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Elijah Felice Rosales - The Philippine Star
August 1, 2025 | 12:00am
Based on its financial report, PAL’s parent PAL Holdings Inc. improved its profit by 28 percent to P7.66 billion in the first half, from P5.97 billion a year ago.
STAR / File
MANILA, Philippines — Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) is set for an operational boost by the fourth quarter as it is scheduled to receive new and retrofitted aircraft by then to expand its fleet.
Based on its financial report, PAL’s parent PAL Holdings Inc. improved its profit by 28 percent to P7.66 billion in the first half, from P5.97 billion a year ago.
The airline grew its revenue by three percent to P93.34 billion, offsetting the five-percent increase in expenses to P84.65 billion, attributed to higher airport fees for lease and services.
PAL marked its 15th consecutive quarter in the black with this performance, and is projected to extend this win run with new aircraft coming in. PAL president Richard Nuttall said the carrier will end the year welcoming more Airbus jets to its fleet.
In particular, PAL is receiving the first of nine new A350-1000s before the end of 2025. The unit is considered as one of the most efficient long-range aircraft right now, giving PAL a workhorse that it can deploy for long-haul flights.
Likewise, the airline owned by tycoon Lucio Tan is bringing in the first of its 18 retrofitted A321ceos by October.
The A321ceos will be returning to PAL’s yard with upgraded cabins, new in-flight entertainment systems and WiFi capability.
“To sustain our momentum in this dynamic operating environment, we will continue to focus on generating healthy revenue, maintaining financial discipline, sustaining operational integrity and providing the kind of exemplary travel experience that our customers deserve,” Nuttall said.
In the first six months, PAL grew its passenger volume by nine percent to 4.4 million, although it noted a demand slowdown for international flights. Further, the airline airlifted 51,200 tons of cargo during the period, up by 13 percent.
Overall, PAL’s flight traffic rose by five percent to 29,584. Historically, these passenger and flight numbers should be beaten in the second half when travel hits its peak during the holiday season.
PAL’s long-term game is to scale up its fleet with nine A350-1000s and 13 A321neos to enable it to further widen its network here and abroad.
