Ang confirms he shoulders some PAL biz class upgrades

At rites marking the arrival of Philippine Airlines’ newest long-range aircraft, the Airbus A330-300, PAL president Ramon S. Ang confirmed to this writer he takes out of his own pocket the cost of upgrades to Business Class requested by certain passengers.

“If the request is approved by me, then I pay for the cost of the upgrade,” said Ang, who noted that half of the seats in Business Class used to go to those who were upgraded upon request.

It’s Ang’s way of walking his talk, or shall we say, “flying his talk,” in efforts to make Asia’s first airline truly profitable.

Michael Tan, representing his father Lucio Tan, French Ambassador Gilles Garachon and Airbus executives led by executive vice president for Asia Jean-Francois Laval, were present at the ceremonies, held at an air-conditioned tent at the tarmac of the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City.

Garachon told the audience that he has been posted elsewhere in Asia, but finds the Philippines’ tourist spots “the best.” He expressed hopes that with more routes and more aircraft, PAL will be bringing in more European tourists to the Philippines.

Airbus’ Laval, for his part, told me the Philippines has the capability — both the runways and the airport bridges — to accommodate an A380.

Gary Valenciano brought the house down by getting the audience virtually up on its feet with his energizing song numbers. At the end of his rousing numbers, the side flap of the tent facing the tarmac was rolled up to reveal, gleaming under a full moon, the sleek and handsome A330-300.

To make guests experience what was heralded in the video presentation, they were led, sans passports, up the stairs to the brand-new aircraft, “chilled” like a bottle of champagne, to experience its features in cool comfort.

The plane didn’t take off that night into the moonlit sky, but so many hearts soared at the chance to win a total of four Business Class tickets, two to Haneda and two to Honolulu. Among the lucky ones was Tony Lopez of BizNewsAsia.

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The Airbus A330-300 High Gross Weight jet features a modern, two-class cabin configured into Economy (with a sub-section Premium Economy) and an all-new, state-of-the-art Business Class.

The aircraft recently landed in Manila from the Airbus Delivery Centre in Toulouse, France. The bi-class A330 will be deployed on services to Abu Dhabi, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Tokyo Haneda, Nagoya and Seoul throughout the year.

 â€œThe advent of the bi-class A330 HGW completes our menu of new product offerings,” said Ang. “This sophisticated aircraft is aimed at the discriminating business segment of the market, an important part of PAL’s customer base.”

The new arrival of the A330 bi-class raises the bar in the airline’s in-flight service. It is designed to accommodate 368 passengers in lofty comfort — 323 in Economy; 27 in the more spacious Premium Economy; and 18 in Business Class, which boasts a high-technology seat that converts into a full-flat bed.

In Economy, the focus is on ease and simplicity, epitomized by the SICMA 5751 articulating seat — a unique mechanism where the seat pan lifts up and slides forward as the seat back reclines.  This novel design optimizes passenger space and adds appreciably to the comfort level at the back of the cabin.

Seats in Economy Class have an industry-standard pitch of 30 to 31 inches while those in Premium Economy allow a roomier 34 inches. Both cabin sections are disposed nine-abreast.

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PAL’s new Business Class showcases the Equinox 3D seat by French design firm Sogerma — a plush, ultra-modern seat with an innovative design.

At the push of a button, the seat stretches out into a full-flat bed over six feet long and nearly two feet wide, enabling the passenger to doze off in utmost comfort and privacy.  “It’s like sleeping in your own bed at home,” said Ang.

The V-shaped, double-seat structure of the Equinox 3D lends itself to a unique configuration. When moving to the bed position, the window seat moves up to armrest level while the aisle seat moves down to just above the floor. This design allows for easy egress for the window-side passenger. Even at normal sitting position, the seat offers a pitch of 60 inches, one of the most generous in the industry. Since I prefer window seats, this is a feature I so welcome!

The Equinox 3D comes with the full range of features sought by Business Class passengers: Electrical leg rest with ottoman, retractable privacy divider, in-seat power supply, USB port, glass holder, reading light, coat hook, electrical seat controls and ample stowage space to keep all belongings at their fingertips.

In-flight entertainment (IFE) is provided by an amenity unique to PAL — a wireless onboard platform that allows passengers to stream content such as movies, television programs, music and apps to their own personal devices, including smartphones, laptops and tablets. This service, which is provided free, makes PAL the first Philippine carrier to offer wireless IFE.

“Once again, PAL is pioneering the way entertainment is experienced at 30,000 feet,” noted Ang.  “Through wireless technology, we are able to enhance and personalize our IFE offerings, and deliver these straight to the passenger’s own gadget.”

GSM and WiFi capability is likewise available onboard via PAL’s “iN AiR” connectivity service, enabling passengers to make phone calls and browse the Internet while in flight. (You may e-mail me at joanneraeramirez@yahoo.com.)