What are the current dates for these low cost OZ to ASIA PR J flights?
Limewood, I don't believe these fares are available at present but as with all airlines subscribe to email updates through
www.philippineairlines.com and in among the dross there may occasionally be some jewels.
I did a quick search for MEL - HND - MEL via MNL, northbound 11 October, returning ex HND 24 October (and arriving MEL on 25 October early morning.) The online return J fare was A$3995 (but good specialist Filipino travel agents will beat this) while on
www.jetabroad.com.au the cheapest was what I'd consider inferior CZ (China Southern) at $3860 while SQ for instance was almost A$4600 return.
QF MEL - HND return in J for these dates was $4703 for its nonstops, a 20 per cent premium in the cost to PR. JL nonstops were not showing a fare, strangely only one in conjunction with PR and that was $6290 return.
SYD to BKK online return for the same dates was $3211 online at the PR website. Again, good specialist Philippines travel agents based in Melbourne or Sydney should offer a lower J return fare than this. On the Jetabroad website, the closest completely full service airline return J fare was VN at $3306 but some flights took up to 33 hours one way. On its website, QF (nonstop, not via MNL) was $3772 for a few seats but often just above $4000, so the PR fare for those with a little extra available time is good value.
PR's MEL - MNL only return for the same dates in J was $2860 online at the airline website, but strangely SYD - MNL (a route with two nonstop competitors - QF and low cost 5J) was $3244.
For the same dates despite QF19/QF20 operating, QF was not showing an available nonstop SYD - MNL - SYD J option, instead routing passengers via HKG with the shorter leg on CX, and the fare return in J $4760.
This airline (like a lot of others) needs to fill seats in low season months like November and February as it does not cut frequencies during these months. Expect sales at some stage, but often with not much notice and annoyingly with a short period in which to book.
Even however without a sale fare, PR is consistently 40 per cent or so cheaper in J (at least) than QF for SYD - MNL return. Try to make sure with PR that you will have the refurbished aircraft which on the SeatGuru website is A330-300 version 3 (1-2-1 configuration in J.) If travelling, look carefully at the seats as 2K for instance has the bigger divide console or whatever one calls it to the aisle, whereas 3K has the narrow armrest and the console close to the window, so one will get bumped more by other passengers or the dreaded trolleys more in seat 3K.