PAL bags 5-star airline rating

Aviation Updates Philippines – After a financial rollercoaster ride for Philippine Airlines this year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) has given the flag carrier a 5-star major airline rating for 2021. It is the first 5-star rating achievement of the airline.

Photo from Nek Aberia

APEX, a non-profit organization based in the United States, is an airline rating program based on verified passenger feedback. The company’s chief executive officer Joe Leader said: "This marks the first ever 5-star rating for Philippine Airlines. On all these firsts, I do have to share, this year, APEX increased the level in order to get to 5-stars. So when Philippine Airlines reached, they reached significantly upwards." 

PAL’s new cabin products and aircraft, such as the Airbus A350-900 and A321neo, helped the airline elevate the overall passenger’s experience, resulting in a 5-star airline rating. The “buong pusong alaga” and the typical Pinoy hospitality on-board its flights also helped serve this achievement.

Mr. Leader also noted the improved in-flight entertainment systems equipped across PAL’s product line, which makes it on par with other major airlines worldwide.

On its website, APEX noted PAL and 13 other airlines were included in the five-star major airlines award, which includes Alaska Airlines, Gulf Air, JetBlue Airways, WestJet, among others.

While 2020 seems to be full of ups and downs, this rating reflected PAL’s efforts to give passengers the well-deserved comfort and hospitality even in the middle of a pandemic. 

Aside from this APEX airline rating achievement, PAL is also a Skytrax-rated 4-star airline. The international air transport rating organization rated the flag carrier four stars in February 2018.