Philippine Airlines (PAL) and affiliate carrier, PAL Express have taken their IBS Software's iFly Staff travel solution deployment to the next phase. iFly Staff is a SaaS solution designed to automate the business and leisure travel booking process for airline employees. The partnership with iFly Staff enables PAL and PALex employees, dependents and retirees to plan, book and manage their travel requirements for leisure and business trips. It can be booked with ease via multiple channels and devices. PAL is the first Southeast Asian SaaS customer of IBS Software and the fourth from the Asia-Pacific region. Since first going live, iFly Staff has improved the travel experiences for PAL employees by replacing inefficient paper-based manual processes with self-service booking capability. It effectively reduces staff travel booking time from days to minutes. Additional benefits include a reduction in general office backlogs, enhanced policy and security compliance, and the capability of multiple payment options. Jo-Ann Maluenda, VP of Human Capital at PAL, said: "PAL's primary objective is for a smoother, more streamlined, and user-friendly process for employee travel.” "With iFly Staff, our employees can now book their trips anytime, anywhere with just a few clicks." 

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Taiwan based China Airlines has expanded the scope of its airline codeshare agreement with Philippine Airlines. It will see new routes including Taipei-Cebu and Kaohsiung-Manila launched as well as more connecting flights to regional destinations in the Philippines. The airlines have already cooperated on a Taipei-Manila codeshare flight and now plan to seriously expand this. The airline codeshare will add new Taipei-Cebu route and Kaohsiung-Manila flights. New Philippines connecting flights for CAL passengers include Manila-Cebu, Manila-Davao, Manila-Iloilo, Cebu-Davao, and Cebu-Iloilo, all operated by PAL. Passengers departing from the Philippines can take advantage of CAL’s Taipei hub en route to major European and US cities. China Airlines is also actively expanding its Southeast Asia network. It now serves 15 destinations in the region including new services to Danang, and Chiang Mai.

Philippine Airlines posted a record first half profit with net income at $71 million. It generated revenue of $1.1 billion which representing a 258% jump, PAL Holdings said. It marks the first profitable half-year result for the airline since well before the pandemic, in 2016. Its operating expenses were nearly $1 billion including $380 million of ‘significantly higher fuel prices’ PAL said in its filing. PAL not long ago exited Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in the US after restructuring and ssecuring fresh funding of $500 million.

  Philippine Airlines (PAL), Asia’s first commercial airline, is set to modernize the company’s key business processes – finance, procurement, supply chain, and human resources – by partnering with NTT DATA Philippines to fully implement SAP solutions.   The partnership brings together NTT DATA’s best-in-class global IT services with SAP’s intelligent enterprise solutions to support PAL’s goal of achieving full digital transformation.   “Being a pioneer in the aviation industry, we are intent on implementing 21^st Century technological solutions to improve our business processes,” said Nilo Thaddeus Rodriguez, PAL Chief Financial Officer.  “A true digital transformation will strengthen interdepartmental collaboration and promote sound decision-making as we tackle the challenges of global competition.  This will benefit our customers who look to us for reliable service as the nation’s flag carrier and largest international airline.”   “We expect the new business solutions from NTT DATA and SAP to help equip our PAL leaders with the right data at the right time to make sound decisions that will allow the airline to quickly adapt to change,” said Alvin Kendrich Limqueco, PAL Senior Vice President for Supply Chain Management. “This project will help make PAL stronger, more agile and more resilient as we continue to fulfill our mission of bridging the Philippines and the world with our signature Buong Pusong Alaga or heartfelt service.”   Verena Siow, President and Managing Director, SAP South East Asia, also called the collaboration ‘bold’ and ‘courageous’ as it had started during the COVID-19 pandemic.  She also emphasized the importance and significance of this strategic relationship; “It is not just a one-off project but a strategic partnership that we truly envision, one that is market-making and well beyond the Philippines, South East Asia and SAP globally.”   NTT DATA takes on the task of effectively integrating multiple SAP solutions – SAP S/4HANA (ERP) on Microsoft Azure (hyperscale of choice), SAP SuccessFactors (HxM) and SAP Concur (Expense Management System) into PAL’s respective processes, banking on NTT DATA’s extensive experience and proven capabilities in SAP implementation and management.   NTT DATA Philippines’ President and CEO, Pocholo Reyes, shared “We are proud to be Philippine Airlines’ innovation partner to accelerate their digital transformation. Our team is committed to the success of PAL’s transformation journey by implementing NTT DATA & SAP solutions to help them increase operational productivity, enhance enterprise decision-making capabilities, and improve employee experience.”   As a leading SAP partner worldwide, NTT DATA provides deep knowledge, industry expertise, and extensive experience to support PAL get the most out of SAP solutions. Together, both companies have been driving customer success, helping enterprises to adopt integrated solutions across hybrid IT infrastructures, security, applications, business technology platform, delivery, and managed services.   NTT DATA and SAP will work together in preparing the runway for PAL’s flight towards an established digital business system, assisting their commitment to be stronger and better positioned for the future.

  Starting February 10, the Philippines will reopen its borders to fully-vaccinated foreigners traveling to the country for leisure or business from visa-free countries.   The new guidelines (IATF Reso.160-B) cover fully-vaccinated former Filipino citizens with Balikbayan privileges, including their foreign spouses and/or children traveling with them to the Philippines; provided that they are not restricted nationals; and fully vaccinated citizens of countries entitled to stay visa-free for not more than 30 days under Executive Order 408, S. 1960.   Unvaccinated foreign nationals will be denied admission into the country.   A FOREIGN NATIONAL IS CONSIDERED FULLY-VACCINATED WHEN he/she has received the second dose in a two-dose series, or a single dose of a recognized vaccine more than 14 days prior to the date and time of departure;   DOCUMENTS TO BE PRESENTED BY FOREIGNERS BEFORE FLIGHT TO THE PHILIPPINES:   - Proof of vaccination - Negative RT-PCR test taken within 48 hrs. prior to departure; - Valid return tickets not later than 30 days after arrival in the Philippines; - Passport valid for at least six months; and - Travel insurance for COVID-19 treatment costs from reputable insurers, with a minimum coverage of USD35,000.00 for the duration of their stay   VALID PROOF OF VACCINATION – any of the following –   - WHO International Certificate of Vaccination and Prophylaxis; - VaxCertPH; - The national/state digital certificate of the country/foreign government which has accepted VaxCertPH under a reciprocal agreement - Vaccination certificate issued by a foreign state whether digital or physical; or - The vaccination certificate issued by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, whether digital or physical.   Rules for foreign minors traveling with their Filipino parent  

• Unvaccinated foreign children below 12 years of age, traveling with their Filipino parent, shall follow the entry, testing, and quarantine protocols of their Filipino parent traveling with them;

 

• Foreign children from ages 12 to 17 years of age traveling with their Filipino parent, shall follow the protocols based on their vaccination status (i.e., vaccinated or unvaccinated). If the child is unvaccinated, either parent should accompany the child during their facility-based quarantine.

  REMINDER: Fully-vaccinated foreign nationals will no longer be required to undergo facility-based quarantine. Instead, they shall self-monitor for any sign or symptom for seven days with the first day being the date of arrival, and shall be required to report to their local government unit upon the manifestation of symptoms, if any.   https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/section/laws/other-issuances/inter-agency-task-force-for-the-management-of-emerging-infectious-diseases-resolutions/   https://www.philippineairlines.com/en/ph/home/covid-19/travelrules

Philippine Airlines has named Stanley Ng as acting president and chief operating officer. Ng is a pilot and also son-in-law of the airline's owner Lucio Tan. He replaces Gilbert Santa Maria who is stepping down after two and a half years. Ng becomes the first pilot to be appointed president for more than five decades. He started flying for PAL in 2008 and was most recently the airline's senior vice president for operations.   Read full story

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines marked a 'celebratory moment' by emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in the US. The restructuring process has taken four months and saw the removal of $2 billion worth of debt. After approval by the court, it received full backing from aircraft lessors and lenders. The airline has up to $150 million in additional financing available from new investors. PAL said it plans 'restoring more routes and increasing flight frequencies as travel restrictions ease.' "PAL stands ready to help grow back the Philippines' local and international air travel markets in ways that renew the tourism industry and serves the needs of global citizens including overseas Filipinos," the airline said. "Our mission as the flag carrier matters more than ever, and we are thankful for the chance to rebound from the pandemic." The government said it is ready to discuss further financing option for the airline. Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said the Department of Finance will consider requests.

Philippine Airlines hopes to raise $505 million through loans and a convertible bond issue. A t the same time it is continuing discussions with lessors over restructuring plans. The flag carrier plans to return some planes to lessors as it mulls a possible filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. It has lease agreements for 49 aircraft. Despite its perilous financial situation, PAL's flights operations will continue as normal, it said. . Read full story

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) is working through a comprehensive restructuring amid reports it will seek bankruptcy protection. PAL responded to reports it had informed its lessors that it was planning to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. PAL has apparently been mulling a Chapter 11 filing since last year. "As the work is ongoing, we will make the necessary disclosures at the proper time, once details are finalised," PAL said in a statement of the restructuring plan. "We continue to increase our international and domestic flights as the market recovers with easing of travel restrictions," the airline added. The airline is yet to release its full-year financial results for 2020.