Forum Support Old55 Posted June 12, 2011 Forum Support Posted June 12, 2011 (edited) What airlines, itinerary strategies or other tips do you use to ease those LONG airline flights to Philippines? :36_1_68[1]: Over the years we have found a few;EVA features a Business class seat (Evergreen Deluxe) about $200.00 more that last class. Hub is Taipei on to MNL no Taipei to CEB flights. EVA has a great safety record newer fleet above average service and food.Asiana from the States features a layover at Inchon. From the Left Coast this is half way at eight hours to Cebu. The airport is very nice with quality food and activities for children. The return flight has a 10 or 12 hour layover and provides a free hotel room or tour options. The hotel is very nice and quiet within short walking distance from shops stores and good restaurants. Asiana has a great safety record one of the newest fleet above average service and food.Cathay from Left coast to CEB layover in Hong Kong. Great airport, good food activities and inexpensive showers and basic simple sleeping area. For a small fee you can stay over in Hong Kong taking a later flight, this must be done at the time you buy your RT tickets a simple and cheap way to add an extra to your Philippines visit.Cathay has a good safety record new fleet above average service and food.Topic suggested by Art and Lee from “WHY?” Edited June 12, 2011 by Old55 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Posted June 12, 2011 Posted June 12, 2011 I fly from Florida in the US. I am not interested in good food or quality of air ports. I am traveling from point A to point B. I want to finish up as quickly as possibly, so I am looking at actual door to door time. In your planning, IF you are not going to Manila as your final destination (Cebu has even less options), you need to look at latover time in Manila to your next flight out to the final destination.Working backwards from manila, I arrive in Manila at about 6 am. I the have maybe 4 flights to choose from to Tacloban. If there an issues or delay in the main flight, I have enough flights to get to Tacloban that day.So, I fly MIami to Los Angeles (5 yrs) layover 3-4 hrs and fly to Manila (17 hrs) 1-2 hr lay over and then fly to Tacloban 1 hr. Then 2 hr van ride into Samar. So I leave Miamni at about 3pm Miami time, and get to LA at about 6pm LA time, Fly to Manila at about 10pm LA time and arrive in Manila 6am Manila time. When I leave on the long flight from LA, it is my night time anyway... so I try to sleep. This is with Philippine Air. I have checked with several other carriwers and found the price is more and their lay overs and arrival times are not as good as the arrival time of the Philippines Air flight. So, I suggest that if you are not staying in Manila (the actual metro area) that if you are planning for your 1st trip, check the flights from Manila to your actual destination to see what the time frame is and then work backwards to plan to arrive in time to catch that flight. I see no reason to arrive in Manila late at night and then have to stay in the Manila air port or worse, try to take a taxi to an hotel, sleep for a few hours just to fight traffic to return for a morning flight to your actual destination. Also, I now book an isle seat as to not bother others when I get up. When I am at the airport, checking in about 3 hrs before the long flight, I ask to switch my seats to the window seat of the emergency exit row. Which is $50 more and can not be requested until you are at the air port. If I can't get the window I try for the isle seat. This gives me 6 feet of room in front of me and I am truly free to stand when I want. So it takes me 5 total flights to get to where I am going and then back home. 2 in the US, 2 across the pacific and 2 domestic in the Phils. Total cost is about $1600 USD round trip.I am happy with Philippine Air, have no issues. in 7 trips, had 1 flight delay at Hawaii refuel stop that they fixed and kept to the schedule. 2 trips ago a man dies on the flight out of LA and we had left less than 1 hr before. I was the only medical professional on board, so I has to attend and pronounce dead. The head flight attendant said that they would have to return to LA! I did some quick thinking and told her that it was a bad idea as the dead guy wa s a very old Pinoy, going home to die anyway and that it would cost his family many $$$$ to get his body back to the Philippines. She talked to the captain who liked my thinking and we went on. Stopped in Guam for refuel and I talked to the cops, said there were no issues of foul play I saw and then they left. On a comedy note, they were going to carry the guy to the back of the plane as to not alarm the passangers! (This was soon after he died) I mentioned that the only people who knew he was dead was the people around him and that carring a corpse to the back of the plane might alarm quite a few more people! She agreed and I suggested to pick him up and put some blankets under him in case (when) anything might leak out...And you know..... on the next flight, there was some LUCKY PASSANGER in the same seat who had no idea that same seat carried a corpse for 17 hrs on the flight before! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted June 12, 2011 Posted June 12, 2011 What airlines, itinerary strategies or other tips do you use to ease those LONG airline flights to Philippines? :36_1_68[1]: Over the years we have found a few;EVA features a Business class seat (Evergreen Deluxe) about $200.00 more that last class. Hub is Taipei on to MNL no Taipei to CEB flights. EVA has a great safety record newer fleet above average service and food. Asiana from the States features a layover at Inchon. From the Left Coast this is half way at eight hours to Cebu. The airport is very nice with quality food and activities for children. The return flight has a 10 or 12 hour layover and provides a free hotel room or tour options. The hotel is very nice and quiet within short walking distance from shops stores and good restaurants. Asiana has a great safety record one of the newest fleet above average service and food. Cathay from Left coast to CEB layover in Hong Kong. Great airport, good food activities and inexpensive showers and basic simple sleeping area. For a small fee you can stay over in Hong Kong taking a later flight, this must be done at the time you buy your RT tickets a simple and cheap way to add an extra to your Philippines visit.Cathay has a good safety record new fleet above average service and food.Topic suggested by Art and Lee from “WHY?” Excellent info Dan -- in the future, it would be nice to bypass Manila completely and arrive at Clark Internationalinstead. I wonder how that airport is progressing along?Jake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum Support Old55 Posted June 12, 2011 Author Forum Support Posted June 12, 2011 Great story Bruce. I respect your strategy to get it over with, but my back hurts just thinking about what you go through! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art2ro Posted June 12, 2011 Posted June 12, 2011 Great story Bruce. I respect your strategy to get it over with, but my back hurts just thinking about what you go through! Me too! Bruce must be a pretty healthy guy! Bruce, what's your secret? How can you put up with those long flights and transfers?Dan, you mentioned EVA Airlines! It brought back memories, because 9 yrs ago, we were lucky enough to buy two promo deal R/T tickets business class seats for the price of one from SFO to Manila and back to SFO with a stopover in Taipei! It was great, my back didn't bother me because it was a relaxing flight with cushy comfortable reclining seats! It'll be a few years before we vacation again in California, but when we do, I'll check out EVA Airlines! ArtThanks for the memories!If only I could afford business class seats again! 1st class seats, no way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Posted June 12, 2011 Posted June 12, 2011 Great story Bruce. I respect your strategy to get it over with, but my back hurts just thinking about what you go through!OK, lets follow your comment...... I promote as well as I can, the benefits of the Philippines. However the #1 thing that stands in the way of more people I know traveling there is TRAVEL COSTS and TIME. We are not talking so much about the costs.... but about the TIME.Now, does everyone understand that if the Philippines was a 1-2 hr flight way, then the Philippines would end up like Bemuda / Bahamas is to the US. Totally spoiled, totally tourist related with tourist pricing and other negative issues..... Island for island there is no real difference between the Philippines and the Carribean. Both offer beaches, waterfalls etc. But the people in the Carribean are much more profit motivated, the women much more jaded and expensive. And it is actually more violent in the Carribean than in Phils. It is the people (read women) of the Philippines that makes the true difference between the Carribean and the Philippines. (Note, I am a Kano, not from one of the Queens possessions, so you may feel free to substute the aforenamed islands I used and use an island / area of your choice..... As example, I am NOT aware of any real interest in anyone traveling to the remote beaches of Australia to mate with the native Aborginals..... Right?) I am not happy about the TIME it takes to get from where I am to the Philippines. I either accept it or I do't go........ and I am going! So, I think your sore back is a minor price to pay! (Hey! just how many of you are now looking online about booking a trip to the remote beaches of Australia? hehehehehe ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art2ro Posted June 12, 2011 Posted June 12, 2011 Bruce,Once you've experienced chronic back pain, you’ll probably change your opinion about traveling, time and the cost!We don’t travel a lot anymore within a year’s time! So what we plan to do now is to save our money so we can afford to buy R/T tickets in business class for the comfort not minding the cost or time to get where we’re going! Hey, we’re retired, we have all the time in the world! So relax, sit back and enjoy the good food and wine in business class! I know we will the next time we travel by air on those long flights! We're not rich by any means, just sensible in not aggravating my back pain when I don't have to! I won't go anywhere unless I can travel in comfort! Short distances, no problem! It's those 12 to 14 hr straight flights! I love those free overnight layovers in nice hotels with good food, sight seeing and inexpensive shopping! We've done those kinds flights before and they're great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum Support Old55 Posted June 12, 2011 Author Forum Support Posted June 12, 2011 Great story Bruce. I respect your strategy to get it over with, but my back hurts just thinking about what you go through! Me too! Bruce must be a pretty healthy guy! Bruce, what's your secret? How can you put up with those long flights and transfers?Dan, you mentioned EVA Airlines! It brought back memories, because 9 yrs ago, we were lucky enough to buy two promo deal R/T tickets business class seats for the price of one from SFO to Manila and back to SFO with a stopover in Taipei! It was great, my back didn't bother me because it was a relaxing flight with cushy comfortable reclining seats! It'll be a few years before we vacation again in California, but when we do, I'll check out EVA Airlines! ArtThanks for the memories!If only I could afford business class seats again! 1st class seats, no way! Check out Evergreen Deluxe! EVA has flights out of LA I'm over six feet tall and was able to truly stretch out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Bernard Posted June 12, 2011 Posted June 12, 2011 I think we should make a suggestion for 1st timers traveling to the Philippines,, do not take PAL because you will end up in the Terminal One chaos, it is a bit overwhelming the 1st time. After a trip or two you will be accustomed to it and go with whoever you want. If you are making connections in Asia, and are booked with Cebu Pacific, allow for extended delays, same if you have connecting flights in Manila with Cebu Pacific. I recall my 1st connecting flight in Manila, after I went to the domestic airport and bought my ticket, I went to get my boarding pass and was told I was on stand-by, number 22. Later they said they could find someone to give up their seat for 200 USD. Fortunately this was overheard by a local Dr going to Davao, who took me up to the kiosk, gave them a severe lecture, and go my boarding pass. Then when we boarded the plan was only 3/4 full. So 1st timers, be patient, be very alert, be polite, and maybe some kind soul will help you also. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forum Support Old55 Posted June 12, 2011 Author Forum Support Posted June 12, 2011 (edited) Jake, I "ll ask my son about flights out of Clark. I think he is in the area once more for the joint exercises. Edited June 12, 2011 by Old55 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts