MANILA – Philippine Airlines receives tonight (Jan. 21) its second Boeing 777-300ER, the luxurious, state-of-the-art aircraft that’s the new flagship of the PAL fleet.

The brand-new aircraft, with registry number RP-C7776, is scheduled to touch down at Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 8:27 p.m. following a 12-hour, non-stop flight from Paine Field in Everett, Washington state, site of Boeing’s widebody aircraft production facility.

The jet will be blessed and dedicated in simple ceremonies at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow (Jan. 22) at the hangar of Lufthansa Technik Philippines at the NAIA complex.

It will then be pressed into commercial service on the two PAL routes the B777-300ER has been deployed thus far – Manila-Hong Kong vice-versa and Manila-Tokyo vice-versa.  By mid-March, the new aircraft will fly a third premium route, between Manila and the Australian cities of Sydney and Melbourne.

The newly arrived airplane joins PAL’s first B777-300ER, delivered on November 19, 2009, in the flag carrier’s young and growing fleet.

PAL now has 19 widebody aircraft that fly mainly intercontinental routes.  It also has 22 single-aisle jets that serve primarily domestic and short-range Asian regional destinations.

The fuel-efficient B777-300ER is the world’s largest long-range twin-engine jetliner and is capable of carrying 370 passengers in PAL’s two-class configuration, at a range of up to 7,880 nautical miles (14,594 kilometers).

PAL’s B777-300ER features a cutting-edge inflight entertainment system, luxurious seats, and a soothing, coastal resort-themed cabin design that evokes the tranquil seas of the Philippines.

Each seat is outfitted with a personal television with Audio Video on Demand (AVOD) capability.  The fully digital inflight entertainment system enables passengers to choose from a broad range of media content.

The options include six short films, 12 audio program channels, 19 of the latest Hollywood and Filipino movies, and more than 50 CD selections. There’s also a range of popular digital games, including Sudoku, Tetris, Invasion and more.

Mabuhay Class seats, supplied by Recaro of Germany, boast a generous 78-inch pitch and are adjustable to a variety of positions, including a full, lie-flat recline with a 15-degree angle.

Each seat in Mabuhay Class is equipped with individual “gooseneck” reading lights, a laptop charging port, and a USB port enabling passengers to listen to their MP3 collection or view their PDF files.

In Fiesta Class (economy), passengers also experience enhanced comfort with their Weber-designed seats that feature a 34-inch pitch and an actuating seat pan that enables the bottom cushion to move up or forward when reclining, adding to the comfort level.

PAL flies to 24 destinations in 13 countries and territories as well as to 30 points within the Philippines.