiased assessments of airline services worldwide. The rankings are based on customer satisfaction surveys that evaluate various aspects of airline operations, including cabin service, seat comfort, in-flight entertainment, and overall passenger experience. The annual awards started in 1999.
Aside from PAL's drop in ranking, the 2024 list also saw the dethroning of Singapore Airlines from its number one spot. Qatar Airways, which came in second place in 2023, has finally made it to the top. Singapore Airlines has previously held the position five times.
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Philippine Airlines as a Skytrax Four-Star Airline
It was in 2018 when Philippine Airlines bagged its four-star airline rating, as certified by Skytrax. This certification is credited to the flag carrier's quality of its airport, onboard products, and staff service. The rating analysis looks into the check-in facilities, boarding and baggage service, seat comfort and personal space, cleanliness, cabin temperature, washroom amenities, meals served, language skills and service hospitality of the staff, and many more.
In a 2022 PhilStar interview with PAL president and COO Stanley Ng, he said getting the coveted Skytrax five-star rating is "currently not a priority." It has, however, secured a five-star major airline rating in 2021 from the Airline Passenger Experience Association.
In December 2023, PAL launched a codeshare partnership with American Airlines, enabling seamless travel connections between the Philippines and several U.S. destinations. This collaboration introduced the first marketed flights by a Philippine carrier to multiple U.S. cities, including Atlanta, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Miami, Orlando, and Washington, D.C.
American Airlines customers can book tickets for codeshare flights operated by PAL to Manila and Cebu via Tokyo, as well as direct flights to Manila from Honolulu and Guam. This partnership aimed to provide travelers with more options and convenience, enhancing their travel experience between Asia and the United States.
PAL is also modernizing its fleet. The airline has finalized a purchase agreement with Airbus for nine A350-1000 long-range aircraft. This deal, signed in May 2023, is part of PAL’s Ultra Long Haul Fleet project. The A350-1000s will operate on nonstop services from Manila to North America, including the East Coast of the U.S. and Canada, once they're delivered in the fourth quarter of 2025. These new aircraft will join two A350-900s already in service, reinforcing PAL’s commitment to maintaining one of the youngest and most modern widebody fleets in Asia.