Married To A Filipina, Any Issues Using The Filipino Line At Immigration?

[softail]

That's ok if you arrive safely, PAL is not allowed to fly into many countries because their maintenance is not up to worldwide standards! They have some ancient planes in their fleet.

Last Feburary we took four flights with Pal, Manila to Cebu and back, Manila to Bangcok and back. Four bordings, for delays., not my favorite airline.

Doug

[Markham]

When travelling to Phils (arrival at NAIA) I always fly in and out by PAL, 1 reason... Terminal 1

Last arrival in NAIA by PAL (26th November 2012) I timed it was 25 minutes from walking off the plane to jumping in a taxi... I avoid T1 all together now. Terminal 2 is so much better for international flights (if you can get them to your destination) if you want to avoid the rush trying to get through immi

My 2c worth

That's ok if you arrive safely, PAL is not allowed to fly into many countries because their maintenance is not up to worldwide standards! They have some ancient planes in their fleet.

That's simply not true! The reason that PAL - and all other Philippine carriers - are banned from European airspace and, in PAL's case, prevented from building up its route network with new destinations in North America is because the Philippine safety regime does not meet international standards.

But I do agree with you regarding the age of some of its fleet; some of its Boeing 747s have definitely seen better days. BUT they are being replaced with a fleet of 777s.

[Dave Hounddriver]

PAL is not allowed to fly into many countries because their maintenance is not up to worldwide standards!

That's simply not true! The reason that PAL - and all other Philippine carriers - are banned from European airspace and, in PAL's case, prevented from building up its route network with new destinations in North America is because the Philippine safety regime does not meet international standards.

Sure sounds like tomatos tomahtos to me

[Markham]

PAL is not allowed to fly into many countries because their maintenance is not up to worldwide standards!

That's simply not true! The reason that PAL - and all other Philippine carriers - are banned from European airspace and, in PAL's case, prevented from building up its route network with new destinations in North America is because the Philippine safety regime does not meet international standards.

Sure sounds like tomatos tomahtos to me

Not really. The problem isn't to do with the standard of maintenance but the inspection and safety regime. Think Philippine equivalent of the US's FAA or the UK's CAA.

[Curley]

PAL is not allowed to fly into many countries because their maintenance is not up to worldwide standards!

That's simply not true! The reason that PAL - and all other Philippine carriers - are banned from European airspace and, in PAL's case, prevented from building up its route network with new destinations in North America is because the Philippine safety regime does not meet international standards.

Sure sounds like tomatos tomahtos to me

Not really. The problem isn't to do with the standard of maintenance but the inspection and safety regime. Think Philippine equivalent of the US's FAA or the UK's CAA.

OK, so I used the wrong word(s) .... As Dave says, it amounts to something very similar.

[i am bob]

Sorry guys. This is the whole problem right here. I can verify this from personal experience - my main profession in the military was Avionics.

You have a mechanic who knows everything about aircraft and can fix anything you throw at him and he does it by past experience and knowledge along with using the proper technical manuals - he just didn't have the proper university degree. Then you have a mechanic who has his university degree in Aviation and is straight out of school, never touched an aircraft in his life but has the aircraft mechanics manual beside him while he tries to figure out what is what - as soon as he can find the right page. Unfortunately, for the airlines to be certified to fly around the world, they have to have mechanic number 2. So what if mechanic #1 knows how to do the job just as well if not better...

[Curley]

So, you're saying that you would trust your life to a Fillipino who SAYS he is your first version of a mechanic? Spend some time amongst Fillipinos then give me your answer.

[Dave Hounddriver]

So, you're saying that you would trust your life to a Fillipino who SAYS he is your first version of a mechanic?

There are a lot of navy guys around who profess to being amazed at how filipino seamen can mechanic that boat to keep it moving with a rusty nail and some baling twine and an old inner tube. I have seen first hand the ingenious solutions these number 1 type mechanics (in Bobs analogy) can keep things working. But a plane is different from a boat so I would prefer to have the guy with book lernin lookin over their shoulder.

[i am bob]

I"m not talking about some guy walking off the street who worked on pa's cropduster - I'm talking about the guys who have military experience or did an apprenticeship (like trades used to do in the old days) without a university course. If you don't have the degree, the company won't be issued the certification - regardless if you have all aircraft geniuses working for you if they don't have that degree. You will never see any company pop some 2-bit mechanic with no or poor training into an aircraft worth a few million dollars and tell them to fix it - especially since the insurance won't cover anything if they screw up. But for years, all around the world the mechanics and avionics techs were ex-mil or apprenticed. Now these guys lost their jobs so companies can get that new ratings. It happened in Canada, it happened in the States, Europe, you name it. And now it's happening in the Philippines. All the mechanics and avionics techs have to be university trained and no experience on aircraft type required for the airlines to pass.

But there is one advantage to hiring these new university trained techs... We are seeing now airlines buying or leasing newer aircraft as these new maintenance crews don't know what to do with older equipment. A lot of the older stuff wasn't covered in their courses.

[topher2880]

But I do agree with you regarding the age of some of its fleet; some of its Boeing 747s have definitely seen better days. BUT they are being replaced with a fleet of 777s.

Sydney to Manila is serviced with 777-300 and I was quite comfortable... as far as a 100kg man in cattle class can be anyway hahaha

PAL stands for Plane Always Late, I get that... domestically I like Zest, but really see no difference between them and Cebu Pac..