A Philippine Airlines aircraft flying. Credit: © Bombardier.

Bombardier Commercial Aircraft has entered an eight-year smart parts agreement with Air Philippines to provide component management for 12 new, dual-class Q400 aircraft.

The service will be received by PAL Express, which is operated by Air Philippines.

It will comprise comprehensive component maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services, as well as offering access to a strategically located spare parts exchange pool, and on-site inventories based at the airline’s main operation hubs in the Philippines.

“We can focus on providing quality passenger service on short, inter-island routes while increasing our competitiveness by offering jet cabin comfort on a turboprop aircraft.”

PAL Express president Bonifacio Sam said: “We selected Bombardier’s Smart Parts programme to support the component management requirements for our new Q400 fleet so we can focus on providing quality passenger service on short, inter-island routes while increasing our competitiveness by offering jet cabin comfort on a turboprop aircraft.”

Last December, Philippine Airlines signed a firm order to purchase five Q400 aircraft and exercised its purchase rights for another seven turboprops this year.

Philippine Airlines took delivery of the first aircraft from last year’s order in July.

The 86-seat capacity, dual-class Q400 aircraft was then deployed to operate under the commercial service of PAL Express.

Bombardier Commercial Aircraft customerservices and Q400 aircraft programme vice-president and general manager Todd Young said: “Our Smart Parts programme furnishes our operators with cost predictability and superior parts availability, and is exceedingly adaptable to meet our customers’ varied business models.

“It is one of the many services available under the portfolio of the Bombardier FlightAdvantage.”

Bombardier has so far included more than 170 Q400 and C Series aircraft customers under its Smart Parts programme.