Philippine Airlines J and Y class

[Melburnian1]

Philippine Airlines (PR) doesn't get much coverage on TAFF despite that as of early June 2013 it now flies not just from Melbourne (3 x week: PR210/ PR209 north and southbound respectively) and Sydney (4 x week - PR212/211) but now also from Darwin (daily), Perth (4 x week: PR220/219) and Brisbane (3 x week: PR222/221). The first two use Boeing 777-300ER, the last three use A320 planes. DRW is a stop enroute to BNE or PER; the MEL and SYD to or from MNL flights are nonstops. The B773s have 42 business class seats in a 2-3-2 layout with an almost lie-flat bed while the 328 economy seats are the EK-type squeeze of 3-4-3 except for a few rows at the back where it is 2-4-2 as the cabin tapers.

I don't know how the Australian market will react to one stop flights on single aisle aircraft ex BNE and PER to SE Asia but then again, choose to fly SQ or MH to MNL ex anywhere in Oz and you'll be changing planes in MNL< as you will from MEL to MNL on QF via SYD or once a weej via BNE.

I find PR's J class on its 773s very good. The meals are usually four courses (I don't drink wine, but enjoy a San Miguel beer). Meals are a bit better ex Australia than ex MNL, but still acceptable southbound. The cabin is usually half full or less except at peak holiday times. Fares ex MEL are about A$2150 return through a few travel agents at present. Timekeeping to and ex MEL and SYD is usually very good (the flights have a bit of excess time allowed southbound, it seems - tailwinds help push it along). I sleep well at night on the return southbound. They do not provide a mattress (which would be good).

Flight attendants are OK once you speak with them but a few of the older ones can be a bit perfunctory. The entertainment system in J is mostly on large screens. There's only a fair selection of movies while the music playlist could do with expansion: this may be a cost saving measure. Unlike QF, PR's entertainment system normally works impeccably: no QF rebooting by the CSM!

In MEL and SYD, one can use the ANZ lounge if a Mabuhay Miles Elite or above member. This FF program is quite good: typically, I initially got an A$480 return trip (taxes and fees) after five return trips but now with the status bonus of 25 per cent it's after four trips. I haven't had a problem getting an award seat.

The A320s on the PER, BNE and DRW runs lack entertainment at seat as far as I know: there are no tablets being handed out for passengers to use.

PR is a low profile airline in Australia but given the way Metro Manila and Philippines generally is expanding and its young, dynamic, English speaking population, more Aussies are heading up there for business while there's consistent growth in leisure travellers seeking out the better beaches (of which there are many, not always crowded). Boracay and Puerto Galera can be crowded, but somewhere like Bantayan Island or Moalboal/ White Beach on Cebu island - no.

 

[jetlagger]

Philippine Airlines (PR) doesn't get much coverage on TAFF despite that as of early June 2013 it now flies not just from Melbourne (3 x week: PR210/ PR209 north and southbound respectively) and Sydney (4 x week - PR212/211) but now also from Darwin (daily), Perth (4 x week: PR220/219) and Brisbane (3 x week: PR222/221). The first two use Boeing 777-300ER, the last three use A320 planes. DRW is a stop enroute to BNE or PER; the MEL and SYD to or from MNL flights are nonstops. The B773s have 42 business class seats in a 2-3-2 layout with an almost lie-flat bed while the 328 economy seats are the EK-type squeeze of 3-4-3 except for a few rows at the back where it is 2-4-2 as the cabin tapers.

I don't know how the Australian market will react to one stop flights on single aisle aircraft ex BNE and PER to SE Asia but then again, choose to fly SQ or MH to MNL ex anywhere in Oz and you'll be changing planes in MNL< as you will from MEL to MNL on QF via SYD or once a weej via BNE.

I find PR's J class on its 773s very good. The meals are usually four courses (I don't drink wine, but enjoy a San Miguel beer). Meals are a bit better ex Australia than ex MNL, but still acceptable southbound. The cabin is usually half full or less except at peak holiday times. Fares ex MEL are about A$2150 return through a few travel agents at present. Timekeeping to and ex MEL and SYD is usually very good (the flights have a bit of excess time allowed southbound, it seems - tailwinds help push it along). I sleep well at night on the return southbound. They do not provide a mattress (which would be good).

Flight attendants are OK once you speak with them but a few of the older ones can be a bit perfunctory. The entertainment system in J is mostly on large screens. There's only a fair selection of movies while the music playlist could do with expansion: this may be a cost saving measure. Unlike QF, PR's entertainment system normally works impeccably: no QF rebooting by the CSM!

In MEL and SYD, one can use the ANZ lounge if a Mabuhay Miles Elite or above member. This FF program is quite good: typically, I initially got an A$480 return trip (taxes and fees) after five return trips but now with the status bonus of 25 per cent it's after four trips. I haven't had a problem getting an award seat.

The A320s on the PER, BNE and DRW runs lack entertainment at seat as far as I know: there are no tablets being handed out for passengers to use.

PR is a low profile airline in Australia but given the way Metro Manila and Philippines generally is expanding and its young, dynamic, English speaking population, more Aussies are heading up there for business while there's consistent growth in leisure travellers seeking out the better beaches (of which there are many, not always crowded). Boracay and Puerto Galera can be crowded, but somewhere like Bantayan Island or Moalboal/ White Beach on Cebu island - no.

Welcome to AFF..
It is an interesting review of PR & it is a pleasant return for PR to BNE (for the 3rd time).
I generally use PR quite often for domestic & some international regional sectors ex MNL.
It will be interesting to see how the BNE/DRW/MNL sectors perform load & more importantly yield wise, as AFIK this is only a trial run.
As you mentioned the A320 is not the most comfortable for the longer sectors & even in J it is rather spartan.
IMO catering on PR is usually a 'hit & miss" syndrome & offerings & range are mediocre at best.
On a preference for the business level, I prefer & generally utilise SQ or QF as frequency & timing works better.
I have several upcoming flights on the renewed PR routing ex BNE so will duly endeavour to report back on the experience.
Cheers,
jl

 

[Melburnian1]

I should have mentioned that PR have a sale on - strangely through its Philippine Airlines Australia-specific Facebook page but not through its general worldwide website - offering fares from BNE, PER and DRW to not just MNL but to a wide range of Asian destinations such as ICN, SGN, BKK and so on (but not to Japan). A typical return economy sale fare from BNE or PER to say SGN or BKK is A$670 all up; to MNL is cheaper, while of course the DRW - MNL - DRW fares are much cheaper. The sale goes for the next few days. Take careful note of maximum stay restrictions. If travelling on the A320, I'd strongly advise bringing your own entertainment: a book, tablet, IPod or whatever. So far, the A320 flights northbound (Australia to MNL) have either been on time or more often 20 to 45 minutes late arriving in MNL. The dicates of ATC at the very busy Manila NAIA airport don't help: it's much, much busier than BNE and sometimes MNL can be a single runway operation only. However I have had flights that have gone straight in: most unpredictable.

On Mondays to Wednesdays (MNL time: two hours behind east coast Oz), the website usually has a 'Monday Madness' sale for which tickets are sold for a couple of days. It does not always have Australian flights. Sometimes the sale fares are only for trips that start in MNL, not start in Australia, but you have to check every week as the offers vary markedly. Usually there's a maximum stay (a typical one is 35 days, but it can be less) making the fares suitable for a short business or leisure hop but not for a leisurely look at Philippines.

Their telephone call centre only operates Mondays to Fridays in Australia which isn't very passenger friendly, but their specialist travel agents shown on their Australian Facebook page are often a better bet anyway and will offer slightly better prices than on the website or Facebook page, but as always, do your homework. Join Mabuhay Miles FF program as it's free.

 

[Inver]

Thanks Melburnian1 lots of useful info there.

 

[Melburnian1]

One further point is that if transferring at MNL NAIA, all PR flights depart and arrive at T2 but in a trap for young players, its 90 per cent plus owned subsidiary PALExpress (recently renamed to this) has its flights departing from the most modern of MNL's four terminals, Terminal 3 next to Andrews Avenue and opposite Resorts World Manila with its noisy Remington (insist on a non-road facing room) basic hotel, its excellent Mariott hotel with a great buffet and shallow but fun pool and its untested but expensive Maxims hotel. There is a slow shuttle bus of sorts but a taxi is quicker: make sure the driver puts the meter on but give him a bit extra to compensate for the short trip.

I can sometimes be finished with Philippine immigration and customs in 10 minutes at T2 but my longest wait inbound has been 30 minutes if two PR flights arrive at once. Returning home, I check in two hours prior: immigration can have a queue. The PR lounge at MNL T2 is nothing to write home about. I hope PR's fairly new owners, the San Miguel company (well known for great beer) renovate this lounge in due course: it needs it.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

WOW - what a great bit of PR work there - hope it paid well?

Melburnian some AFF members here have actually flown PR over several years – there have been countless nightmare reports re PR performance in past.

Having said that I agree current pricing looks really attractive – J 2.1K ret from MEL – then MNL-PEK ret in J .6K is quite enticing for me – and yes recent reports re the new metal have been quite positive.

BUT PR still has miles of lost ground to make up before it becomes a serious player – I hope it does continue to improve – the more quality competition in our skies the better.

Thank you for taking the time to post.

 

[jetlagger]

WOW - what a great bit of PR work there - hope it paid well?

Melburnian some AFF members here have actually flown PR over several years – there have been countless nightmare reports re PR performance in past.

Having said that I agree current pricing looks really attractive – J 2.1K ret from MEL – then MNL-PEK ret in J .6K is quite enticing for me – and yes recent reports re the new metal have been quite positive.

BUT PR still has miles of lost ground to make up before it becomes a serious player – I hope it does continue to improve – the more quality competition in our skies the better.

Thank you for taking the time to post.

& you well know about the catering issues.. :shock:

First PR flight MNL/DRW/BNE was a hour delay last week... & I always allow extra time buffer when flying PR whether DOM or INT.
Trying to remain optimistic..

 

[Cruiser Elite]

& you well know about the catering issues..

Would you like fries with that?....................YES I best take the fries - since you have ZERO other food or drinks on-board for this 5 hour international flt in J!

But we have a picket line blocking our catering division Sir?

Where in Beijing?

No the picket line is in Manila blocking our Manila catering division.

Oh I see – so that would mean no food or drinks can be loaded onto flts departing PEK?

YES Sir that is correct – (Filipino logic at it’s best in play here)

But as I said earlier – that was the past – hopefully all these minor hiccups are behind PR

I did tell me staff here that if they ever see me trying to book a PR flt again they are to b*tch slap me into tomorrow.

 

[Melburnian1]

Cruiser Elite, I do not have any connections to PR other than that I'm a Mabuhay Miles member - and I actually like where possible to support the small end of town such as PR, TT, TR, VA and so on. Not many airlines make good after tax money throughout the world - RyanAir is one exception, Easyjet probably another - and PR, like VA certainly doesn't. So we have to support these carriers (provided they are safe and have attractive timetables and fares) if we want to see competition remaining in the air. I'm not one who favours a QF/EK 'oneopoly' ex Australia to everywhere.

If I was a public relations person, I wouldn't have posted about how I don't know if the Australian market ex BNE and PER would take to single aisle aircraft (A320s) on a one stop via DRW would I? Nor would I have said that the food is not quite as good ex MNL? Nor would I have commented adversely about the MNL lounge, which is the most basic in which I've ever been (in fairness though, some legacy carriers in other nations don't even hasve lounges).

I hope that you realise some of us try to genuinely inform others in the spirit of a discussion board.

jetlagger, how full was the PR A320 ex MNL to DRW and separately to BNE (no local traffic except stopover patrons in Australia for this airline).

 

[jetlagger]

Would you like fries with that?....................YES I best take the fries - since you have ZERO other food or drinks on-board for this 5 hour international flt in J!

But we have a picket line blocking our catering division Sir?

Where in Beijing?

No the picket line is in Manila blocking our Manila catering division.

Oh I see – so that would mean no food or drinks can be loaded onto flts departing PEK?

YES Sir that is correct – (Filipino logic at it’s best in play here)

The illogical becomes the logic in varying circumstances..

Was once on a PR DOM.. Usual commute to the province.. 530am Parched as.. Requested for a Orange Juice & a Coffee.. 'Sorry Sir - you can have one or the other." . WTF! :evil:

Recently.. Sans chilled Sparkling in J HKG/MNL.. No excuse.

It is the consistent inconsistencies that often irks me.. Though I - for better or worse, still use PAL amongst many other, at certain times better or worse carriers.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Cruiser Elite............I hope that you realise some of us try to genuinely inform others in the spirit of a discussion board

Yes my friend I am well aware of the spirit of cooperation that should exist on AFF and indeed I believe I sincerely try to adhere to that spirit.

Please see this thread that I started May 15 this year - http://www.australianfrequentflyer....international-airfares/pal-cheap-j-50390.html

I am far from a PR basher – but I also like to inform the board of actual experiences – and I have had my share of nightmares on PR.

Having said that let me relate a positive experience I had with PR in Feb this year. I was in PVG and had to cut short my visit by 2 days – could not change my SQ J saver ex PVG so had to buy a commercial flt – purchased PVG-MNL-MEL in J for just on 2K after noticing in T & C’s a simple USD50 cancellation fee.

Subsequently found a 2.2K o/w J on SQ – so bought that and phoned up and cancelled PR. Now any AFFers who have had experience with PR in past in getting refunds would know it is nigh on impossible – but I took the punt anyway – and lo and behold a week late the 2K from PR appeared back in Select minus the USD50 – thank you PR – you finally honoured what you said you would do.

 

[Melburnian1]

CruiserElite, my usual experience with PR is that to change a date of travel incurs a US$150 free, which I think is steep but then again its not dissimilar to what some others charge. It can also be a pain having to find a PR office in a non-Filipino foreign city to do the change as it cannot occur online as far as I know.

 

[Melburnian1]

PR recently announced that its points earnt on its Mabuhay Miles FF program would 'never expire.' This should be a given for all such programs. With 'tier bonus' of being a MM Elite member, I get a 'free' trip from SYD or MEL (or now also BNE or PER) every fifth trip: the taxes and charges are A$480 (not cheap!)

There's a suggestion that PR will pull its B773 off the MNL - SYD and MNL - MEL routes but I haven't been able to confirm it. If so, it would be a disappointment as the A330s or A340s lack at seat entertainment.

 

[jetlagger]

PR recently announced that its points earnt on its Mabuhay Miles FF program would 'never expire.' This should be a given for all such programs. With 'tier bonus' of being a MM Elite member, I get a 'free' trip from SYD or MEL (or now also BNE or PER) every fifth trip: the taxes and charges are A$480 (not cheap!)

There's a suggestion that PR will pull its B773 off the MNL - SYD and MNL - MEL routes but I haven't been able to confirm it. If so, it would be a disappointment as the A330s or A340s lack at seat entertainment.

Is that rumour derived from a reliable source?

 

[Melburnian1]

jetlagger, yes: someone who does not work for any airline but is associated with the airline sub-sector of the travel industry. However, the source would not elaborate further nor give me a timeline. I suspect that this may be related to PR's desire to fly its B773s to the USA but this cannot occur until the regulator (Federal Aviation Administration there) lifts PR's safety rating. Other than that, PR has the choice of on-leasing any owned planes to another operator or a leasing company, continuing to operate them to Australia, transferring them to another route - but where - with Mabuhay class (business) seating they are unsuitable for the new Middle East routes that aim to maximise the number of overseas foreign workers that can be carried at competitive fares - or most unlikely of all, send them on a one way trip to a desert parking spot.

So what I read into this is that for the next couple of months, it's unlikely that the B773s will stop running to Australia. The only fly in the ointment would be if loadings were so poor that PR decided to substitute an A340 for MNL - MEL - MNL and MNL - SYD - MNL. The latter planes only have 'cinema' screens for entertainment and are about 15 years old.

PR's flights offer reasonable connections in MNL to a few other international destinations but one difficulty airlines like this have is because they are not a member of Star Alliance, SkyTeam or OneWorld, they may not offer seamless connections with third party carriers nor feature highly in many travel agents' personal knowledge, even though the B773s PR flies ex MEL and SYD are in my view excellent.

 

[jetlagger]

jetlagger, yes: someone who does not work for any airline but is associated with the airline sub-sector of the travel industry. However, the source would not elaborate further nor give me a timeline. I suspect that this may be related to PR's desire to fly its B773s to the USA but this cannot occur until the regulator (Federal Aviation Administration there) lifts PR's safety rating. Other than that, PR has the choice of on-leasing any owned planes to another operator or a leasing company, continuing to operate them to Australia, transferring them to another route - but where - with Mabuhay class (business) seating they are unsuitable for the new Middle East routes that aim to maximise the number of overseas foreign workers that can be carried at competitive fares - or most unlikely of all, send them on a one way trip to a desert parking spot.

So what I read into this is that for the next couple of months, it's unlikely that the B773s will stop running to Australia. The only fly in the ointment would be if loadings were so poor that PR decided to substitute an A340 for MNL - MEL - MNL and MNL - SYD - MNL. The latter planes only have 'cinema' screens for entertainment and are about 15 years old.

PR's flights offer reasonable connections in MNL to a few other international destinations but one difficulty airlines like this have is because they are not a member of Star Alliance, SkyTeam or OneWorld, they may not offer seamless connections with third party carriers nor feature highly in many travel agents' personal knowledge, even though the B773s PR flies ex MEL and SYD are in my view excellent.

Thanks for that evaluation.
Cheers,
jl

 

[Melburnian1]

Annoyingly, the PR website has been down a couple of times in the last few days. Not being technically minded, however, I am unsure if it is a problem with my access to it or whether it really is offline due to maintenance.

 

[Inver]

Annoyingly, the PR website has been down a couple of times in the last few days. Not being technically minded, however, I am unsure if it is a problem with my access to it or whether it really is offline due to maintenance.

It is working for me Melburnian1.