PAL, Etihad ink landmark partnership

MANILA, Philippines - National flag carrier Philippine Airlines Inc., jointly owned by taipan Lucio Tan and diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC), has tied up with Etihad Airways to benefit more than 700,000 Filipinos living and working in the United Arab Emirates.

PAL president and chief operating officer Ramon S. Ang and Etihad president and chief executive officer James Hogan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) marking a new era of cooperation between the two carriers.

The agreement lays the foundation for a renewed partnership agreement that would deliver a comprehensive range of commercial benefits to the airlines and customers.

Included in its scope are codesharing, frequent flyer reciprocity, airport lounge access, special pro rate and air pass agreements, and cargo cooperation.

“We are very happy to seal this partnership with Etihad, a respected global carrier,” Ang said.

He pointed out that the relationship would go a long way in providing our combined customer base a much more enhanced set of travel options.

“This also comes at an opportune time for PAL which is in the thick of a fleet modernization and expansion program that will see the flag carrier pushing further not only into the Middle East but also on other parts of the globe using a modern fleet of aircraft,” he added.

PAL is in the middle of an ambitious refleeting program involving the acquisition of 100 aircraft. It already placed an order for 65 Airbus aircraft valued at $9.5 billion from the EADS Group.

PAL is set to retire 20 aircraft this year and replace them with brand new and more fuel efficient planes to beef up its fleet of 53 aircraft and bring down the average age of its fleet to 3.5 years.

Ang said the landmark partnership symbolises the  shared commitment of PAL and Etihad to grow the passenger and cargo market and at the same time foster closer diplomatic, trade and cultural ties between the UAE and Philippines