Philippine Airlines will acquire six wide-bodied Boeing aircraft for US$1 billion which would be delivered between2009 and 2011.

PAL has ordered four Boeing 777- 300ER aircraft and two more under a lease contract with GE Commercial Aviation Services, the Business Mirror reported. The decision to acquire the B777-300ERs, PAL’s fi rst new wide-body aircraft in 12 years, signals the long-anticipated modernisation of the airline’s long-range fl eet. The deal with Boeing will allow PAL to enhance its passenger service to the US, which account for about half of the sales. Domestic routesaccount for about a third of total sales.

PAL is also considering flying to Europe, as well as San Diego, Seattle, Washington and possibly to new points in India in 2009. The airline is also in talks with Airbus to exercise an option to purchase fi ve Airbus A320 aircraft in 2008. PAL had made a deal with Airbus to buy nine narrow-bodied aircraft and lease four new aircraft for US$840 million. – Edu Lopez