In terms of on-time performance (OTP), Philippine Airlines (PAL), the nation’s flag carrier, continues to lead other Philippine-based carriers during the second half of 2019. As the country’s leading on-time performer, PAL achieved an all-time high of 92 percent on-time flights in October for both international and domestic flights, said PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna. The upward trajectory began in July and continued through the months of August and September when PAL posted 80 percent, 82 percent and 89 percent OTP, respectively, during those three months.
As far as consistency is concerned, PAL performed on the average seven percentage points higher than its closest competitor during the entire 2019. Month by month, Villaluna added, the PAL Group consistently maintained a lead of up to five to 15 percentage points in terms of on-time departures from the Manila hub, including flights operated by PAL Express.
The surge in its OTP since July can be traced to a number of factors, including a concerted initiative by PAL and PAL Express network operations teams to achieve more efficient aircraft movement and schedule management, pre-flight passenger and ground-handling processes ; post-flight evaluation designed to refine and improve all “action steps”; and closer coordination between airport and aviation authorities.
PAL is simply being true to its promise. Sometime in July, the country’s flag carrier, together with other local carriers, signed a pledge of commitment to work towards improved on-time performance through effective management of flight operations and usage of airport slots.
Signatories also pledged accountability for such causes as flight delays and cancellations that are within their control, as well as support the development of industry-wide mechanisms in meting out discipline. While not a few delays are the direct result of infrastructure constraints that are beyond the airlines’ control, PAL lauds the Department of Transportation and its agencies, including the Manila International Airport Authority, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and the Civil Aeronautics Board for taking decisive steps to optimize the Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s (NAIA) capacity and upgrade its efficiency, along with other airports and aviation facilities nationwide.
This series of developments is proving to be beneficial to various stakeholders, including, of course, the public. The combined efforts of authorities and airlines were instrumental in significantly improving the reliability of airline operations at NAIA, the acknowledged hub of various Philippine carriers, including PAL.
The airline operates the largest international hub at the NAIA complex, with flights out of NAIA Terminals 1, 2 and 3. What’s more, PAL’S 90.90 percent OTP ranking in September places the flag carrier at the Top 10 in overall performance at London Heathrow airport.
