MANILA — The companies announced that Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Airbus have inked a significant contract extension to offer integrated maintenance assistance for all of PAL’s fleet of aircraft produced in Europe.
The deal extends Airbus’ Flight Hour Services (FHS) to include the airline’s A350, A330, and A320 families and was inked during a ceremony in Singapore. The agreement covers 63 aircraft in all, including 43 A320-family narrowbodies, 11 A330s, and 9 ultra-long-haul A350-1000s.
The European aircraft manufacturer will offer full component repairs, engineering services, and a permanent on-site spare part inventory at PAL’s major hub in Manila under the “Power-by-the-Hour” concept.
As the flag carrier navigates a competitive post-pandemic recovery, the move is intended to streamline its technical operations.
Anand Stanley, President of Airbus Asia-Pacific, said, “We thank Philippine Airlines for extending its Flight Hour Services agreements across its entire Airbus fleet to cover the A350, A330 Family and A320 Family. This demonstrates the strength of our long-standing partnership and our shared commitment to operational excellence.”
He went on to say that PAL would “optimize fleet performance while benefiting from predictable, long-term maintenance costs” thanks to the on-site services.
Airlines may save money on spare parts and take advantage of Airbus’ extensive global logistics network and data-driven reliability insights by outsourcing component management straight to the manufacturer.
The collaboration will focus on predictive maintenance, data-driven analytics, and engineering support, allowing PAL to minimize aircraft downtime and improve cost efficiency. Airbus will also share best practices and technical expertise to further strengthen PAL’s in-house maintenance teams.
According to Airbus officials, the collaboration shows their shared dedication to operational excellence and their faith in PAL’s long-term expansion plan.
According to industry analysts, improved maintenance cooperation may also assist PAL in better controlling growing operating expenses in the face of shifting fuel prices and expanding demand for travel.
Both Airbus and PAL said the collaboration is expected to evolve over time, potentially covering training programs, digital innovation, and sustainability initiatives. The partnership underscores PAL’s efforts to position itself strongly in the competitive Asia-Pacific aviation market as passenger traffic continues to recover.
