Philippine Airlines Files For Bankruptcy

Philippine Airlines has announced its intentions to file for bankruptcy in the US. The struggling Manila-based flag carrier will use the Chapter 11 process as an attempt to deal with more than $2 billion of debts. The airline will also make a parallel bankruptcy filing in its home country, as well as implementing a restructuring plan to trim its fleet.

Philippine Airlines Boeing 777 Getty
Philippine Airlines has faced significant difficulties during the pandemic. Photo: Getty Images

Parallel bankruptcy filings

2021 is Philippine Airlines’ 80th year of operations. However, the carrier has not been able to celebrate eight decades of service in the way that it might have liked, owing to the challenges of the present global health crisis. The pandemic has been a challenge for carriers worldwide, and the airline announced this morning that it would be filing for bankruptcy.

As seen above, the aforementioned bankruptcy filing will take the form of a US Chapter 11 restructuring program. However, the Manila Bulletin reports that Philippine Airlines will also mack a parallel filing back at home. It is hoped that such procedures will help the struggling carrier alleviate its debts, which presently stand at more than $2 billion.

Manila-Arrivals-Limited
Philippine Airlines hopes to clear more than $2 billion of debt. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

Philippine Airlines gained a majority approval from its stakeholders to initiate the bankruptcy filings. According to Bloomberg, 90% of the carrier’s lenders approved the plan. Simple Flying has reached out to Philippine Airlines for further information. In the meantime, a website set up by the carrier to outline its proposed recovery explains that:

The restructuring will enable PAL to emerge with fresh capital, lower debt and a sturdier financial foundation for the future.”

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Fleet restructuring efforts

Part of the restructuring is set to impact the carrier’s fleet. This was on the cards even before the bankruptcy filings, with Simple Flying reporting in May 2021 that Philippine Airlines was looking to cut the number of Airbus A350s and Boeing 777s that it operates. According to data from ch-aviation.com, the carrier’s present fleet consists of 59 aircraft.

Philippine Airlines Airbus A350
Philippine Airlines had already intended to downsize its A350 cohort. Photo: Anna Zvereva via Flickr

Of these aircraft, just 27 are active, with a majority of 32 presently waiting in the wings. Bloomberg reports that the carrier’s restructured fleet will be 25% smaller. Meanwhile, the airline’s recovery plan has set a target of at least 20 aircraft going forward. It will be interesting to see which aircraft stay, and what this will mean for PAL’s network.

Flights to continue

It is important to note that, despite the serious nature of bankruptcy filings, Philippine Airlines will be able to continue its operations for the time being. It explains:

We will continue to fly and to serve our customers throughout this process:  it is business as usual for us.PAL continues to increase domestic and international flights as travel demand recovers with the easing of travel restrictions, and we will roll out new products and services that help make flying safer and more convenient.”

Philippine Airlines Airbus A340
Philippine Airlines will be able to carry on operating as normal. Photo: FN2187 via Flickr

This is because the nature of Chapter 11 means that companies that have made such bankruptcy filings can continue operating while the proceedings progress. This will help Philippine Airlines to avoid widespread cancellations despite its financial difficulties.

In any case, the carrier, which received a $296 million cash injection last May, will likely come out of its bankruptcy proceedings as a rather smaller and different airline.

What do you make of Philippine Airlines’ bankruptcy filing? Have you flown with the carrier during the coronavirus pandemic? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments.



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