Philippine Airlines review by J Olfato

5 May 2008  Customer Trip Rating :

MNL-CEB-NRT, NRT-MNL business to Tokyo, economy to Manila. Although it is better than other options, as it takes off from the much better NAIA Centennial Terminal, the service has gone from bad to worse in the past years. During check-in, despite booking business, they did not check me all the way to Tokyo, so I had to go down in Cebu, get my luggage, then check-in again. Unfriendly ground staff told me it was standard procedure, but when I complained in Cebu, they told me there was no such rule. Business seats not good, and entertainment options very average. Ground staff are terrible! In Narita, the queue is a mess, and you have to wait for one hour to check-in. The economy seats were bad, and the flight attendants on this leg was unprofessional. They spent most of their time gossiping and ignoring customer requests.

Philippine Airlines review by R Ben

19 March 2008  Customer Trip Rating :

MNL-HKG RT on PAL's ancient 744s. Typical PAL service, efficient but not too friendly. On international flights, PAL seem to deploy the very senior flight attendants. Food was average. Service on the ground was quick, given the small size of PAL's terminal in Manila. If flying on a budget, PAL is worth the try.

Philippine Airlines review by L Balonan

17 March 2008  Customer Trip Rating :

Business class Manila to Hong Kong. Acceptable Mabuhay class lounge, however not enough seats. Food served was the same as those in domestic Mabuhay lounge, sufficient but nothing to rave about. No shower facility. Business class is in the first class cabin of a refitted 747 from some other airline - spacious cabin with cradle-type seat. Comfortable for the short flight. Food served is not the same as that of economy class as was commented by some previous post. Food although plenty was not remarkable, in fact I felt the fish that was served had a very strange taste (not rotten). Service was above average.

Philippine Airlines review by G Hanson

12 March 2008  Customer Trip Rating :

SYD-MNL 747 business - seats older style but comfortable, food quite enjoyable, service ok. MNL-MLB- SYD economy seat fine, meals poor to average, Philippine airlines just cant get the service right. Service is reasonably efficient but just not customer friendly.

Philippine Airlines review by W Pollitt

19 February 2008  Customer Trip Rating :

LAX to MNL first class - comparable to business class on most Asian airlines. Seats are of the old style but seem to be comfortable and easier to sleep in compared to the tilt of the shell type seats. Excellent service which was a surprise. Food on both segments excellent Philippine dishes, average Italian dishes. Amenities containing socks, toothpaste, toothbrush, cologne. I used the first class perk of a free Limo service to my hotel. But to be honest, would have been better to pay a taxi and get to my hotel instead of waiting 45 minutes which was a car similar to a taxi. Return to LAX. Flew into MNL on a economy flight from BKK. Service from attendents on return average, programmed meal breaks and checking on passengers - not like excellent service on my arrival flight. Lounge at LAX was disappointing considering and others share the same lounge. Finger foods and drinks. PAL lounge at MNL, less finger foods and can become crowded as departure time nears. Considering the cheap prices compared to other airlines, I would use PAL again.

Philippine Airlines review by J van Marle

7 February 2008  Customer Trip Rating :

Manila-Tagbilaran (Bohol). We just walked into the airport and asked for seats for this flight - the flight was full but the booking office at MNL sold us seats on the waiting list and despite the flight being overbooked by 8 seats we got on in the end. New plane, smooth flight. Food served was inferior - sweet light nasty crackers and some gooey snacks in plastic, not really food. Flight on time, and for 65 euros for a single last minute ticket I would use them again.

Philippine Airlines review by A Bauzon

10 January 2008  Customer Trip Rating :

MNL-LAX-MNL. Philippine Airlines flies 747 and A340 for this route. It is advisable that you take the A340 flight as it is gives better legroom and comfort - 747 is cramped. PAL offers moderate in- flight service. Attendants do not offer drinks throughout the flight. PAL's advantage is its direct service to Los Angeles and back.

Philippine Airlines review by U Lao

8 January 2008  Customer Trip Rating :

A320 MNL-GUAM-MNL, aircraft looked new and modern, and they provide Inflight entertainment for the 3.5 hours flight to Guam. Food respectable and service average. Good pillow, blanket and reading materials. Its cheaper than most airlines and is only a few dollars more expensive than budget airlines like Cebu pacific but the service is like North and south.

Philippine Airlines review by R Jamison

1 January 2008  Customer Trip Rating :

PAL sells its first class product for less than many airlines charge for business class. The seat is basically a business class seat. The in flight entertainment is pretty basic. The seat is more comfortable than United Airlines business seat and on par with Continental's and similar business first products. The service was attentive and cheerful. First Class check-in in Manila was hassle free and included a uniformed valet to carry my bags. It's not First Class on Singapore Airlines, but dollar for dollar, it's a great value.

Philippine Airlines review by C Fonde

26 October 2007  Customer Trip Rating :

LAX-MNL-LAX in Business Class. A340 in Business Class was clean and seats comfortable. The footrest was a bit short, but not a major inconvenience. FA's attentive, food terrific on both flights. On return, our connecting flight from Iloilo to Manila was delayed 24 hours prior to departure, which seemed a bit puzzling to us. We re-booked an earlier flight to Manila, and spent 8 hours in the Manila Mabuhay Lounge, which was comfortable, and served some nice snacks and drinks. This was my first experience on an Asian carrier.

Philippine Airlines review by P Mallari

17 October 2007  Customer Trip Rating :

Manila to Hong Kong. Arrived at airport to find they had cancelled flight without notifying passengers. They transferred the 13 passengers to a Cathay Pacific flight in a different terminal. No PAL official accompanied. Security refused to let us into terminal. PAL neglected to notify Cathay of the transfer leading to much confusion and ill will. Last time we fly with these incompetents.

Philippine Airlines review by J Abarone

30 September 2007  Customer Trip Rating :

MNL-SFO on business class. Checkin was fast but the Mabuhay Lounge in NAIA T2 was very crowded and small, SFO mabuhay lounge was more comfortable. The plane was an old 747 and the seats were tired and some features are not functioning anymore. The in-flight entertainment was comparable to the economy class of other carriers. No AVOD and the screens were small. The food was great though. FAs were nice but were lukewarm at best.

Philippine Airlines review by Ewan Barr

23 July 2007  Customer Trip Rating :

HKG to MNL Business Class. All flights on time and a decent in-flight service for a short flight. Outwards on a band new A319 and back on a tired 744, albeit in the old First Class section. Nothing to fault particularly as good value compared to Cathay Economy (much the same price), but the in-flight entertainment is very poor. You do get to use the newer terminal in Manila (T2), which is also a bonus compared to T1. Good value overall but probably not that great for long-haul flights.

Philippine Airlines review by Allen Enriquez

20 June 2007  Customer Trip Rating :

MNL-LAX on a tired 747, legroom was not very good. LAX-MNL return on an Airbus 340 was better in terms of legroom and personal space. Flight staff did not exhibit the level of service compared to other Asian carriers. Flight attendants were only available when serving meals and made themselves scarce thereafter. PAL's only advantage is it offers the only non-stop flight from Manila to LAX, but service needs a lot of improvement.

Philippine Airlines review by L Custodio

14 June 2007  Customer Trip Rating :

KIX-MNL Economy class on Airbus 320. The last time I took PR was way back November 2004 (MNL-SIN-MNL). Coming from Noumea, our connection was in Osaka. Crew very polite, helpful and hospitable. Nice food. Good leg room in economy class. Very good food and service.

Philippine Airlines review by Anthony Gob

1 May 2007  Customer Trip Rating :

MNL to SIN return. Check-in took 20min due to number of passengers. Cabin crew was efficient but some are serious doing their job. IFE was not that good. On the Changi airport our luggage was delivered right away with no hitches. On the way back was upgraded to Business class. The legroom was very decent and seats roomy and comfortable though the headrest is quite uncomfortable. This time cabin crew was better - friendly, efficient and smiling.

Philippine Airlines review by J Olfato

28 April 2007  Customer Trip Rating :

Economy on international flights, business on domestic flights. Very mediocre. I feel very sorry for PAL, Asia's oldest airline, as they pale in comparison to other carriers. But because of lack of choice, (PAL operates from the tolerable Terminal 2, not the nightmare that is Terminal 1), and because it offers the only direct flights to US and some Asian cities, we are left with no choice but to endure this airline. Meals are fine, service is generally good (but the selective politeness is very noticeable - discriminative to non-affluent or OFW- looking Filipino passengers!). Planes are old! Some newer planes (A320, A319). If PAL does not address these problems, then they would continue to lose passengers when the new Terminal 3 opens! Even their call center is terrible, they would put you on hold for half an hour! If you would claim your ticket in the PAL office, you have to wait for 2 excruciating hours! On domestic business class, generally okay, but it matters not on a one hour flight. Would take Philippine airlines again, because of the terminal and price.

Philippine Airlines review by Gordon Hwang

15 April 2007   Customer Trip Rating : n/a

PVG to MNL in Business, return in Economy. Overall a pleasant experience on clean Airbus planes. Business class seats are roomy with decent legroom, but the footrest was too short. Seat pitch in Economy is very tight; recommend booking exit row. IFE choices in Business were limited to a few movies and TV shows, and the monitor was defective. Headphones were old-style non-noise-cancelling. FAs were very friendly on both flights, and repeated the drink service on the 3 hour flights. Food quality in both classes of service was similar; nondescript Asian flavors with pork or chicken and rice. Almond pudding in Economy was tasty; Business offerred Haagen Daz vanilla ice cream. Duty-free prices were reasonable. Both flights slightly delayed, and neither airport will win any award. MNL waiting lounge has few shops and the seats are hard metal. No outlets to plug in notebooks. Ticket price was very reasonable, and will fly them again.

Philippine Airlines review by Thomas Auer

24 March 2007

SYD-MEL-MNL and Back. Airbus A330-300 near new and very clean. Crew polite and nice. PAL's terminal 2 a bit crowded and didn't have as much choice to shop and eat than T1, although it was clean and modern, we got through on time and had no hitchs of any type. The Trip back was on a more aged A330-300. The crew was very helpful, food was nice.

Philippine Airlines review by Anthony Gob

22 January 2007

MNL–PPS return. Check-in was a breeze. A330 was used instead maybe since a big volume of passengers during the holiday season. Flight departed on time. A domestic flight but still they provided a pretty generous Snack Pack, you can choose your drinks from the trolley. Cabin crew, smiling, hospitable and efficient.

Philippine Airlines review by Elwyn Mallari

19 January 2007

Manila-San Francisco in Business Class. There were no long queues in the business class check-in, and the check-in agent was helpful but could not muster a smile. Invited to the business class lounge which is located at one end of the long terminal, therefore it could be quite inconvenient if your gate is at the opposite end of the terminal especially for the passengers with mobility problems. The business class lounge was crowded, most of the comfortable seats occupied and seats that were left were uncomfortable cafeteria-type chairs. The food selection was limited and uninspiring but the hot Arroz Caldo soup was quite tasty and very popular. B747-400 business class section is on the upper deck. There were about 3-4 FA's assigned in the business class section. The seats are quite comfortable but showing their age, and PAL's Boeing 747-400's business class seats recline further than PAL's Airbus A340-300 business class seats, which I found unacceptable on our inbound flight. FA services were fast, respectful, but lacking in interaction with passengers. The inflight meal was served an hour after take off on white linen starting with a small tasteless appetizer, followed by a salad, then delicious main dishes. The white wine was just acceptable but after dinner mango shake drink very good. PAL is not known for good coffee however. The Individual In Flight Entertainment in business class was not AVOD, with 4-5 new Hollywood movies shown. The headphones are not the noise cancelling type but the same cheap headphones typically seen in coach class. PAL is at least a generation behind its rival top asian airlines in terms of passenger IFE's. One FA was assigned to regularly clean the two lavatories in business class and greatly appreciated. The midflight snack is on demand only as this is a night flight. The pre-landing breakfast was filling and tasty. My wife had the eggs and Filipino sausage and she said her breakfast was very good. My breakfast of pork and steamed rice was just OK. The flight arrived about an hour late from the original schedule. First class and business class passengers luggage came out within 15-20 minutes after landing. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by PAL's business class service and if they keep their business class fares lower than rival airlines serving the same routes, I will fly with them again.

Philippine Airlines review by Gordon Halbersma

19 January 2007

Vancouver to Manila and return Fiesta Class. Traveled as a family of 3 with a 4-year old child on this Airbus 340. Had been promised bulkhead seating to get the legroom but got the next row back instead. There just aren't many seating options as far as a family is concerned as the only place in the A340 that has 3 or more seats together is in Fiesta Class. Forget about the window seats as there are only 2 seats along the windows all the way down. The flight is an overnighter and although the flight leaves Vancouver at 1040 at night, they obviously think passengers especially kids don't need any sleep because they kept movies playing the entire 14 hours to Manila and 11 plus hours back. The food was good to Manila but lousy coming back. The child's meal that had been specially ordered was just a different adult menu item not offered to adults. The seat assigned to the child would not recline. We wondered why this flight couldn't leave earlier in the day, even from Las Vegas, its originating point going to Manila, to make it a day flight. The crew was courteous in general although one in particular was somewhat patronizing to the child. Call bells were ignored. Offering services and picking up after the services was rushed so that some passengers were missed. The one advantage for this route is that it is direct and for that reason was willing to pay higher fare. However, whether we would take this flight again is debatable.

Philippine Airlines review by Maulana Dickman

9 January 2007

CGK - MNL return with A330, Y Class. Friendly cabin crew although the food served on both sectors is average. Surprised with the Ninoy Aquino airport in Manila (Philippine Airline terminal), which does not represent as International Airport or main gate to the Philippines, since looks shoddy and crowded. Agree with the 3 star given to this airline, and would fly Philippine Airlines again in the future.

Philippine Airlines review by Guy Behrick

3 January 2007

Business Class LAX to MNL and back. Bad start when the ticket agent said the LAX lounge was closed for renovation until 2008. The outbound plane was an old hybrid 747 in which the footrest was broken. Cabin attendant tried for about five minutes to manually deploy it but was of no use. Cuisine was acceptable if not exceptional. However we arrived on time if a little the worse for wear. The lounge in Manila was crowded to capacity but we were able to relax. Finger foods quite decent in the lounge. On return flight one attendant was helpful while another was poker faced the whole time. On both flights, cleanliness in the lavatories was unacceptable. I don't think any attempt was made to deal with this by the staff. Overall, PAL is lucky with the three-star rating. Hopefully this will improve when First and Mabuhay Class are renovated.

Philippine Airlines review by Elwyn Mallari

3 January 2007

Business Class San Francisco to Manila return. Dedicated Business Class check in counter in SFO, check-in took less than 10 minutes for me and my wife. We spent a little more than two hours in the Philippine Airlines Business Class lounge in SFO. The lounge has two adjacent rooms, wide-screen tv., comfortable seats, and self-serve food and drinks. They need to seriously reconsider serving Manhattan clam chowder. As someone has mentioned on this forum, PAL is an Asian carrier and I don't understand why it is serving Manhattan clam chowder. PAL's Airbus A340-300's Business Class seats are wide, with enough space between seats but seats are showing their age. The seats are hard, I had to use my pillow as a seat cushion to make myself comfortable and I'm not a heavy person. The seats are manually operated. The biggest disappointment was the lack of recline of their Business Class seats on Airbus A340 planes. I felt like I was flying in coach and consequently did not manage to sleep the entire trans-Pacific flight from SFO to MNL The inflight food was acceptable given the lower price of PAL's Business Class tickets compared to other carriers flying the same route. The meal was served on white linen, starting with the appetizers, main meal, then 2 desserts. Their coffee was awful. The mid-flight Arroz Caldo soup was lukewarm and I had to return it. FA's service was fast, a little robotic, they had little interaction with the passengers, and you only hear occasional thank you. Returning, PAL's newish dedicated terminal in MNL is modern. There were no lines in the dedicated Business Class counters, check in took about 10-12 minutes. We went to the Business Class lounge and was a big disappointment. I was expecting a bigger lounge since MNL is PAL's hub. It was crowded. The food was just acceptable, but their Arroz Caldo soup delicious. They have sofas, but most of the seats are the uncomfortable cafeteria-style chairs. The plane for this flight was a Boeing 747-400, and Business Class is upstairs. 3-4 FA's serving this section. The seats look the same as on PAL's Airbus A340 but the Boeing 747-400 Business Class seats lean further thus giving more comfort. The individual in flight entertainment is not on-demand. So if you miss the start of the movie, you'll have to wait until it starts all over again. The inflight food was a little better on the flight back to SFO. The service efficient, and FA's a little friendlier. The pre-landing breakfast was filling and tasty. First Class and Business Class passengers were allowed to leave first. Our luggage came out within fifteen minutes of landing. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by PAL's Business Class service. If they keep their price lower than their rival airlines, I would gladly fly with them again in the future.

Philippine Airlines review by Rodel Abedes

15 December 2006

Business Class SFO to MNL and First Class MNL to SFO. Business Class to Manila was ok. The seats are manual recline and seat cushions quite uncomfortable at times. The food was good and most Flight Attendants were courteous. On the way back to SFO, was upgraded to First Class. The First Class seats on PAL are the same as those of Business Class except First Class is not a manual recline, its electrical. The food was good.

Philippine Airlines review by Ian Taylor

7 November 2006

We only used Philippine Airlines for our domestic travel has they do not yet fly direct to New Zealand. The flights were Manila to Cebu, and Cagayan De Oro back to Manila. Airbus A320 were very clean, tidy. The FAs were friendly, courteous and professional. The snack was ok, ( You had only one choice of food, Banana cake ) water or juice. And on the return cookies were offered. Because we had an infant, and despite the travel agency in Manila holding copies of all our Passports, Birth Certificates, the travel agent was not allowed to do any bookings for our infant, so we had to find the official PAL offices both in Manila, and Cagayan has only the mother can do these bookings (policy by the airline). As a result we lost two days of our holidays in doing this. My wife was also given the wrong information by a PAL official when it came to baggage weight for our infant. Having been told that 20Kg applies because we were transferring onto an international flight. Has we found out at Cagayan Airport, this was not the case, and charged us excess baggage including the babies stoller - very poor.W e are now planning another trip to the Philippine in the New Year, and have decided to cut out Philippine Airlines completely. We did write a letter to the airline - however in the reply nothing was really said, and left me feeling that if this is the best they can do, then I will spend my money trying out another airline, its got to be all or nothing in my book.

Philippine Airlines review by Norman Sutherland

13 October 2006

On schedule departure ICN-MNL. I didn't want the full meal service, but the Cabin Crew kept me supplied throughout with Wine, Cheese and Biscuits. Pretty poor selection on the IFE, but otherwise an OK flight.

Philippine Airlines review by Robbie Francisco

12 October 2006

MNL-PEK and PVG-MNL. Was a comfortable ride with food better than usual. Drinks were my favorite. For my flight from Shanghai to Manila, the video screen in the A320 was busted. Cabin crew professional and quite friendly although very strict with the cellphone warnings, I felt as if we were all being scolded by our parents, but it was understandable. FA's vanished after service in both flights, seems to be a trademark with this airline.

Philippine Airlines review by Peter Pomeranze

5 October 2006

Manila to Bangkok business class. A very pleasant ride in business class. Although sched to be an Airbus 340 a 330 was substituted.No problem, seats up front were comfortable and food more than acceptable. Cheapest biz class on this route. Manila airport is quite unpleasant though from all the security points to the tattered lounge.

Philippine Airlines review by Darryl Malonzo

13 September 2006

First Class San Francisco to Manila - Check In a breeze no lines with special lane for First Class passengers. The Mabuhay lounge at SFO okay but very crowded. Plane to Manila was an Airbus, Service with a smile, food was okay. First Class Manila to San Francisco - Check also a breeze, Mabuhay lounge at Manila also very crowded. Airplane was a second hand 747, arabic writing all over the plane. Sound was not working for video system not acceptable for First Class. Purser kept apologizing. Service with a smile food was still okay. Overall experience is not up to standard with Asian competitors. Business Class with these carriers is better than First Class with Philippine Airlines. However Philippine Airlines pricing is cheap, First Class Fare is less than Business Class with competitors. You get what you pay for.

Philippine Airlines review by Anthony Gob

11 September 2006

MNL-CGY-MNL, Economy Class Airbus A320, check-in at the domestic part of the NAIA Terminal 2 was a breeze. Ground staff very efficient too. Cabin is okay. Flight attendants hospitable, smiling and very efficient. A pretty generous snack for this flight. On the way back to MNL, no problem again in checking -in, ground staff very efficient and responsive again. I would definitely fly again with PR - value for money.

Philippine Airlines review by Paul Lehmann

26 August 2006

SYD-MNL-MEL Mabuhay Business Class. A330-300 aircraft provided a smooth, event free ride in both directions. SYD-MNL friendly, efficient FAs; great lunch and generous beverage service (although it's trays all the way - no service from the trolley here). IFE was basic but provided a couple of good choices for the 8 hour flight (just as well - system only offers 3 or 4 movies at a time). Cabin spacious and comfortable (this cabin was never more than about one third full). The overnight flight from MNL-MEL was rather less restful and relaxing. The inflight service to a high standard but the seats are from the last generation of business class offerings. They're fine for a day flight, but they seem hardly to recline at all, so sleeping was more of an aspiration than a reality. Even if you could theoretically fall asleep - the flight time (7hrs between hours of 10pm and 5am destination time) and meal service times will remove any room for practical application of the sleep theory. Breakfast is served long before it needs to be - so you are woken from what passes as sleep by blazing cabin lights and offered a continental breakfast more than two hours before ETA. The meal is a very quick one so you are left wondering why the last 100 minutes + of the flight are reserved for this weird post-breakfast, pre-dawn twilight zone. I would have preferred a bit more time in the dark and in the almost restful position I had finally, exhaustedly contorted myself into. I would fly with PR again - it does offer excellent value for money and aircraft and crew are as good or better than most.

Philippine Airlines review by Colin Whitehouse

12 August 2006

Business class from Shanghai to Manilla in Early August 06. I was a bit sceptical but it was OK. Business seats are the same as Economy (3x3) but with the middle seat covered by a table. Leg and seat room is therefore the same in both classes. Service from the crew was good and the food very good both ways. Lounge service was good and A320 was in good condition.

Philippine Airlines review by Rob Belbin

26 June 2006

Mabuhay class MNL to YVR Vancouver on Airbus. Easy booking on website. Check in excellent and boarding good. Old style biz class seats (manual operation) and IFE limited to a couple of movies on continuous repeat inflight. Quality of the screens and headsets pretty ordinary. Meals and beverage service okay, quality of food okay. Inflight service attentive. Amenities kit high quality. Service of the bathrooms poor and general condition of the plane shows heavy wear and tear. LAX to MNL on a 747, Mabuhay class upstairs comfortable but again old style chairs with limited recline and facilities. Sleeping not comfortable. Service attentive, meal okay (reasonable presentation and quality/choice) but again bathrooms not serviced - had to call for towels and tissue. Overnight flight with no water distributed to ease the dryness and the 1 hour onboard wait for refuel not the best experieince at 2am. Not the best Business class service more of a "comfortable" economy service but pricing is midway between coach and other airlines' business class. Based on this experience I can't see myself ever doing overnight long haul with Philippine Airlines in coach but would consider a day flight in biz class - because of the price.

Philippine Airlines review by Joel Pacis

24 May 2006

Mabuhay Class between San Francisco and Kalibo (Boracay Island) via Manila. Airbus A340-300 outbound to Manila and 747-400 inbound to San Francisco. Making travel reservations on PAL via the 1-800 toll number can be taxing due to their inability to accept Credit Card information over the phone. Check in at SFO was a breeze, not the chaotic zoo I had expected with two PR flights to Manila within a span of an hour. Mabuhay Lounge in SFO is roomy with lots of snacks and drinks. Catering on the lounge is Western (not expecting Clam Chowder from an Asian carrier). Boarding was orderly, with F, C and MabuhayMiles Elite members going first and on separate airbridges. Was greeted nicely by the Inflight Purser. Cabin was clean. Seats old style F class seats with limited recline - wide and bulky but the recline was too limiting. Flight attendants were professional, friendly - alert and efficient and made countless beverage service throughout the ten hour stretch to Guam and then the three onto Manila. Food was average, served on square china that looked suspiciously like the same served in coach but in porcelain form. IFE lacking. Flight departed and arrived on time in both directions. Mabuhay Class is not the most luxurious Business Class out there but worth the price.

Philippine Airlines review by Anthony Gerard

24 May 2006

MNL to SIN in Economy Class using Airbus A330. Nice and clean cabins, good food and spacious legroom. FAs are very hospitable and friendly - warm greetings, and they serve you with a smile. This airline is cheaper compare to other airlines yet you'll experience great service.

Philippine Airlines review by Jon Veel

21 January 2006

Singapore - Manila return in Business class. The fare was almost exactly half the SQ fare for the same route which seemed about fair for what was actually provided! Good point (there is only one) was the seat. This was a 2-2-2 config on the A330 which seemed very spacious and with a generous seat pitch. It didn't feel cramped even with the seat in front fully reclined. This seemed closer to SQ regional first class seating rather than SQ regional Raffles class which always seems a bit cramped. The negatives - both flights delayed. Food is okay rather than sumptuous. More like an economy meal on a china plate and a basic red/white wine choice. Nothing that will compare to SQ/CX/BA. Lounge at Manila was so crowded with no seats available I ended up sitting out in the main terminal anyway. Personal TV had only 1 other choice in addition to the film being shown on the main screen. Chaotic check-in at Manila. 45min queue just to go through street x-ray and enter terminal. Then haphazard business check in with counter staff needing to make phone calls, walk off with tickets etc taking an average 15-20 minutes per customer to check in. My first time with this airline and maybe I was unlucky with the flight delays., though they didn't seem either surprised or apologetic so I suspect this is a regular occurrence! Given the price I paid I would give them the benefit of the doubt and would fly with them again.

Philippine Airlines review by Paolo Lim

4 January 2006

There are a few issues that need to be addressed. First, the consistency with the inflight entertainment programmes, especially Boeing 747-400. MNL-HKG featured a real-time airshow and safety video but on the return flight, none of them were present - as for the latter feature, we had to resort to a live demonstration instead. There were short programmes on both sectors. The interesting thing with the return flight was that there were personal monitors in economy class but it only featured the mainscreen programmes (of course personal monitors are not a feature of PAL). Most of its Boeing 747-400s look different from each other - one has grey seats while the other has blue and green seats while a third has blue-purple seats. Flight attendants are friendly. Would I fly PAL again? It depends on the kind of aircraft, particularly if the Boeing 747-400 is scheduled to be used. I said that personal monitors are not a feature of PAL - that is in economy class as they usually feature mainscreen programmes and personal monitors are used in First and Mabuhay (Business) Class. Overall, I don't have much problems about riding PAL, most of them are OK journeys.

Philippine Airlines review by Richard Turnley

30 December 2005

Sydney to Manila business class return over the busy Christmas-New Year period with PAL and was more than happy with nearly all aspects of the flights - very pleasant staff, good food and beverages, ok IFE and a clean plane both ways. Maybe the only complaint is that the seats do not recline very much and this is a bit painful on the overnight flight from Manila. Ground service was very good.

Philippine Airlines review by Jean-Pierre Dijks

10 August 2005

SFO to MNL (and domestic onwards to Bacolod). This was my first time on PAL, and I can state that it will be the last time as well. The attitude of the ground staff is just too much to take (both at SFO, in Manila and in Bacolod). Our main issue started with a cancellation, we however did check in and got to stay in a hotel around SFO. Not too bad, but we were apparently just lucky. Others stayed in a Best Western with dinner vouchers for Denny's. Talk about cost saving! Our flight left eventually (15 hours later), and we got vouchers for lunch at SFO. The flight was smooth, but the plane so old. Because we were sitting exit rows we had no problems with disappearing flight attendants. The food was not bad. So we were thinking, not too bad afterall. But then, because of the delay we were stuck in the most dreadful hotel in Manila (Traders by Shangria-La). Obviously there was not a peso to be spent on us any more. The stay was horrible, the food was horrible, the rooms were worse. We were clearly economized out of the picture by PAL. On the return flight we had many issues with our bagage. All of a sudden PAL seemed to have a rule that your domestic flight must be within 24 hours of the international to get the same bagage allowance. Plausible rule, just no one bothers telling you, and we even had our flights confirmed at the PAL office at the Bacolod airport. So they knew our flight schedule, just never bothered telling us until there was no way back. Then we had other bagage issues in Manila (on the same bagage we brought from Bacolod). Got charged $600. All sorts of hassles again, talked to the supervisors (again), no change. We finally got upgraded to business class and got a lunch pass, but it cost us $600 to get on the plane. Mabuhay class - maybe we were unlucky, but we flew a very old 747-400. The seats are 20 year old things with no real comfort (wide, but that is about it). It is not spacious, food is not much better than in economy (it is even served in similar size and style "serving dishes", except they are porcelain). The flight attendants were not really bothered and they run out of the meals rather quickly. So if you want your choice pick the first seats. I would never pay for Mabuhay - I'll fly anything other then PAL next time!!

 

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