Philippine Airlines Unveils Refurbished A321ceo Fleet, Elevates Travel Experience

Philippine Airlines Unveils Refurbished A321ceo Fleet, Elevates Travel Experience

By Bing Jabadan – TheNationWeek.Com | September 23, 2025

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine Airlines (PAL) is rolling out a comprehensive cabin enhancement program for its Airbus A321ceo aircraft, the flag carrier’s workhorse for regional routes across ASEAN, Greater China, Japan, South Korea, and Guam.

The refurbishment aims to elevate the passenger experience and boost operational efficiency.

The first of 18 retrofitted A321ceos, registered as RP-C9905, has been delivered after undergoing upgrades at Lufthansa Technik Philippines’ facility in Manila.

The program will continue through 2027.

The reconfigured cabin features a dual-class layout accommodating 194 passengers: 12 in business class and 182 in economy class.

Business Class:

Passengers will enjoy a spacious 2-2 configuration with enhanced privacy.

Each seat boasts in-seat power sockets, USB-A ports, multiple storage options, a mini cocktail table, and a 13.3-inch embedded in-flight entertainment (IFE) screen.

Economy Class:

The 3-3 layout includes a 10.1-inch IFE screen at every seat, offering a wide selection of movies, music, and more.

USB-A ports are also available for convenient device charging.

Seats Proudly Philippine-Made

Notably, PAL has selected the popular Collins Pinnacle seats for economy class, manufactured at the Collins factory in Batangas by Filipino workers.

This marks a significant milestone as the first aircraft program to install seats manufactured in the Philippines.

“This cabin retrofit program reflects PAL’s vision of world-class excellence and heartfelt care. At the core of this undertaking is the dedicated craftsmanship showcased by Filipino workers in the manufacture of aircraft seats and the reconfiguration of the cabin in the Philippines,” said PAL’s Vice President for Marketing, Alvin Miranda.

The retrofit project is the first of its kind for a local airline, utilizing Filipino skilled workers for seat production and installation, as well as various other aspects of cabin upgrading.

The reconfigured A321ceos will initially serve flights to Tokyo (Haneda and Narita), Osaka in Japan; Jakarta and Bali in Indonesia; and Guam.

By next year, they will be deployed to other key Asian destinations within the PAL network.

The program, scheduled from 2025 to 2027, encompasses all 18 of Philippine Airlines’ A321ceo aircraft.