Philippine Airlines Overcomes Safety Issues, Expands U.S. Flights
American aviation authorities have cleared the airline to add more flights to the United States after safety standards improved.
American aviation authorities have deemed Philippine Airlines safe enough for the airline to increase flights to the United States, the Associated Press reported. The airline was able to improve its safety standards due to assistance from the European Union.
On April 10, the FAA declared that the airline now meets international safety standards and upgraded it to a top-tier aviation-safety rating, Category 1. According to The Wall Street Journal, this move "will allow the nation's flag carrier to boost flights to the U.S. as well as to expand marketing partnerships with other airlines." The airline initially lost its Category 1 status in 2008 and moved to a Category 2 status because it didn't meet international safety standards.
Philippine Airlines – which currently operates 26 flights a week to the US – announced that it will deploy a fleet of Boeing 777-300ER aircraft for its long-haul flights to the US, which would save the airline money both in maintenance and fuel costs.