How many aircraft are on the current Philippine Airlines fleet

The pandemic has brought about reduced capacities, thus, forcing airlines to downsize their fleet. We now wonder, how many aircraft does Philippine Airlines currently operate. Some of these airplanes on the active fleet are parked due to reduced capacity.

Based on Airfleets.net, PAL has 63 airplanes in its active fleet. This excludes its subsidiary PAL Express. Out of that total number, 31 aircraft are parked while the rest are currently flying.

Flying and parked aircraft

Based on Airfleets, these are the number of aircraft in the PAL fleet that are parked and are currently flying.

Boeing 777-300ER: 6 active, 4 parked

Airbus A350-900: 3 flying, 3 parked.

Airbus A330-300: 9 active, 6 parked

Airbus A321neo: 4 active, 4 parked

Airbus A321ceo: 8 active, 10 parked

Airbus A320-200: 2 active, 4 parked

If there is one thing we wonder, it is this. Why are four newer generation A321neo parked while 8 older generation A321ceo and 2 older generation A320-200 are still flying? Would it make more sense if all non-NEO A320 family aircraft are replaced with more efficient and longer range NEOs? Does the A321ceo have better payload and are more efficient for domestic routes? While this one somehow bothers us, of course there are still a lot of factors and considerations in fleet planning and assignment. We just hope that all these NEOs fly soon, replacing current and older A321ceos and A320-200s.

PAL is said to return some airplanes to their lessors due to reduced capacity. Rumors has it that widebodies will be greatly affected. However, nothing is confirmed yet as to how many of them will bid goodbye.

PAL Express returns 1 A321-200

PAL subsidiary PAL Express currently has 32 aircraft in the fleet consisting of 8 A320-200s, 5 A321-200s, and 13 De Havilland Dash-8 turboprops. Out of this, 2 A320s and 3 Dash-8s are parked. The airline used to have 6 A321-200s or A321CEO (Current Engine Option). However last March 2021, the airline’s first A321-200 RP-C9910 was returned to its lessor. We still don’t know how many A321s will be returned or if they will simply replace the old A320s.