PAL says jet fuel supply secure, flights safe amid energy emergency

Insider Spotlight

• Philippine Airlines said it has secured enough jet fuel to keep scheduled operations running, including long-haul flights, “for the foreseeable future.”
• The reassurance comes as President Marcos has declared a national energy emergency tied to the Middle East conflict and warned that grounding airplanes is a “distinct possibility” if jet fuel tightens further.
• Government agencies are already moving to cushion the aviation sector, including cutting selected airport and passenger charges at CAAP-operated airports.
  
  
  

Philippine Airlines (PAL) said it has secured enough jet fuel to sustain its scheduled operations, including long-haul flights, “for the foreseeable future,” as it continues to monitor global supply and pricing risks tied to ongoing geopolitical tensions.

In a March 25 statement, PAL said it is “closely monitoring global and regional developments affecting jet fuel supply and pricing” and has secured sufficient supply to support scheduled operations, including long-haul flights.

Why it matters

The airline’s statement released a day after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a national energy emergency, saying the country faced “an imminent danger of a critically low energy supply” because of disruptions linked to the Middle East war. 

The declaration is initially set for one year and gives the government broader room to coordinate fuel distribution and crack down on hoarding and price manipulation.

For airlines, the biggest near-term risk is not only cost but physical availability. 

The President said on Tuesday that the grounding of airplanes due to a potential jet fuel shortage is a “distinct possibility,” underscoring how quickly the crisis narrative has shifted from fare pressure to operational continuity.

Between the lines

PAL said global supply conditions remain dynamic and that it continues to work with suppliers, industry partners and government stakeholders to keep operations stable over the longer term. 

The government has started layering in support measures for aviation. The Department of Transportation ordered reductions in passenger service charges and airport navigation fees at CAAP-operated airports to help lower airline operating costs as jet fuel prices surge.

 Officials have also adopted broader conservation steps, including a temporary four-day workweek in some government offices earlier this month. —Vanessa Hidalgo | Ed: Corrie S.. Narisma