The joys of International travel

[nakatago]

Philippine Airlines is good for some things ...

like almost every morning am flight leaving Singapore or leaving Manila invariably gets delayed half an hour for departure while they wait for missing passengers ... no, not J class but Y class pax ... and they keep announcing that we will leave as soon as the passengers have boarded and invariably a couple of sleepy guys come dashing in ... before 'crew doors to auto and cross check ...'

which other airline will do that?

PAL: "Punuan ang lipad"

Translation: each flight needs to be full before taking off...

...just like buses in the Philippines. Because they're privately-run, they need to maximize revenue. Who cares if you've been sitting there for more than hour; it ain't movin' till they fill up the seats.

[ecureilx]

PAL: "Punuan ang lipad"

Translation: each flight needs to be full before taking off...

...just like buses in the Philippines. Because they're privately-run, they need to maximize revenue. Who cares if you've been sitting there for more than hour; it ain't movin' till they fill up the seats.

ouch ...

on another positive note, though the estimated travel time is 3 hours 40 minutes we seem to arrive earlier, ... (is it possible they were speeding ) ... and when i check my email, I sometimes find PR has sent me an email ... that I am arriving earlier than the original estimated arrival time ...

good news but how does it help when I am inside the plane just along for the ride?

...................

Mabuhay!

Your flight from Manila, Philippines (MNL) to Singapore, Singapore (SIN) on Philippine Airlines flight PR507 will be on Wednesday, June 4, 2014 at 10:00 AM.

Your original scheduled arrival in Singapore at 1:40 PM has been changed to 1:38 PM.

Your flight details for PR507 Manila to Singapore : Date Mabuhay!

Your flight from Manila, Philippines (MNL) to Singapore, Singapore (SIN) on Philippine Airlines flight PR507 will be on Wednesday, June 4, 2014 at 10:00 AM.

Your original scheduled arrival in Singapore at 1:40 PM has been changed to 1:38 PM.

[PNGMK]

haha! i had the same experience once, I flew Qatar Air
Bangalore -> Qatar ->Washington - > Raleigh

I had to give up my aisle seat for an arthritic old lady and I earned free arthritis and a stictched bladder for the next 23 hours stuck in the middle seat

Qatar airport was marginally better than Manilla but as I can remember it was still in shambles, the stench from toilets permeated throughout the airport. Everyone headed to the USA was herded towards a common pen, painted terror suspects until proven innocent, had to strip off everything and be throughly examined by a lady named Bruce.

the cigarette and a hot shower at the end of all this was just amazing!

I never, ever give up my aisle seat. I've had airlines staff cajole and threaten me but if you fight hard they'll move onto a softer target.

[Hannieroo]

You poor sod.

We were delayed from our home finding trip by 14 hours, then another 2 hours at the airport, then 3 hours headwind taking it to 15 then 2 extra hours at CDG then diverted to Edinburgh. 2 hour wait followed by a 3 hour trip on an unheated coach. We reached Aberdeen, no coats, 4am. And yes, the car wouldn't start.

Which is why I am spending summer here.

[Brah]

Steve, there's a lesson in there somewhere

That this place is just too damn far from home to remain worth it all?

[Steve1960]

I've never taken PAL before but NAIA in Manila is hell by itself. Terminal to terminal especially. Almost missed my flight because the terminals are in opposite ends and the traffic jams weren't helping either.

That does not fill me with confidence! Now I have changed to SIA on the way home I have to switch terminals

[Steve1960]

Steve, there's a lesson in there somewhere

That this place is just too damn far from home to remain worth it all?

Depends on the definition of home I guess. It isn't the US this is just a business trip, it doesn't feel like its the UK as I will never go back to live there despite being British and it's not Singapore. For me I guess home is where I intend to retire which is Philippines. So I am actually not too far from home

[Brah]

Steve, there's a lesson in there somewhere

That this place is just too damn far from home to remain worth it all?

Depends on the definition of home I guess. It isn't the US this is just a business trip, it doesn't feel like its the UK as I will never go back to live there despite being British and it's not Singapore. For me I guess home is where I intend to retire which is Philippines. So I am actually not too far from home

When I find myself passing over trips back home because of the considerable expense, discomfort, duration, and effort involved, multiple times, then I start thinking it's time to get out. I could deal with the 13-hour trip from Japan and back, but this, this adds another dimension.

Anyone thinking of moving here should really consider this.

[ecureilx]

I've never taken PAL before but NAIA in Manila is hell by itself. Terminal to terminal especially. Almost missed my flight because the terminals are in opposite ends and the traffic jams weren't helping either.

That does not fill me with confidence! Now I have changed to SIA on the way home I have to switch terminals

lynx, Manila is built such that the terminals are around the runway, clever not, when you have to move from domestic to international terminals and there is no space for any further development like a shuttle train ...

Steve1960, comparing Pal and SQ, I would say stick with Pal, atleast their terminal 2 is 'reasonably' OK, vs SQ's departing Terminal 1, where battery powered fans are being sold at a premium and ... as recent as a month ago some departing passenger collapsed due to heat .. and was sent to hospital,,,

almost all immigration officers have brought their own fans .... that's from friends who departed or arrived via T1 ...

their president apologised and promised the new aircon units for T1 will be in by August or so... so it's OK ...

[Strong Eagle]

I've never taken PAL before but NAIA in Manila is hell by itself. Terminal to terminal especially. Almost missed my flight because the terminals are in opposite ends and the traffic jams weren't helping either.

That does not fill me with confidence! Now I have changed to SIA on the way home I have to switch terminals

Lynx is spot on. It took me more than four hours to get from the Edsa Shangrila to NAIA one day, when there was a labor protest. More than an hour of that time was spent between the two terminals.

I also concur that PAL's terminal is in decent shape, much better than the SIA terminal... even the business class lounge is totally ratty and run down.

And the amazing thing is that terminal 3, the newest and best, is almost empty, with only Cebu, Nippon, and Zest occupying it. Some kind of fight over costs and legal issues.

[rajagainstthemachine]

So if you ever get stuck in an airport overnight maybe this could be some inspiration?

http://gawker.com/man-trapped-overnight ... ednesdayAM

[zzm9980]

That this place is just too damn far from home to remain worth it all?

Depends on the definition of home I guess. It isn't the US this is just a business trip, it doesn't feel like its the UK as I will never go back to live there despite being British and it's not Singapore. For me I guess home is where I intend to retire which is Philippines. So I am actually not too far from home

When I find myself passing over trips back home because of the considerable expense, discomfort, duration, and effort involved, multiple times, then I start thinking it's time to get out. I could deal with the 13-hour trip from Japan and back, but this, this adds another dimension.

Anyone thinking of moving here should really consider this.

This is why I pay the small premium (10-20%?) and always just stick with CX or SQ. Fly through Hong Kong, and the experience is positively painless. Three and a half hours SIN -> HKG, HKG -> the US 12-14 hours depending on the coast. You make any transfer in Hong Kong with as little as 45 minutes. Or, if you're stuck there for hours it is a pretty nice airport to be at for a while.

If you take SQ to the US through HKG you don't even have to exit the plane. In Korea (IIA), they'll make you get off.

[Steve1960]

That this place is just too damn far from home to remain worth it all?

Depends on the definition of home I guess. It isn't the US this is just a business trip, it doesn't feel like its the UK as I will never go back to live there despite being British and it's not Singapore. For me I guess home is where I intend to retire which is Philippines. So I am actually not too far from home

When I find myself passing over trips back home because of the considerable expense, discomfort, duration, and effort involved, multiple times, then I start thinking it's time to get out. I could deal with the 13-hour trip from Japan and back, but this, this adds another dimension.

Anyone thinking of moving here should really consider this.

I take your point but this is not really an issue for me I do most of my travel around Asia which is why I am based in Singapore. I may go to the USA one a year and the UK / Israel twice a year that's it.

[Steve1960]

Depends on the definition of home I guess. It isn't the US this is just a business trip, it doesn't feel like its the UK as I will never go back to live there despite being British and it's not Singapore. For me I guess home is where I intend to retire which is Philippines. So I am actually not too far from home

When I find myself passing over trips back home because of the considerable expense, discomfort, duration, and effort involved, multiple times, then I start thinking it's time to get out. I could deal with the 13-hour trip from Japan and back, but this, this adds another dimension.

Anyone thinking of moving here should really consider this.

This is why I pay the small premium (10-20%?) and always just stick with CX or SQ. Fly through Hong Kong, and the experience is positively painless. Three and a half hours SIN -> HKG, HKG -> the US 12-14 hours depending on the coast. You make any transfer in Hong Kong with as little as 45 minutes. Or, if you're stuck there for hours it is a pretty nice airport to be at for a while.

If you take SQ to the US through HKG you don't even have to exit the plane. In Korea (IIA), they'll make you get off.

^^^

Yes this is what I should have done. Thing is the company would not even have queried it if I had taken a more expensive flight. It was just me trying to do the right thing.

[Steve1960]

I've never taken PAL before but NAIA in Manila is hell by itself. Terminal to terminal especially. Almost missed my flight because the terminals are in opposite ends and the traffic jams weren't helping either.

That does not fill me with confidence! Now I have changed to SIA on the way home I have to switch terminals

lynx, Manila is built such that the terminals are around the runway, clever not, when you have to move from domestic to international terminals and there is no space for any further development like a shuttle train ...

Steve1960, comparing Pal and SQ, I would say stick with Pal, atleast their terminal 2 is 'reasonably' OK, vs SQ's departing Terminal 1, where battery powered fans are being sold at a premium and ... as recent as a month ago some departing passenger collapsed due to heat .. and was sent to hospital,,,

almost all immigration officers have brought their own fans .... that's from friends who departed or arrived via T1 ...

their president apologised and promised the new aircon units for T1 will be in by August or so... so it's OK ...

Some interesting comments and I agree the terminal is a war zone but the SQ lounge is actually OK