Philippine Airlines (PAL) and RTX’s Collins Aerospace have entered into an aircraft seating partnership, the first to be forged between the two companies.
The milestone collaboration was marked by Collins Aerospace hosting the Philippine flag carrier for the First Article Inspection (FAI) of aircraft seats at its facility in Tanauan City, two hours away from Manila.
The Philippine Airlines team, led by airline president Stanley Ng, inspected the Pinnacle main cabin seats, which will be installed on PAL’s narrow-body aircraft.
Representatives from the Board of Investment and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority of Philippine Government’s Department of Trade and Industry also attended the event, as did the US Embassy.
The Pinnacle main cabin seat provides enhanced passenger comfort and modular design, balancing durability with optimized living space and modern passenger amenities.
“Philippine Airlines is proud to partner with Collins Aerospace in this initiative,” Ng said in a statement.
“This collaboration aligns with our commitment to supporting local industry while ensuring our passengers enjoy the highest standards of comfort and safety. Being the first airline in the country to install locally made seats adds a special significance to our fleet enhancement program,” Ng added.
Mary DeStaffan, Senior Director of Operations at Collins Aerospace Philippines, said: “The expansion of Collins’ main cabin seating production at our Philippines location, in addition to installing the seats to fly on the nation’s flag carrier soon, showcases our facility’s world-class capabilities and demonstrates the potential for growth in the local aerospace sector.”
First opened in 2012, Collins’ Philippines facility manufactures a range of cabin interior products, including galleys, galley inserts, lavatories and oxygen equipment.