Phillipine Airlines Names Nuttall President and Boosts Doha Flights

Philippine Airlines has appointed Richard Nuttall, the former SriLankan Airlines CEO, as its new president in a move designed to accelerate the carrier’s international expansion and strengthen its management team. Nuttall, a British executive who led SriLankan’s turnaround since June 2022, will take up the role on May 29, becoming the first foreign national to head the Philippines’ flag carrier. He succeeds Stanley Ng, who has served as president and chief operating officer since January 2022 and will assume a newly created position as vice president of PAL Holdings.

Nuttall’s appointment comes as Philippine Airlines ushers in a new era of fleet modernization and long-haul network growth. The airline is due to receive the first of nine Airbus A350-1000s later this year, establishing the widebody as its flagship aircraft for routes to North America and Europe. PAL has also refurbished its A321ceo narrowbodies and is awaiting delivery of 13 new A321neo aircraft from 2026 to refresh its domestic and regional fleet. To support operational excellence, veteran executive Carlos Luis Fernandez will join Nuttall as executive vice president and chief operating officer, solidifying the leadership team driving PAL’s future strategy.

Chairman Lucio Tan said the leadership changes are central to the airline’s medium-term and long-term plans. “Appointing Richard Nuttall to Philippine Airlines is an important part of our strategy to build a robust management team and grow our business internationally,” Tan said, highlighting the importance of global expertise in elevating service standards and accelerating network development.

Concurrent with the leadership shake-up, PAL announced a partnership with Qatar Airways to expand frequencies between Manila and Doha. Beginning June 16, Philippine Airlines will operate daily flights on the Manila–Doha route using Airbus A330-300 aircraft in a dual-class configuration, up from the current five weekly services. Qatar Airways will codeshare on the new daily service during the initial phase of the collaboration, offering seamless connections across both carriers’ extensive networks.

Under the partnership, passengers will be able to book onward travel from Doha to more than 160 destinations served by Qatar Airways, while PAL’s frequent flyer members may benefit from reciprocal mileage accrual and redemption. The two airlines have also pledged to explore long-term collaboration opportunities, including joint marketing of new destinations, shared ground handling agreements and integrated loyalty program enhancements.

According to OAG data, Qatar and PAL will together provide over 3,000 weekly two-way seats on the Manila–Doha sector once the service is fully operational. The expanded capacity is expected to capture a significant share of the growing traffic between the Philippines and Middle East, as well as feed onward connections to Europe, North America and Africa.

The renewed focus on long-haul routes follows a challenging period during which PAL adjusted its network to pandemic-era restrictions. The carrier last expanded its long-haul services in 2019 before suspending several routes. Nuttall’s proven track record in guiding carriers through complex recovery phases will be critical as Philippine Airlines seeks to regain market share and improve its balance sheet.

With Qatar Airways partnership details to be finalized and fleet enhancements on the horizon, PAL is positioning itself to serve both leisure and business travelers with increased reliability and connectivity. As bookings open for the expanded Doha service and new A350-1000 flights, Philippine Airlines aims to welcome back passengers with an elevated travel experience that leverages global expertise and strategic alliances.

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