New Boeing 777s to boost PAL's Long-Haul Services

Philippine Airlines will soon have the capability of flying farther, while consuming less fuel, when the Boeing 777-300ER joins the PAL fleet this November.

With the Boeing 777-300ER, PAL can fly across the Pacific or to Australia with lesser fuel than the four-engine B747-400 or Airbus A340-300 which PAL currently deploys on these routes.

The aircraft uses two large General Electric GE90-115BL engines that can provide as much as 115,000 pounds of thrust each.

Tagged as the largest long-range twin-engine jetliner, the Boeing 777-300ER incorporates several performance enhancements that extend its range and payload capabilities. It can carry 365 passengers to a distance of 14,685 kilometers – that's equivalent to flying to Los Angeles and back to Manila non-stop without refueling.

Randy J. Tinseth, Boeing vice president for Marketing, said, "The jetliner's technologically advanced design includes raked wingtips that extend the wing by 6.5 feet and improve overall aerodynamic and fuel efficiency. The raked wingtips help reduce takeoff field length, increase climb performance and reduce fuel burn."

Another high-tech feature is a tail-strike protection software that helps prevent inadvertent scraping of the tail on the runway at takeoff or landing by commanding elevator movement if the airplane’s attitude exceeds preset limits.

The cabin of PAL's Boeing 777-300ER is configured bi-class: 42 seats in Mabuhay Class and 328 in Fiesta Class, for a total of 370 seats.

Business-class seats are 20 inches (50 cm) wide - the same width as the A340’s first-class seats. In economy class, 18.5-inch-wide (47 cm) seats are standard compared to 17.2-inch-wide (44 cm) seats on the A340.

The aircraft features a unique overhead crew rest area (for pilots and cabin crew during long-haul flights) located above the passenger cabin, freeing up space for four to seven more seats in the cabin.

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