Philippine Airlines is on the cusp of placing a dual-manufacturer widebody order at Farnborough Airshow 2026, with the Philippine Airlines Farnborough order expected to cover 15 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners and nine Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, according to Reuters.
Reuters reported on 10 July 2026 that the 85-year-old carrier is close to finalising the agreement ahead of the airshow. If confirmed, the deal would mark Philippine Airlines’ first ever operation of the 787-10 variant, despite the airline having a long history with Boeing’s widebody fleet, including its current 777-300ERs.
Philippine Airlines Farnborough order builds on existing A350 fleet
The A350-1000 portion of the order would extend a fleet type Philippine Airlines already operates. The carrier received its first A350-1000 in December 2025 and its second in June 2026. According to ch-aviation data, seven further A350-1000 aircraft from an existing order remain to be delivered, meaning the nine additional aircraft under discussion at Farnborough would represent a meaningful expansion of that programme.
The 787-10 element, by contrast, would open an entirely new chapter in PAL’s Boeing relationship. While the carrier has flown Boeing widebodies for many years, the 787-10 has not previously featured in its fleet. The Dreamliner family’s range and fuel efficiency credentials make it a common choice for carriers restructuring long-haul networks, and the 787-10 is the longest-fuselage variant in that line-up.
Dual-manufacturer deals set the tone at Farnborough Airshow 2026
The structure of the anticipated PAL deal mirrors a pattern already visible in 2026. In May, Lufthansa Group placed an order combining 10 Airbus A350-900s and 10 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. Lufthansa valued that transaction at $7.7 billion at list prices, illustrating the scale that dual-OEM widebody programmes can command.
Splitting orders across both manufacturers has become an established commercial strategy for larger carriers, providing fleet flexibility and preserving competitive tension between suppliers during future negotiations.
Farnborough Airshow 2026 opens with order activity already anticipated across multiple carriers. At the 2024 edition, flynas placed orders for 75 A320neo family aircraft and 15 A330-900s, Qatar Airways signed for 20 Boeing 777-9s, and Virgin Atlantic placed a firm order for seven A330neo aircraft. Order volumes at Farnborough have historically concentrated in the widebody segment, where the high unit values and long production lead times make a public signing commercially attractive for both buyers and manufacturers.
For PAL, any new widebody commitment would land at a time when the carrier is actively rebuilding capacity. The airline has been expanding its long-haul network, and additional 787-10 aircraft would give it a high-capacity, long-range tool that sits above its existing narrowbody fleet in terms of range and seat count. The A350-1000, with its superior range to the -900 variant, is suited to ultra-long thin routes that Philippine carriers have historically found difficult to serve economically.
The combination of the two types in a single order announcement, should it proceed as Reuters reported, would give PAL a fleet renewal story across two OEMs and two distinct mission profiles, from high-frequency regional trunk routes to long-haul point-to-point flying.
Farnborough Airshow 2026 opens in the coming days, and formal order announcements are typically made on the opening days of the trade show. The Reuters report of 10 July 2026 places PAL’s deal among the most closely watched potential signings of this year’s event.
