Philippine Airlines’ newest type of aircraft, the Bombardier Q400, has entered commercial service.

The turboprop received a water cannon salute prior to its maiden journey from Cebu to Caticlan. This followed a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by several top officials including Bonifacio Sam, president of PAL Express, and Canada’s Ambassador to the Philippines, John Holmes. Bombardier is a Canadian company.

PAL became the first airline in the world to take delivery of the two-class, 86-seat version of the Q400. It will now deploy the aircraft on its domestic, intra-island routes.

In total, the national carrier has ordered 12 Q400s. Its decision to configure them with a two-class seating layout reflects PAL’s strategy of providing a more premium in-flight experience, compared to the Philippines’ popular low-cost carriers.

Passengers onboard the new aircraft will be offered a choice of economy and premium economy class seating.