Philippine Airlines End of Year seat sale

[Melburnian1]

To my surprise, Philippine Airlines is having a seat sale with some excellent fares. I had presumed given bookings were so heavy, it wouldn't do this until the mainland Chinese carriers started operating en masse, as they tend to drive down Asian and other fares.

PR flies nonstop from BNE, MEL SYD and from the end of March 2023, PER to MNL with an extensive Asian and USA/Canada network.

For instance, one stop to JFK, LAX, YVR or interestingly, YVZ (Toronto, Canada).

PAL flies to five ports in Japan, unlike QFi/JQi that together IIRC only have three. Fukuoka and Nagoya are omitted by QFi/JQi.

Normally, to MNL, it's a refurbished A333 ex SYD or MEL with 18 J lie flat seats, 1-2-1. From BNE and soon PER, the A321 operates, with 12 lie-flat seats in J, a 2-2 arrangement (not as good as the A333 because a passenger with a window seat may have to climb over the aisle seat occupant if going to the loo).

Punctuality is better than QFi (which perhaps doesn't say much). Recently, occasional flights to/from MEL have been late, the worst being three hours: oddly, SYD is better. The BNE flights almost always run on time.

For the A333, normally there's a choice of Western, Asian or Filipino meals. Service on board is reasonable to excellent, and it goes without saying (unlike Royal Brunei) PR carries alcohol (I am not a wine drinker but its wines can be rather pedestrian I am informed).

Last time I looked J fares didn't offer lounge access in Syd (this may have changed) but in MEL, it's Marhaba Lounge.

The fares are especially great to BKK and NRT/HND. PR also flies to the other three Japanese destinations noted above, so fares are likely to be similar to the quoted Tokyo ones.

The fares to USA destinations are way below Qantas' and the USA-domiciled airlines. Probably also true for Canada.

PAL's Year-Start Seat Sale

Gift yourself and your loved ones something to look forward to this 2023!

www.philippineairlines.com

I advise ringing a specialist Filipino travel agent: in Melbourne, these include My Travel Solution (03 9314 6957), Star Flights (1300 728 759) or one that may have scaled back operations, Philippine Holidays/North Suburban Travel 03 9384 1844.

Availability will be best outside school holidays.

You can do an 'open jaw' ticket: if Japan, travel in to Haneda and out from Narita or presumably elsewhere.

I am informed that a MNL stopover each way adds A$280-320 to the return fare in Y class: I forgot to ask re J.

This Year End Seat Sale doesn't go for many business days given on 26 and 27 December, Australian travel agents will be closed due to public holidays.

 

[mrsterryn]

Hoping some more deals come out for boxing day
Love seeing this threads

 

[Melburnian1]

Hoping some more deals come out for boxing day
Love seeing this threads

With PR about five years ago, I once scored a J return MEL-MNL-TPE with stopovers both ways in MNL for A$1210.

Those days are gone, unless we have the mother of all recessions in 2023. Good while it lasted.

mrsterryn, with these sorts of sales, it is prudent to quickly make up one's mind as with travel agents they tend to see an immediate upsurge in bookings even for slack months outside of public and school holidays, and one assumes the same occurs online.

 

[jase05]

PR still have some pretty decent J fares ex KUL/SIN to Australia too.
One way for under $900 or return for under $1500 which is pretty handy as a nesting flight.
I dare say we will look at cobbling another one or two together when we head to Asia in July and Europe in November.
I can’t recall ever having a terrible experience with them either

 

[Melburnian1]

PR still have some pretty decent J fares ex KUL/SIN to Australia too.
One way for under $900 or return for under $1500 which is pretty handy as a nesting flight.
I dare say we will look at cobbling another one or two together when we head to Asia in July and Europe in November.
I can’t recall ever having a terrible experience with them either

Supposedly PR will again fly to London 'some time in 2023', but hard to see how as it has a small fleet that's quite heavily utilised.

November is an excellent time to visit Europe. Why not book separate tickets Oz-MNL-OZ with PR and then a cheap Middle Eastern airline such as WY or EK to Europe, or if to London, an open jaw returning from a European city (avoiding the nasty UK air passenger duty)? You should be able to easily obtain business class all the way for under A$6500 return doing it this way. I have.

Far better value than paying some huge fare on substandard QFi, and two stops to Europe is fine in my book for holiday/VFR travellers as you can stopover for a night or two (or more) in each port.

 

[jase05]

Supposedly PR will again fly to London 'some time in 2023', but hard to see how as it has a small fleet that's quite heavily utilised.

November is an excellent time to visit Europe. Why not book separate tickets Oz-MNL-OZ with PR and then a cheap Middle Eastern airline such as WY or EK to Europe, or if to London, an open jaw returning from a European city (avoiding the nasty UK air passenger duty)? You should be able to easily obtain business class all the way for under A$6500 return doing it this way. I have.

Far better value than paying some huge fare on substandard QFi, and two stops to Europe is fine in my book for holiday/VFR travellers as you can stopover for a night or two (or more) in each port.

I will most likely use points to get to Asia in July and then get a seperate nesting flight on PR of Asia-OZ-Asia and then pick up one of the ME airlines in J to Europe. To get back to Australia I’ll book another PR nesting flight. This has worked a treat in the past

 

[Melburnian1]

I will most likely use points to get to Asia in July and then get a seperate nesting flight on PR of Asia-OZ-Asia and then pick up one of the ME airlines in J to Europe. To get back to Australia I’ll book another PR nesting flight. This has worked a treat in the past

An excellent strategy, but unsuitable for occasional leisure travellers unless one knows dates for sure.

 

[Pele]

I will most likely use points to get to Asia in July and then get a seperate nesting flight on PR of Asia-OZ-Asia and then pick up one of the ME airlines in J to Europe. To get back to Australia I’ll book another PR nesting flight. This has worked a treat in the past

I did exactly the same strategy. Got two trips in the first half of 2023 coming up and the prices(in PR on J) were cheaper than AirAsia or Scoot let alone SQ or MH in Y.

And in terms of lounge access in Sydney my understanding was that J gives access to 'The House'. Picked that up from this:

International Lounge

www.philippineairlines.com

 

[Melburnian1]

I did exactly the same strategy. Got two trips in the first half of 2023 coming up and the prices(in PR on J) were cheaper than AirAsia or Scoot let alone SQ or MH in Y.

And in terms of lounge access in Sydney my understanding was that J gives access to 'The House'. Picked that up from this:

International Lounge

www.philippineairlines.com

Yes, correct. IIRC it was previously the EY lounge.

 

[Pele]

For a bit of feedback on PR: I completed my outbound trip KUL-MNL-SYD about a month ago.

Pro's
Lie flat bed on leg to Sydney is good.
Onboard service is prompt and attentive.

Con's
Having a 7 hour transit in MNL airport is a nightmare. You are stuck in a tiny part of the airport and cannot leave.
The PR lounge is really bad. Not overcrowded just dark, small, rubbish food, and generally lacking the amenities expected in a home city lounge.
The onboard food is pretty average but maybe that is just a reflection on Philipino food in general.

When i booked it initially it was for the flat bed and it came through in that regard.

My inbound leg is next month and they have pushed back the MNL-KUL flight back 1h55m which means the flight wont land until after 0100. I told them this was unacceptable to me and i would like to be put on the 1130ish flight the next day. They said no. It would be a voluntary change as their definition of an involuntary change is a flight being moved by greater than 2 hours. If i wanted to move it there would be a change fee. I said ok how much. They said ~$AUD6k. I laughed and said they must be dreaming at that is more than double what i paid for the whole booking for two people. Anyway as i will be travelling with hand luggage only i will just get off at Manila and stay a night in a hotel and just burn the last part of the ticket. I will book a seperate ticket the next day MNL-KUL. Can choose either PR, AirAsia, or MH. My question for the brains trust- if i book a flight the next day on PR am i likely to run into trouble when checking in/boarding as i didnt board the flight the previous night?

Thanks!

 

[Melburnian1]

For a bit of feedback on PR: I completed my outbound trip KUL-MNL-SYD about a month ago.

Pro's
Lie flat bed on leg to Sydney is good.
Onboard service is prompt and attentive.

Con's
Having a 7 hour transit in MNL airport is a nightmare. You are stuck in a tiny part of the airport and cannot leave.
The PR lounge is really bad. Not overcrowded just dark, small, rubbish food, and generally lacking the amenities expected in a home city lounge.
The onboard food is pretty average but maybe that is just a reflection on Philipino food in general.

When i booked it initially it was for the flat bed and it came through in that regard.

My inbound leg is next month and they have pushed back the MNL-KUL flight back 1h55m which means the flight wont land until after 0100. I told them this was unacceptable to me and i would like to be put on the 1130ish flight the next day. They said no. It would be a voluntary change as their definition of an involuntary change is a flight being moved by greater than 2 hours. If i wanted to move it there would be a change fee. I said ok how much. They said ~$AUD6k. I laughed and said they must be dreaming at that is more than double what i paid for the whole booking for two people. Anyway as i will be travelling with hand luggage only i will just get off at Manila and stay a night in a hotel and just burn the last part of the ticket. I will book a seperate ticket the next day KUL-MNL. Can choose either PR, AirAsia, or MH. My question for the brains trust- if i book a flight the next day on PR am i likely to run into trouble when checking in/boarding as i didnt board the flight the previous night?

Thanks!

Your last few lines are confusing, or maybe I'm being thick.

Wouldn't you be booking a separate ticket from MNL to KUL, not 'KUL-MNL' as your return trip commences in Sydney?

If so, while I have always used (old term) the 'coupons' on a flight and not 'thrown one away', my guess is this airline won't question you. If a staff member did, just say you were sick and couldn't travel further. A white lie I know.

Re your other points, heated agreement that the flat beds are good (though lack a mattress topper) and service on board usually very good: mostly friendly with an occasional lazy staffer.

The MNL lounge is indeed substandard: like you, I find there's hardly anything to my taste. Apart from a couple of Filipino dishes (maybe chicken adobo is one), like you I really can't see this nation's food ever taking off to any sizeable degree in Australia. However we have a large Filipino population and naturally they love such dishes.

I've also read how terrible the transit experience is in MNL, so very wise of you to book an hotel. Savoy and Belmont are opposite Terminal 3 (can mean a taxi trip on congested public roads from T2) and both in my experience are fine: perhaps 3-3.5 star. Tariffs tend to be quite reasonable.

I know someone who recently connected from WY (Oman Air) to MH (Malaysia Airlines) in BKK: he said the MH experience was terrible to MEL, and that was on a much larger A333 than IIRC the B738s that MH uses MNL-KUL. I dislike AirAsia intensely so may I suggest risking it with PR, the best of the three?

 

[jase05]

I know someone who recently connected from WY (Oman Air) to MH (Malaysia Airlines) in BKK: he said the MH experience was terrible to MEL, and that was on a much larger A333 than IIRC the B738s that MH uses MNL-KUL. I dislike AirAsia intensely so may I suggest risking it with PR, the best of the three?

We have flown on MH many times to/from Australia and I don’t mind their product. I find them more comfortable than the horrible SQ A350’s. Have done half a dozen trips on PR now and I think that MH is marginally better but I don’t mind the PR product and when they are offering J return from KUL-SYD/MEL for under $1500 it’s a bargain

 

[Pele]

Your last few lines are confusing, or maybe I'm being thick.

Wouldn't you be booking a separate ticket from MNL to KUL, not 'KUL-MNL' as your return trip commences in Sydney?

If so, while I have always used (old term) the 'coupons' on a flight and not 'thrown one away', my guess is this airline won't question you. If a staff member did, just say you were sick and couldn't travel further. A white lie I know.

Re your other points, heated agreement that the flat beds are good (though lack a mattress topper) and service on board usually very good: mostly friendly with an occasional lazy staffer.

The MNL lounge is indeed substandard: like you, I find there's hardly anything to my taste. Apart from a couple of Filipino dishes (maybe chicken adobo is one), like you I really can't see this nation's food ever taking off to any sizeable degree in Australia. However we have a large Filipino population and naturally they love such dishes.

I've also read how terrible the transit experience is in MNL, so very wise of you to book an hotel. Savoy and Belmont are opposite Terminal 3 (can mean a taxi trip on congested public roads from T2) and both in my experience are fine: perhaps 3-3.5 star. Tariffs tend to be quite reasonable.

I know someone who recently connected from WY (Oman Air) to MH (Malaysia Airlines) in BKK: he said the MH experience was terrible to MEL, and that was on a much larger A333 than IIRC the B738s that MH uses MNL-KUL. I dislike AirAsia intensely so may I suggest risking it with PR, the best of the three?

Good pick up Melburnian1. It should have read MNL-KUL and I have now edited the original post.

 

[hwy]

Even worse than PR lounge in MNL is the silly drug check where you need to be physically present for checked in luggage that is only transiting through the airport. Stuck in a small dingy fluro lit room.
And sometimes the transfer gate from arrivals to departures can be mayhem- 1 hour to get through.

 

[Scarlett]

Everything about NAIA is ‘worse’…

 

[Melburnian1]

Everything about NAIA is ‘worse’…

Depends which terminal, but hard to believe T2 (PR) was only opened in about 1998 or 1999.

Overall, this airport (if it continues to become busier given passenger numbers are not yet back to pre-COVID levels) gives me the impression it's operating way beyond its design capacity. Picking an early morning departure tends to be preferable if one has a choice as there may be fewer delays.

 

[Sprucegoose]

You are stuck in a tiny part of the airport and cannot leave.

What is preventing you from leaving and returning?

I've also read how terrible the transit experience is in MNL, so very wise of you to book an hotel. Savoy and Belmont are opposite Terminal 3

I have never transited there, but I could imagine the horrors. I would walk to the Marriott, I have stayed there, and it's a decent hotel connected by a walkway.

I find them more comfortable than the horrible SQ A350’s

I am surprised to hear this. I know PR can surprise you, but I don't expect anyone to believe this.

Stuck in a small dingy fluro lit room.

What were your expectations? Cucumber sandwiches and tea?

Everything about NAIA is ‘worse

It's not flash. I find NAIA a mind game. Travel Sudoku....

Picking an early morning departure tends to be preferable if one has a choice as there may be fewer delays.

Agree, before NAIA strikes back!

 

[jase05]

I am surprised to hear this. I know PR can surprise you, but I don't expect anyone to believe this.

For me sleep is very important on an overnight flight. I always manage to get a good sleep on MH and PR. On the SQ A350’s I don’t get any sleep and just find them so uncomfortable

 

[Sprucegoose]

For me sleep is very important on an overnight flight. I always manage to get a good sleep on MH and PR. On the SQ A350’s I don’t get any sleep and just find them so uncomfortable

And that has to be the primary value quotient of flying J IMHO (especially on a business trip).

We are all different and what is comfortable to one won't be to another.

Of all the beds I have tried I must say my best sleep has been in QF F 380 (not 744).

 

[Pele]

What is preventing me from leaving and returning?

Having to go out through immigration and then back through and the process of queuing for hours with the unwashed masses.