A brand-new Boeing 777-300ER plane landed in Manila on Saturday
evening as the latest acquisition of flag carrier Philippine Airlines
(PAL).
Billed as the world’s largest long-range twin-engine jetliner, the
spanking 777-300ER will service PAL’s United States and Canada routes.
It is scheduled for its commercial maiden flight to Vancouver and New
York on Wednesday, just a few days after arriving, PAL president and
chief operating officer Jaime Bautista told the Inquirer.
“I am very pleased, very happy and thrilled to accept delivery of
this brand-new 777-300ER to PAL,” Bautista said as PAL took delivery of
the airplane at Boeing’s facility on Friday.
The Triple Seven rolled out after a blessing and ribbon-cutting
ceremony at the delivery center of Boeing’s 500-hectare Everett Site
here.
Well-attended
Apart from Bautista, present at the ceremony were senior vice
presidents Siegfred Mison and Angelito Alvarez, corporate communications
head Cielo Villaluna, consultant Joey de Guzman and activations head
Pinky Custodio.
Transportation Undersecretary Roberto Lim, Civil Aviation Authority
of the Philippines (CAAP) deputy director general Capt. Manuel Antonio
Tamayo as well as top Boeing executives led by John Wojick, Jeff
Klemann, Christian Hartshorn and Joanna Pickup also witnessed the
turnover.
After the ceremony, Bautista led a 40-member delegation for the
11-hour flight back to Manila. The delegation included members of the
media invited to tour the massive facility of Boeing and to join the
flight to the Philippines.
The 370-seater—42 of them business class—Triple Seven, already
bearing the PAL name and emblem, rolled out of the Paine Field at the
Everett Delivery Center at 4 p.m. local time Friday and was due to land
at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport around 11 p.m. Saturday.
Prior to the departure, Boeing hosted a dinner for PAL executives and
Philippine aviation officials on Thursday night at the Red Barn, where
the 100-year-old Boeing first started its operations.
Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of jetliner, space and defense planes.
Seventh Triple-Seven
Bautista, Doug Winter, president and chief commercial officer for
Intrepid Aviation that leased the plane for PAL, and Klemann, vice
president of Boeing Everett Delivery Center and operations officer for
Boeing, led the signing and delivery ceremony.
“I would like to thank Boeing for this beautiful aircraft and to
Intrepid for leasing and financing this aircraft. On behalf of my
chairman Dr. Lucio Tan, I look forward to traveling with you on this
beautiful airplane. I hope we will have fun on our trip to Manila,”
Bautista said.
Bautista also presided over the blessing of the plane and its
interiors shortly before the plane was to embark for its flight to its
new home.
The brand-new Triple Seven is PAL’s seventh Triple Seven servicing
its trans-Pacific routes to the United States and Canada. It is the
first Triple Seven leased by Intrepid. An eighth Triple Seven is
expected in December, Bautista said.
Bautista said the new plane would service Los Angeles and San Francisco and boost flights in time for the Christmas season.
The aircraft was tested around the Seattle area after its completion
at the Everett factory, where a team from the CAAP also completed its
inspections, PAL said.
The post New PAL Boeing 777 Arrives in Manila appeared first on Manila Bulletin.
Share It To Your Friends!
Loading...