Philippine Airlines is free to serve Europe following the lifting of EU restrictions yesterday.
It is 15 years since PAL last flew into Europe. Since then, the airline had wanted to restart flights but had been forbidden to do so because of EU safety restrictions imposed in 2010.
There is much excitement in the Philippines right now and the airline is talking of restarting flights as early as this coming September or October.
PAL president Ramon Ang said: "I think we are entitled to seven flights a week to London, six or seven times a week to Paris and we will have to review our agreement with other countries."
But starting services this autumn appears too optimistic. Why? Because not only has PAL no sales or marketing presence in Europe, it has not been granted any slots to land at a European airport.
Aviation experts say PAL has applied for slots at Amsterdam using flight numbers PR720 and PR721. It has asked for a lunchtime arrival and an afternoon departure for services to start this winter.
Aircraft type specified for Amsterdam is one of PAL's new B777-300ERs, which are configured for 42 business and 328 economy class seats. But passengers travelling in the back cabins needn't get too excited as economy is configured 10-across 3-4-3 (see seatplans.com).
But obtaining slots for London will be trickier. Heathrow would be impossible at such short notice, so that leaves Gatwick or Stansted.
It is unclear whether PAL would be able to fly non-stop from Manila - the shortest route involves overflying Russia and/or China and overflying rights need to be obtained - or whether it would touch down in the Gulf for refuelling.
It is also unclear whether PAL will exclusively schedule the B777-300ER for Europe or whether it will also deploy some of its smaller A340-300s.
But whatever schedule it devises, PAL will face intense competition.
Manila is not a business destination as is Hong Kong or Singapore. Many, if not most, passengers will be travelling for leisure or VFR (visiting friend and family) purposes and these travellers expect to strike a keen deal on price.
The main competition comes from KLM out of Amsterdam (the only European airline to serve Manila), Cathay Pacific via Hong Kong (with a multitude of connections) and those Gulf carriers. No fewer than four Gulf carriers, namely Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways and Gulf Air, ply between Europe and Manila via their respective hubs.
Most flights are with large capacity B777-300ERs. Emirates, to take one example, operates three times daily out of Dubai with connections from all over Europe.
I remember PAL from the early 1980s when it operated multi-stop B747 flights between Manila and London Gatwick. Flights were seldom punctual and travellers joked that PAL stood for 'Plane Always Late'.
Even the flight I took, a short hop between Frankfurt and London Gatwick, was delayed.
Today's PAL is said to have turned over a new leaf. And with investment from local conglomerate SMC (San Miguel Corporation) it is acquiring new planes.
Last month, the airline announced it is to configure its planes with three separate economy class cabins - the first ever carrier to do so, it is believed (see online news, June 24).
We await developments with interest.
Alex McWhirter
