i checked out their website. it looks like tiger charges for their hot meals!!!!!!! hahaha. so you better have baon if you dont wanna buy food from ther cabin crew. hehehe

Poor man's SQ, with A320's great, with the new NLEX Clark is so near.

i checked out their website. it looks like tiger charges for their hot meals!!!!!!! hahaha. so you better have baon if you dont wanna buy food from ther cabin crew. hehehe

Isn't it that the air carriers frown upon passengers bringing "baon" on board their flights? Either you eat it at the gate before boarding the aircraft or leave it behind.

they can frown all they want. hehehe. i don't care. that never stopped me from bringing lucky me la paz batchoy on board all my long haul flights. hahahaha

IN 64 YEARS: PAL on its longest flight yet
by Ruth G. Mercado
March 17, 2005

Oldest active airline in the country, the Philippine Airlines turned 64 on Tuesday. While it breaks away from a dark past, it is still making its way out of the woods.
Spanning three different eras, PAL has flown a long way from the time it took off in 1941, its takeover by government in the seventies to the mid-nineties, privatization in the nineties and rehabilitation to date.

Jaime J. Bautista, PAL’s president and chief operating officer during an anniversary message described its new competitive challenges to include increased security costs, more low-cost carriers and spiraling fuel costs. No note could be discerned that the country’s flag carrier was old. Invigorated, maybe.

From 2 to 32.

In 64-years, PAL’s fleet grew from an aircraft of two to 32 where government operated the airline in more than half or some 40 years of its life.

PAL carries much of the country’s history in its wings. Andres Soriano together with Juan Elizalde and Ramon Fernandez founded the airline in Feb. 25, 1941 but in less than a month it started operations on March 15. PAL commemorates its anniversary on the first day of its operation. The first daily flight was between Manila and Baguio, 212 kilometers apart. It had a full load of five passengers. A second Beech Model 18 came in April and the route network was eventually extended to six points.

Outbreak of the Pacific War in Dec. 8, 1941 found the two Model 18s and its pilots enlisted into military service evacuating planeless American fighter pilots to Australia. One plane was shot down over Mindanao and the other was destroyed on the ground during an air raid at Surabaya, Indonesia. In a span of seven years from 1941 to 1948, prominent businessmen operated the flag carrier.

In the succeeding decades, from 1948 to 1965, the government became majority stockholder but Soriano retained management control. During those 17 years, four-engine Douglas DC-6s were acquired in 1948 and DC-6Bs were purchased in 1952 all of which were operated to 16 cities abroad.

Because nearly all local airports allowed nothing better than the DC-3s, the single-engine De Havilland DHC-3 Otter introduced a rural air service to airports where DC-3s could not operate. These planes brought some 20 towns in the Visayas and Mindanao to the domestic network.

PAL swung between government and private ownership in the next 40 years since 1965 when government relinquished and bid out half of its shares. Benigno P. Toda, Jr. board chairman since March 1962, acquired majority control of the airline with 52 percent of shares. The government, through the Government Service Insurance System kept a 24 percent stake. In 1968, Toda increased his stake to 72 percent. Simultaneously, government granted two other local airlines to compete with PAL on domestic routes.

Government-controlled.

It was to be short lived. In 1974, the government decreed PAL to be the only domestic airline. Twin-engine Nihon YS-11 turboprops were added to the domestic fleet. PAL’s first McDonnel Douglas DC-10 wide-bodied trijet was added to the fleet in July.

In 1977, the government took control of PAL with GSIS holding majority share. Roman Cruz, then GSIS president and general manager brought into the fleet the Boeing 727 trijet, the 747 and the Airbus 300. Cruz also phased out the DC8 and initiated the construction of PAL’s technical, in-flight and data centers.

PAL was then completely under government control since 1977 with 92 percent of its ownership under GSIS, although in 1992 government decided again to privatize the airline. PR Holdings, a consortium owned by Antonio Cojuangco, president of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company won the bidding for 67 percent of the shares. All this time, Boeing 747-400s were procured as the airline had 34 points in its international route network.

It was a pivotal decision when after 40 years, PAL took the route to privatization. The Lucio Tan group won the bid for privatization. Tan headed for a massive refleeting program but just when it was halfway through when the Asian financial meltdown left PAL with an annual loss of P8.08 billion.

Out of the dark, into the woods.

PAL continues to be under rehabilitation with an all-jet fleet of 32 aircraft serving 18 domestic and 24 international points in 14 countries and territories.

In all of PAL’s 64 years, its fleet grew from two to 32. Having been under government operations for more than 40 years or more than half of its life may explain much of its performance.

That performance is where Bautista will be taking off. He said he is working on three-pronged key result areas including enhanced reliability, on-time performance and improved aircraft utilization.

Without concluding its chapters, PAL broke away from its dark history. Cutting the chains from decades of government bureaucracy may be its biggest change yet. As an insider would put it, “we’re hardly out of the woods.”

==============================

It isn't supposed to be 2 to 32... its supposed to be 2 to 60 to 32 :D

btw guys in other news, by the end of this month, March 27 to be exact, KLM will increase their non-stop flights to Amsterdam from 5 times a week to daily. Good news to European backpackers out there. and also, the day after that, March 28, Lufthansa will change their MNL-Fra route. instead of it being via BK it will be via CAN using the modern A340-600. I

btw guys in other news, by the end of this month, March 27 to be exact, KLM will increase their non-stop flights to Amsterdam from 5 times a week to daily. Good news to European backpackers out there. and also, the day after that, March 28, Lufthansa will change their MNL-Fra route. instead of it being via BK it will be via CAN using the modern A340-600. I

looks like KLM is doing good in AMS-MNL route, a lot of travel agencies here in dublin are offering KLM seats as they are the only one that flies non-stop from europe so basically DUB-MNL takes only about 15 hours compared with other carriers that takes 20-27 hours due to multiple stops. Hope PAL could serve europe asap, it would be great going home on a PAL A340 serving tocino and adobo and watching nardong putik on their PTV's.

btw guys in other news, by the end of this month, March 27 to be exact, KLM will increase their non-stop flights to AMS from 5 times a week to daily. Good news to European backpackers out there. and also, the day after that, March 28, Lufthansa will change their MNL-FRA route. instead of it being via BKK it will be via CAN using the modern A340-600.

CAN? As in Baiyun Airport in Guangzhou (Canton), China?

yup. =)

Wait wait wait......LH is going to now serve MNL via CAN instead of BKK!??! O_O Whoa I seriously wouldnt've expected that...;)

Yeah, I found an article online stating that. I guess LH wants to capitalize on the emerging aviation market in Guangzhou, since the Chinese have been granted some travel freedoms by their government. Also since the Philippines can be an alluring and lucrative holiday spot to tourists from China, LH wants a piece of that action too!

KLM and Lufthansa do seem to be doing pretty good in Manila. their flights are usually fully booked for Economy when you check Amadeus...

I wonder why LH is going through Guangzhou now... the new airport there is awesome though! haha!!

Yeah, I found an article online stating that. I guess LH wants to capitalize on the emerging aviation market in Guangzhou, since the Chinese have been granted some travel freedoms by their government. Also since the Philippines can be an alluring and lucrative holiday spot to tourists from China, LH wants a piece of that action too!
That is true! :D I never knew China granted 5th freedom rights for foreign carriers.... Times a'changin' I guess... :runaway:

KLM and Lufthansa do seem to be doing pretty good in Manila. their flights are usually fully booked for Economy when you check Amadeus...

I wonder why LH is going through Guangzhou now... the new airport there is awesome though! haha!!

Probably part of the reason is that KLM and Lufthansa are the only carriers left that connects Manila to Europe, that's why their flights to the Continent are almost always fully booked. I can't wait for PAL to join in the mix and get some their European routes back in service. :)

LH's manila route is now changing because there is unstability in yield factor between BKK - MNL, so now LH change it to BKK-CGK(jakarta) to open the lucrative market because Thai and Garuda are the only two that serves BKK - CGK route.

LH will make a huge profit from Europe to MNL via CAN.

cheers

Europe is a great market. Direct flights to and from Europe to the Philippines would be a huge benefit!

LH's manila route is now changing because there is unstability in yield factor between BKK - MNL, so now LH change it to BKK-CGK(jakarta) to open the lucrative market because Thai and Garuda are the only two that serves BKK - CGK route.

LH will make a huge profit from Europe to MNL via CAN.

cheers

oh yeah... I guess they have to face stiff competition with PAL and Thai that also do MNL-BKK runs. right now, no Philippine carrier does MNL-CAN and I doubt there are any Chinese airlines either...

air asia is going to fly daily to clark from Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu.

That's LCC#2 in clark

http://www.airliners.net/discussions/general_aviation/read.main/2011574/

Btw, speaking of LCCs, once 5J completes its refleeting, they have the potential to be a really successful LCC, because they have rights to fly to Japan. That, and they don't need to worry about landing rights in NAIA.

Man it would be great to see 5J in Japan...hopefully a cheaper option for me if I want to connect there...:D

Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia to fly to Manila
Posted: 6:36 PM | Mar. 21, 2005

http://money.inq7.net/breakingnews/view_breakingnews.php?yyyy=2005&mon=03&dd=21&file=18


KUALA LUMPUR- Southeast Asia's top budget carrier AirAsia said Monday it would spread its wings to the Philippines next month, further expanding its reach in the region to stay ahead of growing competition.

From April 5, it said daily flights would be launched simultaneously from two Malaysian points -- the capital Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah state -- to the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport, formerly Clark Angeles Airport, in Manila.

"We aim to provide more connections for the people of Philippines to visit Malaysia and to enhance the hub status of Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu, Sabah," AirAsia's chief executive Tony Fernandes said in a statement.

"By connecting Clark to Malaysia and linking it to our network of flights serving Thailand, Indonesia, and Macau, AirAsia is indirectly bringing the people of ASEAN closer and thus one step nearer to achieve a borderless ASEAN policy."

A former US military air base, the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport is about two-hours drive north of Manila. AirAsia said arrangements have been made for buses to shuttle passengers to the Philippines capital.

Seats are already available for sale on-line, with a regular round-trip flight priced from around 260 ringgit (68.40 dollars) onwards.

Launched in December 2001 with just two aircraft, AirAsia has defied skeptics to become a significant player in the region.

It now operates over 100 domestic and international flights with a fleet of 28 Boeing 737-300s from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport and Senai International Airport in Malaysia, the Don Muang International Airport in Bangkok and at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta.

The airline, which will also become the first no-frills foreign airline to fly to China next month with daily services between Bangkok and the southeastern Chinese city of Xiamen, has announced it would buy an additional 20 new Airbus aircraft -- raising a previous order to 100.

Its success has sparked a slew of other low-cost airlines, notably in neighboring Singapore where privately-owned Valuair, Qantas-backed Jetstar and Singapore Airlines' 49 percent-owned Tiger Airlines operate.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES | Tuesday, March 22, 2005


Air Philippines to start flying to Shenzhen
Domestic carrier Air Philippines will take on its third Chinese destination as it starts flying charter trips to Shenzhen today.

Air Philippines will fly to Shenzhen twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays, with a Boeing 737 aircraft.

Flying to Shenzhen is part of the airline's international expansion program after it was designated as an official Philippine carrier to China, the US, Japan and Singapore.

Air Philippines currently flies to Chengdu and Canton in China.

Patria Chiong, senior vice-president, said in opening the route, Air Philippines hopes to target tourists and businessmen from mainland China. "We want to get a share of the Filipino market who will go to Shenzhen," she added.

FREQUENCIES

Air Philippines will initially fly twice a week to the destination, but Ms. Chiong said frequencies will increase depending on demand.

The company earlier said it is holding plans to fly to the US and Singapore so as not to compete with its affiliate, Philippine Airlines.

Air Philippines completed its refleeting in January, and a company source earlier said the airline is again looking at acquiring two additional Boeing 737 aircraft within the year.

Air Philippines recently received another five-year certificate of public convenience and necessity from the Civil Aeronautics Board.

The clearance, which will expire on Jan. 19, 2010, allows Air Philippines to continue its scheduled and non-scheduled flights. It received its first clearance in 1997 for domestic flights.

Air Philippines, which is among the preferred low-cost airlines in the country today, flies to Bacolod, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Dumaguete, Cebu, General Santos, Iloilo, Laoag, Puerto Princesa, Zamboanga, Mindoro, and Tuguegarao. -- Anna Barbara L. Lorenzo

Whoa Shenzen, eh? And they operate into Chengdu as well!? Cuangzhou was expected but wow Chengdu...O_O

Anyhow here's an article marking PAL's 64th anniversary:

15 March 2005
PAL on track at 64

MANILA - Months of intensive reforms have transformed Philippine Airlines into a nimbler, more efficient and customer-focused company, the flagcarrier's president Jaime J. Bautista said today.

"We are now on the right track and we have something to build on going forward," Bautista told employees in a message marking PAL's 64th anniversary today.

The milestone was observed in typical low-key fashion, with thanksgiving masses at the airline's headquarters, stations and facilities throughout the country and overseas.

Bautista launched a wide-ranging set of initiatives upon his election to the PAL presidency in August 2004, with the goal of improving the carrier's product and service, and enhancing its image in the highly competitive air-travel market.

"We improved our schedule reliability and on-time performance. We put renewed emphasis on customer service. We listened carefully to what our customers had to say, and we acted on their observations promptly," he reported.

Bautista also pushed to upgrade PAL's fleet, systems and network with the acquisition of three new Airbus A320 jets for domestic routes, the expansion of electronic ticketing to cover all PAL stations, and the March 1 launch of service to Nagoya that boosted PAL's presence in the pivotal Japanese market.

"These reforms enabled us to gain the initiative in the market and bolster our leadership position," he said.

With PAL's steady improvement firmly on track, Bautista said the airline would now turn its attention to a slew of challenges in its operating milieu. These included spiraling fuel prices, added security costs and the competitive threat posed by the planned entry of Asian low-cost carriers in the Philippines.

"To overcome these challenges, we need to fall back on the sterling qualities that carried PAL through many trying periods over the past 64 years," Bautista exhorted employees. "Your steadfast commitment to service, country and flag is needed at this time."

PAL was founded on March 15, 1941 by a group of prominent Filipino businessmen. It has set several records in aviation, including the first flight by an Asian carrier across the Pacific Ocean, in 1946 and the first service to Europe by a Southeast Asian airline, in 1947. PAL is Asia's oldest active airline today.

http://www.philippineairlines.com/TEMPFILES/50.asp?nivSel=9_4_0

CEBU PACIFIC TO FLY TO JAPAN BY 3RD QTR OF 2005
Monday March 21, 2005, 4:57 pm


MANILA, March 21 Asia Pulse - Cebu Pacific (CEB) will start flying to Osaka, Japan four times a week by the third quarter of this year after it takes delivery of its Airbus A319 aircraft this April and May.

Bong Mojica, CEB general manager, said the aircraft is part of the dozen A319 planes the company purchased in September 2004 at the cost of US$650 million as part of the re-fleeting program. The re-fleeting program will replace the airline's existing 27-year-old DC-9 aircraft.

Mojica said the CEB was expected to realize a 20-percent savings in operating cost using the airbus and a seat cost savings of up to 40 percent against the DC-9.

He said Osaka is a prime destination for CEB, being a major manufacturing area in Japan and a base for many overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

Based on official records, more than 170,000 OFWs go to Japan annually, and about 300,000 Japanese visitors come to the Philippines yearly.

The Osaka service is a breakthrough for CEB, which has been seeking flights to Japan for years, Mojica said.

"More flights to a rich country like Japan man more tourists and more investors, the very people our country needs. This is the rule of the airlines in a nation's development when competition is given free rein," he noted.

Mojica noted that the new flights could use the airline's Cebu and Manila hubs for the convenience of travelers.

The A319s will be deployed on the airlines' domestic network that presently covers 19 destinations, Mojica said, adding "we are considering new domestic routes in the Visayas and Mindanao areas."

He said this would generate jobs in the provinces, which somehow would ease the congestion pressure in Metro Manila, create new tourist-oriented businesses, and generate a steady stream of investments and revenues for government and the private sector.

With regards to rates, Mojica said CEB would stay true to form and offer flyers "our trademark competitive rates plus on-time performance."

Overseas, CEB is considering four international routes, namely, Guangzhou, Xiamen in China, Hong Kong and Seoul in Korea. Earlier, the management acknowledged the possibility of restoring CEB's services from Manila to Singapore, though that is not the carrier's immediate priority.

It is also looking at long haul destinations like the Middle East and the US at this point.


Carrier Cebu Pacific to begin services to Shenzhen in April
Posted: 10:07 AM | Mar. 23, 2005

http://money.inq7.net/breakingnews/view_breakingnews.php?yyyy=2005&mon=03&dd=23&file=5
Agence France-Presse


BUDGET carrier Cebu Pacific will start flying to Shenzhen, China, next month in line with the airlines regional route expansion, a business newspaper reported Wednesday.

Cebu Pacific, the seventh foreign airline to be granted landing rights at Shenzhen's Bao'an International Airport, will begin a daily service to Shenzhen in April.

The April starting date was not given in the paper's report.

The only other Philippine carrier to operate services to Shenzhen is Air Philippines, which operates two services a week.

The Cebu-based carrier owned by the Gokongwei family already operates charter flights to Guangzhou and Xiamen.

Late last year the airline announced it was to buy 12 A319 aircraft from Airbus and lease two A320s in a 670 million-dollar refleeting program.

This would extend the range of the regional operations of the country's number two carrier and help it expand its domestic market, where it now holds a 38 percent market share.

Cebu Pacific, which began operations in 1996, will take delivery of two 168-seater A320s in April and May this year.

Apart from China the airline also operates services to Hong Kong and South Korea.

A319s can fly to Japan from the Philippines?:D Are they smaller than 737s? How about A320s, are they smaller than 737s?

A319s can fly to Japan from the Philippines?:D Are they smaller than 737s? How about A320s, are they smaller than 737s?

A319s may be smaller than A320s, but they have greater range. Besides, Japan isn't that far. A320s by themselves are able to ply the CEB-INC route without much difficulty. :)

As for size, A319s are more or less equivalent to the size of Boeing 737-300s and 737-700s. The A320 is approximately the same size as a Boeing 737-400 and the 737-800

Thanks:) I always had the thinking that the A319 is much smaller than any of the 737s

I can't wait to see Cebu Pacific's new aircraft. and the new livery (I think, and I hope, there is a new one). I can't believe it's already almost April. when they first placed the orders, I thought it would be so much longer before they would get the new planes. haha! time flies...

anyway, I wonder why 5J and 2P are both going for Shenzhen all of a sudden. btw, does 5J fly to INC regularly or are they just charters..?

5J flies regularly to incheon, but I think its just once or twice a week from Manila and Cebu due to restrictions

5J flies regularly to incheon, but I think its just once or twice a week from Manila and Cebu due to restrictions

oh.. okay... I see. thanks!

Cebu Pacific should really update their website now. haha!!

Air service between Manila and Romblon resumed; Yak 40 to fly route twice a week

TABLAS, Romblon (PNA) — Interisland Airlines, a new participant in the country’s domestic route, conducted over the weekend a "probe flight" of its Yak 40 jetliner from Manila to this farflung airport with 32 passengers aboard.

The passengers included such notables as Romblon Rep. Eduardo Fermalo, who is credited with working for the resumption of air services in Tablas which stopped two-and-half years ago. Interisland chairman, airline Capt. Luc Helgen, was also in the flight.

The first commercial flight is scheduled to take off after the Holy Week, on March 29. The airlines operates twice-weekly flights on Tuesdays and Saturdays, with a package tour of Manila-Caticlan (Boracay) via Tablas.

Helgen said he is very glad to serve the Manila-Tablas-Manila route. "We feel honored to be a part of the acceleration of the economic development in Tablas, Romblon and Sibuyan Islands."

Renowned for its high safe load factor and short take-off and landing (STOL) characteristics, the Yak 40 is specially designed for passenger and cargo services and can even land on unpaved runways.

In 1968, Philippine Air Lines became the first to fly to Tablas, but stopped in 1998. Later, Asian Spirit also served the route for a while. Interisland’s other Yak 40 flies between Manila and Caticlan in Boracay everyday.

Tablas is the largest of the three main islands — the others being Sibuyan and Romblon— of the Province of Romblon, which is noted for its marble stones. The only commercial airport in the province is in in barangay Tugdan, Alcantara on Tablas Island.

The island has nine municipalities — Calatrava, San Andres, Odiongan, Ferrol, Looc, Santa Fe, Alcantara, Sta. Maria and San Agustin. Tablas airport can accommodate small planes such as the Fokker 50 and the new jetliner, Yak 40. The airport services the three main islands of Romblon, Tablas and Sibuyan.

Tourists spots on the island include the subterranian river, Bungan-Bungan cave, Buenavista fish sanctuary, Lumbia Falls, the Tuburan Cave in Looc, Burobintana Cave in Ferrol, Oregon Rock, Tinagong Dagat in Calatrava, Aglicay Beach in Alcantara, and Bita Falls in San Agustin.

Geologists believe that the very foundation of some of Romblon’s rugged islands is of marble stone, a highly prized natural reserve. Aside from its tourist destinations, Romblon is rich in natural resources. Its mountains hold minerals and forests.

It has 10 operating telecommunications exchanges. These are RCPI, PT&T, Kayumanggi, Liberty Phone, public calling stations, Romblontel, Odiongan Telephone Corp., PLDT and Smart Communications at the commercial town of Odiongan.

Development planners have identified Romblon as one of the country’s new investment areas.

yak 40 is a russian made tri-jet basically use for regional routes

this is the Yak-40, right....?

http://www.interislandairlines.com/images/yak-40-00.jpg

http://www.interislandairlines.com/images/manila-caticlan_01.jpg
http://www.interislandairlines.com/images/manila-caticlan_02.jpg
http://www.interislandairlines.com/images/manila-caticlan_03.jpg
http://www.interislandairlines.com/images/manila-caticlan_04.jpg
http://www.interislandairlines.com/images/manila-caticlan_05.gif

Interisland Airlines looks like a pretty cool new airline. I like their website... haha! hopefully they do well...

^^^whoa! looks like the plane is about to crash in paradise. nice beach tho.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2172000#post2172000

A former U.S military air base located in the Clark Special Economic
Zone, Diosdado Macapagal International Airport is approximately 80
kilometers north of Manila (approximately one and half to two hours bus
ride). The connection between Clark and Manila is further enhanced with
specially arranged shuttle buses that are scheduled to coincide with
AirAsia's flight arrivals and departure. These 40-seater air
conditioned buses are provided by Philtranco Service Enterprises.

Shuttle Bus Timetable

Clark Airport - SM Megamall, Ortigas
Pick up / Drop Off
12:30 / 14:30
17:30 / 19:30

SM Megamall, Ortigas - Clark Airport
Pick up / Drop Off
07:00 / 09:30
12:00 / 14:00


Bus Fare
· 300 peso (approximately USD$5.55) one way per person
· No charges for children below 2 years old sitting on adult's lap
· Payment: Pay at Transport Counter (after baggage area, near the
exit to Arrival Hall at the terminal building) or on board the bus

Buses from Clark International Airport:
The buses for arriving Guests will be parked outside the Arrival Hall
of Clark International Airport main exit. There will be a signage. The
number of buses provided will depend on the in-bound load to ensure
safety and comfort.

Buses to Clark International Airport (from Philtranco Terminal):
The pick-up point is at the Philtranco Terminal, Ground Floor, SM
Megamall Building A, ADB Avenue, Ortigas Centre, Mandaluyong City.
There will be a counter and signage.

Bus Drop-off point in Manila (from Clark International Airport):
The drop-off point is at the Philtranco Terminal, Ground Floor, SM
Megamall Building A, ADB Avenue, Ortigas Centre, Mandaluyong City.

>From Manila to other parts in town:
Before leaving Clark International Airport, Guests may request at the
bus service personnel to organize a taxi or rent-a-car service upon
arriving in the city. Their contacts at the SM Megamall, Manila, will
assist in making the necessary arrangements as requested.
Other available transport from Clark International Airport to any
intended destination:
There is a rent-a-car and taxi services counter at the Arrival Hall.
Transport charges to be checked at the counter.

FLIGHT SCHEDULES

Kuala Lumpur - Clark Flights from Departure / Arrival Flight Frequency
Kuala Lumpur to Clark 0720 / 1115 (local time) AK 32 Daily
Clark to Kuala Lumpur 1630 / 2025 (local time) AK 33 Daily

Kota Kinabalu - Clark Flights from Departure / Arrival Flight Frequency

Kota Kinabalu to Clark 1405 / 1605(local time) AK 502 Daily
Clark to Kota Kinabalu 1140 / 1340 (local time) AK 503 Daily

this is the Yak-40, right....?

http://www.interislandairlines.com/images/yak-40-00.jpg

http://www.interislandairlines.com/images/manila-caticlan_01.jpg
http://www.interislandairlines.com/images/manila-caticlan_02.jpg
http://www.interislandairlines.com/images/manila-caticlan_03.jpg
http://www.interislandairlines.com/images/manila-caticlan_04.jpg
http://www.interislandairlines.com/images/manila-caticlan_05.gif

Interisland Airlines looks like a pretty cool new airline. I like their website... haha! hopefully they do well...

yes that's the one

Cheaper Air Travel
By Lala Rimando Newsbreak Staff Writer


The Philippines will finally be in the loop with its neighbors, which have had busy skies since three years ago because of the entry of budget airlines. Starting early April, Clark, whose competitive advantage is its international airport, will be hosting new and affordable international flights.
Budget carriers have sent the number of travelers within Southeast Asia zooming up. Take the case of Malaysia, where Asia’s first low-fare airline, Air Asia Berhad, started. According to Tony Fernandes, the airline’s president and chief executive officer, the number of passengers flying from Malaysia to various domestic and international destinations grew 20 times from a mere 200,000 in 2000 to around four million in 2004. With Air Asia’s newly acquired airline in Thailand, Thai Air Asia, and with additional flights to more countries within the region, the target is to ferry as many as eight million travelers next year.

Air Asia has spawned at least six more players from Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand, all plying the intra-Asean and China routes. Their main selling point is their all-economy fares that are up to 60 percent cheaper than regular full-service airlines. For example, one-way flights originating from Kuala Lumpur to Macau, which is comparable to the distance from Kuala Lumpur to Clark, cost an average of US$70 only, a far cry from about $200 that full-service commercial airlines charge.

This is good news for Filipino travelers, especially those from Central and Northern Luzon. Up to 35 percent of the overseas Filipino workers are from these regions, between Bulacan and the Ilocos. While the budget airlines do not operate in the Middle East (because it is more than four hours away and not economically feasible for these airlines), about half of the OFWs are working in places reached by these low-fare carriers. There are tens of thousands of Filipino domestic helpers in Singapore and Hong Kong, and Filipino workers in electronics companies in Taiwan.

Those traveling to or from Metro Manila will also benefit because, according to Benjamin Manga, general manager of the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in Clark, they have arranged with Philtranco a bus service between Clark and Manila, with two drop-off and pickup points (Megamall on Edsa and the Makati commercial district.) The fare is P300. “The OFWS can afford to bring home more pasalubongs because they will be able to save on their airfare,” Manga said.

Tiger Airways and Air Asia

Airfare is the biggest item in travel costs. With the plummeting fares, migrant workers in Indonesia, for example, have been able to travel home and visit their families more frequently. This is expected to happen to Filipino workers, too, once the budget airlines start operating in Clark.

Barring kinks in current negotiations, Singapore’s Tiger Airways and Malaysia’s Air Asia Berhad will have flights to and from Clark. Tiger Asia has proposed thrice-a-week flights to Clark from Changi airport in Singapore. On the other hand, Air Asia will have daily flights (or 14 flights a week) to Clark from Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu. Daily flights from Kuala Lumpur will reach Clark at 10:30 a.m. and leave 30 minutes later. Daily flights from Kota Kinabalu will arrive at 2:30 p.m. and leave by 3 p.m. Fernandes said if these flights prove successful, there will be additional flights to and from Bangkok or any other point in Thailand.

Imagine the impact of these new flights on Clark alone. The DMIA has been ready and waiting for more action since 1996. Its current regular customers—international cargo handler United Parcel Service and Asiana Airlines, the lone international airline operating in Clark—both use the airport only at night, between 11:30 p.m. and four in the morning. The rest of the day, the million-dollar, world-class airport lies idle.

The buzz to be created by the budget airlines will change all that. Air Asia’s Boeing 737-300, with a capacity of about 150 passengers, and Tiger Asia’s Airbus 320, which can accommodate up to 180 passengers, will bring the much-needed revenues to the airport and to its parent, Clark Development Corp. (CDC).

Lower Costs

The DMIA is ideal for the budget carriers because the costs are cheaper than at the country’s main international airport, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), in Manila. For example, landing and aeronautical fees at Clark are 30 percent cheaper than NAIA’s, and passenger terminal fees are lower at P350 compared to NAIA’s P550.

The impact on the economy of Central and Northern Luzon is highly promising. Clark officials point to their experience with Asiana Airlines, a full-service airline that ferries South Korean tourists from Inch on to Clark. Since its maiden flights in October 31, 2003 to end-2004, Manga said up to 60,000 passengers had flown in. That’s a far cry from what used to be a mere 2,500 annual passengers that chartered flights had brought in.

The Koreans have stirred economic activity not only in Clark, where they play golf, and in the casinos; they enjoy the resorts in Subic, and in nearby communities like Angeles City, where Korean restaurants and other service companies dot the highway. Marketing officials of CDC tell NEWSBREAK that Korean tourists travel to as far as Baguio to play a round of golf in John Hay, while some shop at the SM mall in San Fernando, Pampanga.

Asiana Airlines started with two flights a week to and from Clark, but after only two months, these were increased to three flights a week. Now, with five flights a week, the load factor of Asiana’s 300-plus-capacity plane reaches as high as 90 percent, a feat in the aviation industry. “That means there was an untapped demand which we did not know before,” says Victor Jose Luciano, CDC executive vice president.

The budget airlines are expected to service that untapped demand. In fact, based on the experience of Air Asia, 90 percent of their passengers have never flown before. Fernandes likens it to the hotel industry. “If there are only five-star hotels in Manila, the market will be very small. But if you have two- to four-stars, then you start growing the market. The Philippines is no different from any other country. We expect it to react similarly to the economic theory that we bring in: lower the fares, stimulate and grow the market.”

How will the lower fares affect airlines charging regular rates? Philippine Airlines, says spokesperson Rolando Estabillo, is “confident it will be able to hold on to its loyal customers.” He says it will continue to serve “five-star” clients who prefer service and other product offerings to the budget airlines’ no-frills product.

Temporary Permits

But the road to air liberalization in Clark has been a long and rocky one. The Philippines has earned a reputation among aviation players as a destination where flight entitlements are difficult to bag. “Open skies,” which essentially liberalize aviation policies to entice travel and eventually spur economic activity, especially in tourism, is still a dream.

In 1995, then President Fidel Ramos issued EO 219, which provided, among others, that Clark and Subic should have friendlier skies. President Arroyo’s EO 253 last year was supposed to strengthen EO 219 by focusing mainly on Clark and Subic, but caused a stir because the implementing rules and regulations turned out to cover only the cargo side of the business. Provisions that liberalized the passenger business were deleted.

CDC officials had to push hard their case with the Civil Aeronautics Board and with the Office of the President to clear a provision in EO 253 that discourages cargo players with flight entitlements in the Manila airports from operating in Clark.

Luciano says the two budget carriers have been allowed to operate flights to and from Clark based on loose agreements under the EO 219’s liberalized aviation policy in Clark. The formal agreements under a country-to-country air services agreement, which require a political process of negotiating for entitlements, public hearings, and the like, will be done afterward.

The budget carriers have been given temporary operating permits, renewable every month—a tedious process in an uncertain environment. Generally, airlines sell tickets that can be used for a period longer than one month.

“There are more airlines interested in Clark, but they want permanent permits. They want to feel secure. What we have for now is a shortcut to the process because time is of the essence,” Luciano says. “Our neighbors are leaving us behind.”

----------------------------------

:)

Check this one guys..more budget flights....

Jetstar Asia set to start flights to Manila
03/27 2:16:58 PM

SINGAPORE (AFP) - Jetstar Asia said Sunday it will start flying to
Manila from next month, becoming the second Singapore-based budget
carrier to offer flights to the Philippines.

The Qantas-backed carrier would fly daily to Manila's Ninoy Aquino
International Airport, with the inagural service scheduled on April
27, Jetstar Asia said in a statement.

To mark the launch of the route, the carrier was offering a
promotional fare of 99 Singapore dollars (60 US) for a one-way trip
for travel by June 30. Ticket sales for the promotional fare start
Monday.

Normal fares for a one-way ticket would start from 129 dollars once
the promotion period ends, Jetstar Asia said.

Tiger Airways, another Singapore-based budget carrier, said this
month it would start flying from April 5 to Clark Field, a former US
air force base about 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of Manila that
has been converted into a commercial airport.

Jetstar Asia, in which Australian national carrier Qantas has a 49
percent stake, began commercial flights in December. It currently
flies to Taipei, Hong Kong and Bangkok from the city-state.


- Seize the day, make your life extraordinary

this story was taken from www.inq7money.net

URL: http://money.inq7.net/breakingnews/view_breakingnews.php?yyyy=2005&mon=03&dd=30&file=18




Lufthansa aims to raise Manila passenger volume by 30%
Posted: 8:53 PM | Mar. 30, 2005
Erik de la Cruz
XFN-Asia


GERMAN carrier Lufthansa said it is targeting a 30-percent increase in passenger volume to and from the Philippines this year.

"We have more seats now for the Philippine market. Our target is to increase by 20 to 30 percent the passenger volume here," said Christopher Zimmer, Lufthansa's general manager for the Philippines, Guam, and Micronesia.

He sees a corresponding increase in revenue from the Philippine operations with the rise in passenger volume.

"We want to make this route more profitable for Frankfurt. We hope one day we can have non-stop flights to Manila again," Zimmer said during a press conference to launch the airline's new Airbus business class seats.

Lufthansa flies daily to Manila from Frankfurt.



copyright ©2005 INQ7money.net all rights reserved

I hope to see nonstop FRA-MNL once again too... ;)

question, exactly how did they increase their seats for the philippines? They changed their aircraft for their MNL-FRA route from a B744 to an A346. Which plane has a bigger passenger capacity? And besides, i don't think there is actually an increase coz they still have a stop over. And they still have to load passengers on the stop over. The only difference is that now instead off boarding Thais, they're gonna board Chinese people. And they still operate daily. So can somebody explain it to me?

question, exactly how did they increase their seats for the philippines? They changed their aircraft for their MNL-FRA route from a B744 to an A346. Which plane has a bigger passenger capacity? And besides, i don't think there is actually an increase coz they still have a stop over. And they still have to load passengers on the stop over. The only difference is that now instead off boarding Thais, they're gonna board Chinese people. And they still operate daily. So can somebody explain it to me?

hmmm. maybe more more thais travel the BKK-FRA route so less seats are available for the MNL-BKK-FRA segment. Chaging it to Canton may allot more seats for the MNL-CAN-FRA segment than the MNL-BKK-FRA segment.

The airline is offering a one-way fare for the Clark-Kuala Lumpur route for as low as 1,949 pesos, and a 1,799 pesos one-way fare for the Clark-Kota Kinabalu route. (Source: Inq7 (http://money.inq7.net/breakingnews/view_breakingnews.php?yyyy=2005&mon=03&dd=31&file=18))
That's very cheap if you ask me. I think it's even cheaper than flying Manila-Cebu. Amazing. :)

^ definitely!!! two things pinoy travellers always complain why they get discouraged on travelling domestic is very high plane fares & high hotel rates, compare to say HK or BKK :)

this is a wake up call to all pinoy full service commercial airlines, kaya ayaw talaga nila ng open skies, they want to maintain the cartel on imposing the fares, parang oil industry, well, it will soon end...

-------------

BtW, i see some corrections: sabi dito Guangzhou instead of Canton, & technical stop lang daw....

Internet at 35,000 feet

AND speaking of the Germans, Lufthansa established a local record of sorts when it became the first airline to offer unlimited on-board Internet access to Manila passengers.

Last Monday, Lufthansa began using the spanking new Airbus A340-600 for its Manila-Guangzhou-Frankfurt flight, whose Recaro-designed lie-flat business class seats also offer Internet and WLAN connections.

Along with the new route and the new aircraft, Lufthansa appears determined to push the Philippines as a tourist destination as well. Proof of this is that the new country manager, Christopher Zimmer, went to the resort island of Boracay four times even when he was still assigned to frigid Poland and a Philippine posting was only a gleam in his eyes.

If the first few months of traffic proves encouraging, Lufthansa just might junk the technical stop in Guangzhou and convert its daily flights to Frankfurt non-stop and give KLM-Air France -- currently the lone airline that flies straight to Europe (via Amsterdam) out of Manila -- real competition.

:)

This is kind of bad PR for PAL.. Expecially with a celeb involved

Korina: No, I didn’t use the F-word
FUNFARE By Ricardo F. Lo
The Philippine Star 04/01/2005

It’s the nightmare of every traveller (especially) out of the country – you know, arriving at your destination and not finding your luggage at the carousel.

It happened to – of all people! – Korina Sanchez two weeks ago when she went to Las Vegas for an exclusive interview with Manny Pacquiao after his bout with Erik Morales.

As usual when she had to cover an event abroad, Korina did two weeks worth of advance material in Manila for her ABS-CBN Sunday show Rated K and her DZMM radio program Tambalang Failon at Sanchez with Ted Failon. Korina was to send home her taped interviews for airing on the ABS-CBN newscast TV Patrol World.

She took the Philippine Airlines which, she said, "I have always loved...my airline of choice. First, it’s our own; and, second, I have a sister who is a stewardess. And I have Mabuhay Miles."

At the Centennial Airport, Korina checked in two pieces of identical Louis Vuitton luggage, both properly tagged. Upon arrival at the Las Vegas airport, Korina was graciously met by station chief Luis Ressurreccion with whom she had an animated conversation by the carousel while waiting for her two maletas to show up. Only one did.

To make a rather long (as long as the 15-hour flight from Manila via Vancouver) story short, it turned out that the other maleta was left behind in Manila. Horrors, the missing maleta contained all the things that Korina needed for her week-long stay in Las Vegas, including accessories (jewelry, etc.), documents and other research material, and the tapes to be used in her interviews with Pacquiao.

Anyway, after saying no to a PAL rep’s suggestion to leave the maleta in Manila and wait for to return home, Korina’s insistence on having her precious maleta paid off – two days later – when it was delivered to her doorstep. But during her first two days in Las Vegas, Korina had to rely on the generosity of friends who lent her the things that she needed – "And," said Korina, "I even had to borrow some clothes from Lani Misalucha (Based in Las Vegas; she sang the Philippine National Anthem during the Pacquiao-Morales fight. – RFL)."

Nightmare over?

Not quite.

When she checked in at the Las Vegas airport on her way back to Manila, Korina was informed by Ressurreccion that the flight was delayed by two hours. Oh, no? Oh, no!!!

"I had an appointment in Shanghai where I was to speak before 100 people upon the invitation of a Filipino-Chinese business community," said Korina. "I booked with PAL all the way. I had to fly back to Manila and wait for two hours for a connecting flight to Shanghai. But Ressurreccion told me that I would miss my flight to Shanghai. Oh, no!"

She simply resigned to the fact that she would miss the speaking engagement but to a later flight anyway to Shanghai. Upon arrival, Korina was aghast to discover that her two maletas had deep slices, even if, according to Korina, "they were okay when I checked them in at the Las Vegas airport."

End of the string of unpleasant incidents?

Not quite.

Back home, Korina found herself the subject of a nasty e-mail story to the effect that she made a scene at the Las Vegas Airport, scolded the PAL staffers at the check-in counter, using the "F-word."

"I have witnesses who can testify that no such use of the ‘F-word’ happened," Korina said. "I did complain, yes, just like what any other passenger would do in the same situation."

Now, who could have "authored" that nasty e-mail story? Did somebody who had a (secret?) grudge against Korina do it? Who’s the culprit? Is there an ongoing "smear" campaign against Korina?

PAL management is currently investigating the incident even as it promptly sent a letter of apology which reads:

Dear Ms. Sanchez,

I refer to your reported unfortunate incident that befell your luggage in your trip to Las Vegas and Shanghai.

On behalf of Philippine Airlines, I would like to offer our unreserved apology for the disappointment and inconvenience caused you. As a journalist covering the momentous Manny Pacquiao event in Las Vegas, we are one with you in being able to deliver to our countrymen a full and complete coverage of this historical (sic) match. We are saddened, therefore, that the undertaking was marred by such an incident, which we truly understand is very upsetting.

It is, likewise, with regrets to know of the inconvenience you have experienced on the delay of your flight from Las Vegas to Manila, causing you to re-route your Shanghai flight via Hong Kong. We have noted that the delay in your flight was due to an aircraft situation...

With regard to your damaged baggage, an investigation is now underway to determine the circumstances that led to the reported damage to your two pieces of checked baggage. As soon as we have the complete report, we shall communicate with you.

I am equally alarmed with the reported e-mail that has been circulating regarding this incident. We are also in the process of investigating the possible source of said e-mail.

Ms. Sanchez, again, our apologies for this unfortunate incident.

Very truly yours,

– JAIME J. BAUTISTA

President and Chief Operating Officer, Philippine Airlines

BTW, I see some corrections: sabi dito Guangzhou instead of Canton, & technical stop lang daw.

FYI, Guangzhou's former name was Canton, that's why it still retained CAN as their airport code. :)

wht if ur not a media celebrity like korina do u think ull get the same treatment if that happened to u??? jst asking lang

hmmm.. not unless you;re a million miler :D

i only take PAL and nothing else for my domestic flights, feeling me secured. having delay on flights for the airline to correct any aircraft problem would be considerable rather than pushing on to fly at risk like what happened to AirPhil crushed in Samal Island. must admit that PAL offered an expensive domestic airfare, but i can say i got my money's worth :)

pano na pag may maglanding na A380 anytime within this decade dito sa manila? are we ready for it?

http://www.usatoday.com/money/biztravel/2005-01-16-a380-side_x.htm

pano pag bumili ung PAL ng A380... parang tayo lang sa mga premiere airline companies dito sa SEA and hindi kumuha ng A380...

wht if ur not a media celebrity like korina do u think ull get the same treatment if that happened to u??? jst asking lang

no

i only take PAL and nothing else for my domestic flights, feeling me secured. having delay on flights for the airline to correct any aircraft problem would be considerable rather than pushing on to fly at risk like what happened to AirPhil crushed in Samal Island. must admit that PAL offered an expensive domestic airfare, but i can say i got my money's worth :)

cebu pacific will have new planes coming from airbus

pano na pag may maglanding na A380 anytime within this decade dito sa manila? are we ready for it?

http://www.usatoday.com/money/biztravel/2005-01-16-a380-side_x.htm

pano pag bumili ung PAL ng A380... parang tayo lang sa mga premiere airline companies dito sa SEA and hindi kumuha ng A380...


kasi walang pera ang PAL. and also, before they can have a major refleeting, they have to get out of rehab. :)

and i don't think that PAL should buy an A380 yet precisely because there just isn't enough space at NAIA let alone NAIA 2. Should they start services using an A380 and decide to remain at NAIA 2, then they'd have to park the aircraft at a remote area. And the same thing goes to T3. I don't think that the space in between the T3 gates is wide enough to fit an A380. They'll have to use a remote area as well. IMO, the govt should start planning changes to the t3 so that when the time comes and MNL becomes home to a few A380s, then it'll be ready. Wow. wouldn't that be saying something? :) Already planning improvements to the terminal without it being operational yet. :)

I'm not sure if this was previously posted (tinatamad ako magbrowse ehh.. :D)... I know of Tiger and Jet Star but didn't know the others before reading this...


3 budget airlines to mount charter flights to Clark

THE CIVIL Aeronautics Board (CAB) has given three Asian budget carriers the go-ahead to mount charter flights to and from the international airport in the Clark Special Economic Zone north of Manila.

Malaysia's Air Asia and Singapore's Tiger Airways are to start flying to Clark's Diosdado Macapagal International Airport next month and Thai Air Asia, a unit of the Malaysian firm, will launch flights within the first semester, CAB Executive Director Tomas Mañalac said.

The provisional approval given to these airlines will have to be renewed monthly, he said.
Tiger Asia wants to fly Singapore-Clark three times a week. Air Asia wants daily flights to Clark from Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu.

Tiger Airways, partly owned by Singapore Airlines, will charge $16 -- less than P900 -- for a one-way ticket from Clark to Singapore. Air Asia will sell its one-way Clark-Kuala Lumpur ticket for P1,000.

Jetstar Asia, another Singaporean low-cost carrier, is also set to launch Manila flights through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport starting April.

Airfares of budget carriers are up to 60 percent below regular fares.

At present, only South Korea's Asiana Airlines and Clark-based cargo carrier United Parcel Services use the Diosdado Macapagal airport. Asiana flies five times a week to Clark from Incheon.

Mañalac said Air Asia, Thai Air Asia and Tiger Airways were taking advantage of the "open skies" policy for passengers and cargo in Clark, a former American military airbase.
He said implementation of the policy had yet to be completed but a liberalized air charter program for Clark provided that the three carriers could mount charter flights to special economic zone.

"Charter flight approvals are flight specific so if they apply for a one-month authorization, they will have to apply again after a month," he said.

As an incentive, the carriers would enjoy exemption from aeronautical fees at Clark for six months.

High Ground : Why I’ll never fly with PAL again

Posted 11:51pm (Mla time) April 03, 2005
By William Esposo
INQ7.net



If you cannot even rely on an airline to deliver the most basic of services, you are certainly one big suicidal nut to even risk patronizing any of its fleet. My recent experience flying Philippine Airlines (PAL) proved to me just that.
My wife, Meyang, my sister Carol and I returned home after a week-long family reunion in Singapore on the Monday after Easter where we spent time with our sister Dorothy, who had been based there for the past two years or so as head of Bayer’s regional Corporate Communications.

Osteoarthritis on my left knee aggravated by a recent ACL injury now makes it necessary for me to take along my own wheelchair that’s suitably designed to carry someone of my build. It is impossible for my knee condition to support my 320-pound frame, give or take a pound or two before and after eating. It is equally difficult for me to find service wheelchairs, particularly in Asia, that are engineered to carry someone my size. As I can only be on my feet no longer than 10 minutes and can manage, albeit agonizingly, to walk no more than 500 meters, my precious wheelchair has become my survival kit, the one most important tool for my mobility and freedom.

Last year, I flew with Emirates to Italy with my wheelchair in tow. It was a long flight with a stopover in Dubai and my travel agent of many years had made the usual proper arrangements with the airline, making sure that my wheelchair would be available at the time I needed it. Without much ado, my wheelchair was on board sharing space in the very samecabin and available when I needed it.

The same arrangements were made with PAL for my trip to Singapore and back. I was allowed to bring my own wheelchair but it was up to the flight purser to determine whether it should be on board the cabin with me or loaded as priority cargo to be made available to me upon disembarkation. Should it not be possible to have the chair in the cabin, I was assured that I would be given the cue when it was ready on the bridge (also called the tube) so that I could deplane without any trouble.

When we arrived in Singapore on March 20, the wheelchair was there on the bridge waiting as we exited the aircraft and I was promptly wheeled out to the immigration area of Changi Airport. No problem at all. But this was not the case on our return to Manila last March 28. Somebody advised the flight crew of PAL PR 502 that the wheelchair was ready on the bridge and therefore I may deplane.

Since the wheelchair wasn’t in the bridge when I deplaned, I thought it could be at the terminal entrance. I was forced to hobble on crutches throughout the entire length of the tube, squeezing out rushing passengers to the much narrower space at my left. When I finally reached the part where the tube ends and the airport terminal begins, I was aghast to find nothing but an empty hallway except for the now dwindling number of people, passenger and crew alike, oozing out from the entrails of Flight PR 502.

Because of my physical condition, the NAIA provides me assistance through airport processing whenever I travel. That day, an old familiar Public Affairs supervisor, Ms. Grace Apolonio, was there to assist us. Grace also saw us off when we left for Singapore.

Grace was appalled to see me – instead of being wheeled in as usual, there I was, barely emerging intact from the tube, doddering like an incredible hulk about to expire on depleted batteries. Well aware of the risk I faced with the prolonged stress on my legs, Grace promptly rushed inside the terminal to get me a chair. When she came back with the chair, she also brought along a PAL Customer Service Assistant (CSA) whose ID tag read “Rosanna Geluz.”

Being the very first PAL representative to show up, I lost no time in pouring out my displeasure over the incident. To aggravate the situation, this so called customer service assistant had the temerity to snap back and say to me: “I did not promise you a wheelchair!” In this day and age where airline companies, and most any service organization for that matter, will move heaven and earth to appease a customer, much more one who is a patron of business class, this PAL representative throws us an attitude. My sister Carol could not help but tell her not to be impertinent.

Thanks to Grace, the airport staff managed to secure a service wheelchair. We then proceeded to clear immigration and secure our luggage. With all the brouhaha, we were among the last ones to reach the baggage carousel area, expecting to find our precious priority cargo on hand by then. In the stationary section in the middle of the luggage conveyor belt sat two infant strollers, still unclaimed – but no wheelchair. Was this some kind of a joke or some sardonic twist in PAL’s customer service philosophy, I was then beginning to wonder. Again, thanks to Grace’s resourcefulness, she was able to find a PAL staff member who was not assigned to our flight but who was able to produce the wheelchair. No thanks to PAL, a most memorable family reunion in Singapore ended with a sour note.

My sister Dorothy had long stopped patronizing PAL. Instead, she would much rather pay the price difference to fly her sons to visit her in Singapore via Singapore Airlines. She told me how a big cost-conscious multi-national firm had abandoned the idea of taking the cheaper PAL flights because the inefficiencies ended up more expensive in the long run.

In one of my businesses, I deal with visiting executives from major studios like Warner Bros., Sony Columbia, Fox, Universal – and all of them avoid flying PAL, even if PAL happens to offer more favorable schedules and prices. PAL lives up to its reputation as the Plane Always Late with delays now seemingly the rule rather than the exception. Our inbound and outbound journeys via this national carrier both suffered delays with the outbound lasting more than three hours. A Party-List Representative leaving for Japan on the same day we were leaving found his PAL flight cancelled. From the woeful stories of our family and friends alone, you can actually put up a website to accommodate passenger nightmares with PAL.

On the way home from the airport, that experience wiped out all the pleasant memories of our Singapore family reunion and I could not help mulling over these thoughts:

1. Why should I continue to patronize PAL? Why should I patronize an airline that cannot even provide the most basic of services that I saw other airlines extend with no hitch whatsoever? Should I ever again entrust my particular condition to an airline such as PAL that seems to find it particularly difficult to attend to special needs of customers like me?

2. I know from the history of aircraft tragedies that even the airplanes of world class airlines had been downed by a single worn out bolt or wire. If PAL cannot even minister to the simple and most basic problem of coordinating the whereabouts of a disabled passenger’s personal wheelchair, what assurance do I have that PAL is capable of the more difficult task of proper aircraft maintenance?

3. What assurance do I have that the attitude of that PAL ground stewardess – inappropriately referred to as “customer service assistant” – is not reflective of the corporate culture of PAL? It was an attitude that had no place in a service organization and had absolutely no justification especially considering the circumstances. We all know that PAL has been having union problems. Just a few years ago, they were all over the headlines because of their pilots’ and rank and file strikes. Even if only a minority of PAL pilots and mechanics has that same attitude, then PAL is a disaster waiting to happen.

4. We know that Lucio Tan, PAL owner, is under fire for tax evasion with his Fortune Tobacco Empire. Without passing judgment on his case, why should I take the risk of the possibility that PAL may, in some way, also be avoiding maintenance SOPs or expensive-to-adopt safety procedures?

I have had all the opportunities – and these opportunities exist to this day – to live overseas where I can be spared of third world inconveniences and the stink of a corrupt government. But I chose to stay and I chose to do my bit to get the truth out – the kind of truth that is meant to empower and set people free. This is my country for better or for worse.

But I do not have to live with Philippine Airlines. I do not have to endure and suffer their inefficiencies and their attitude. I do not even have to live with their so-called lower prices because now, with options like Tiger Air, there are much cheaper airfares with more reliable airline operators who can get you to your destination – alive and on time!

My family and I have had our fill of nightmares flying with PAL. The same goes to the many, many others we know whose own sad tales have remained undocumented. But the biggest tragedy of all is that the name Philippines is emblazoned on every aircraft that PAL flies. As a marketing professional, I know that that it is sheer folly to use your highly valued brand name on a product known to many people as a lemon.

The mismanagement of PAL may be but a microcosm of our country’s state of mismanagement. But as a Filipino, I shall henceforth refuse to patronize an airline that shames the Filipino’s dream to strive for respect and honor in a world that has become viciously tough and competitive.

cebu pacific will have new planes coming from airbus
First new A32X coming this month! :D

High Ground : Why I’ll never fly with PAL again

Posted 11:51pm (Mla time) April 03, 2005
By William Esposo
INQ7.net



If you cannot even rely on an airline to deliver the most basic of services, you are certainly one big suicidal nut to even risk patronizing any of its fleet. My recent experience flying Philippine Airlines (PAL) proved to me just that.
My wife, Meyang, my sister Carol and I returned home after a week-long family reunion in Singapore on the Monday after Easter where we spent time with our sister Dorothy, who had been based there for the past two years or so as head of Bayer’s regional Corporate Communications.

Osteoarthritis on my left knee aggravated by a recent ACL injury now makes it necessary for me to take along my own wheelchair that’s suitably designed to carry someone of my build. It is impossible for my knee condition to support my 320-pound frame, give or take a pound or two before and after eating. It is equally difficult for me to find service wheelchairs, particularly in Asia, that are engineered to carry someone my size. As I can only be on my feet no longer than 10 minutes and can manage, albeit agonizingly, to walk no more than 500 meters, my precious wheelchair has become my survival kit, the one most important tool for my mobility and freedom.

Last year, I flew with Emirates to Italy with my wheelchair in tow. It was a long flight with a stopover in Dubai and my travel agent of many years had made the usual proper arrangements with the airline, making sure that my wheelchair would be available at the time I needed it. Without much ado, my wheelchair was on board sharing space in the very samecabin and available when I needed it.

The same arrangements were made with PAL for my trip to Singapore and back. I was allowed to bring my own wheelchair but it was up to the flight purser to determine whether it should be on board the cabin with me or loaded as priority cargo to be made available to me upon disembarkation. Should it not be possible to have the chair in the cabin, I was assured that I would be given the cue when it was ready on the bridge (also called the tube) so that I could deplane without any trouble.

When we arrived in Singapore on March 20, the wheelchair was there on the bridge waiting as we exited the aircraft and I was promptly wheeled out to the immigration area of Changi Airport. No problem at all. But this was not the case on our return to Manila last March 28. Somebody advised the flight crew of PAL PR 502 that the wheelchair was ready on the bridge and therefore I may deplane.

Since the wheelchair wasn’t in the bridge when I deplaned, I thought it could be at the terminal entrance. I was forced to hobble on crutches throughout the entire length of the tube, squeezing out rushing passengers to the much narrower space at my left. When I finally reached the part where the tube ends and the airport terminal begins, I was aghast to find nothing but an empty hallway except for the now dwindling number of people, passenger and crew alike, oozing out from the entrails of Flight PR 502.

Because of my physical condition, the NAIA provides me assistance through airport processing whenever I travel. That day, an old familiar Public Affairs supervisor, Ms. Grace Apolonio, was there to assist us. Grace also saw us off when we left for Singapore.

Grace was appalled to see me – instead of being wheeled in as usual, there I was, barely emerging intact from the tube, doddering like an incredible hulk about to expire on depleted batteries. Well aware of the risk I faced with the prolonged stress on my legs, Grace promptly rushed inside the terminal to get me a chair. When she came back with the chair, she also brought along a PAL Customer Service Assistant (CSA) whose ID tag read “Rosanna Geluz.”

Being the very first PAL representative to show up, I lost no time in pouring out my displeasure over the incident. To aggravate the situation, this so called customer service assistant had the temerity to snap back and say to me: “I did not promise you a wheelchair!” In this day and age where airline companies, and most any service organization for that matter, will move heaven and earth to appease a customer, much more one who is a patron of business class, this PAL representative throws us an attitude. My sister Carol could not help but tell her not to be impertinent.

Thanks to Grace, the airport staff managed to secure a service wheelchair. We then proceeded to clear immigration and secure our luggage. With all the brouhaha, we were among the last ones to reach the baggage carousel area, expecting to find our precious priority cargo on hand by then. In the stationary section in the middle of the luggage conveyor belt sat two infant strollers, still unclaimed – but no wheelchair. Was this some kind of a joke or some sardonic twist in PAL’s customer service philosophy, I was then beginning to wonder. Again, thanks to Grace’s resourcefulness, she was able to find a PAL staff member who was not assigned to our flight but who was able to produce the wheelchair. No thanks to PAL, a most memorable family reunion in Singapore ended with a sour note.

My sister Dorothy had long stopped patronizing PAL. Instead, she would much rather pay the price difference to fly her sons to visit her in Singapore via Singapore Airlines. She told me how a big cost-conscious multi-national firm had abandoned the idea of taking the cheaper PAL flights because the inefficiencies ended up more expensive in the long run.

In one of my businesses, I deal with visiting executives from major studios like Warner Bros., Sony Columbia, Fox, Universal – and all of them avoid flying PAL, even if PAL happens to offer more favorable schedules and prices. PAL lives up to its reputation as the Plane Always Late with delays now seemingly the rule rather than the exception. Our inbound and outbound journeys via this national carrier both suffered delays with the outbound lasting more than three hours. A Party-List Representative leaving for Japan on the same day we were leaving found his PAL flight cancelled. From the woeful stories of our family and friends alone, you can actually put up a website to accommodate passenger nightmares with PAL.

On the way home from the airport, that experience wiped out all the pleasant memories of our Singapore family reunion and I could not help mulling over these thoughts:

1. Why should I continue to patronize PAL? Why should I patronize an airline that cannot even provide the most basic of services that I saw other airlines extend with no hitch whatsoever? Should I ever again entrust my particular condition to an airline such as PAL that seems to find it particularly difficult to attend to special needs of customers like me?

2. I know from the history of aircraft tragedies that even the airplanes of world class airlines had been downed by a single worn out bolt or wire. If PAL cannot even minister to the simple and most basic problem of coordinating the whereabouts of a disabled passenger’s personal wheelchair, what assurance do I have that PAL is capable of the more difficult task of proper aircraft maintenance?

3. What assurance do I have that the attitude of that PAL ground stewardess – inappropriately referred to as “customer service assistant” – is not reflective of the corporate culture of PAL? It was an attitude that had no place in a service organization and had absolutely no justification especially considering the circumstances. We all know that PAL has been having union problems. Just a few years ago, they were all over the headlines because of their pilots’ and rank and file strikes. Even if only a minority of PAL pilots and mechanics has that same attitude, then PAL is a disaster waiting to happen.

4. We know that Lucio Tan, PAL owner, is under fire for tax evasion with his Fortune Tobacco Empire. Without passing judgment on his case, why should I take the risk of the possibility that PAL may, in some way, also be avoiding maintenance SOPs or expensive-to-adopt safety procedures?

I have had all the opportunities – and these opportunities exist to this day – to live overseas where I can be spared of third world inconveniences and the stink of a corrupt government. But I chose to stay and I chose to do my bit to get the truth out – the kind of truth that is meant to empower and set people free. This is my country for better or for worse.

But I do not have to live with Philippine Airlines. I do not have to endure and suffer their inefficiencies and their attitude. I do not even have to live with their so-called lower prices because now, with options like Tiger Air, there are much cheaper airfares with more reliable airline operators who can get you to your destination – alive and on time!

My family and I have had our fill of nightmares flying with PAL. The same goes to the many, many others we know whose own sad tales have remained undocumented. But the biggest tragedy of all is that the name Philippines is emblazoned on every aircraft that PAL flies. As a marketing professional, I know that that it is sheer folly to use your highly valued brand name on a product known to many people as a lemon.

The mismanagement of PAL may be but a microcosm of our country’s state of mismanagement. But as a Filipino, I shall henceforth refuse to patronize an airline that shames the Filipino’s dream to strive for respect and honor in a world that has become viciously tough and competitive.
Ayyyyeeeee yet another depressing story on PAL... I mean I've seen some positive things coming out of the airline but dang, still sad to see this continue...:(

First new A32X coming this month! :D



and here it is!!! :)

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/809735/M/

Awesome!! Its fresh and clean:) Nice colors and its quite big

ya u could almost smell the fresh paint, hope to fly with cebu pacific for the first time in this brand new plane when i go home to davao from manila, ive always flown pal using their a-330 aircraft

My goodness...........that thing looks FANTASTIC!!!!! :eek2: Thanks for the link Solblanc! :D I'll spread the news in Airliners.net. ;)

wow! it really looks great :)

anyway, here's an article from inq7.net about PAL.

Special PAL flight for Arroyo to Rome
Posted 11:59pm (Mla time) April 04, 2005
Inquirer News Service

ON A SPECIAL Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is flying to the Vatican at 8 tonight to represent Asia's biggest Roman Catholic nation in the funeral of Pope John Paul II.

The flight is considered special because PAL has not been flying to Europe since 1998.

The President and her party would have a nonstop flight from Manila to Rome on an Airbus 340, which can seat more than 200 people.

click here (http://news.inq7.net/nation/index.php?index=1&story_id=32600) for the whole article.

source: www.inq7.net

It's good to hear that President Arroyo will be attending the memorial services of the late Pope John Paul II... :( It's bad to hear how the airline schedule might be affected due to the high utilization of PAL's fleet... :runaway:

hoping PAL will expand their services here in Europe especially in London, United Kingdom.

the new Cebu Pacific A320 looks great...! after reading about yet another incident with PAL, I think I'm about to give up on the fudging airline and fly with 5J - especially after the complete refleet - whenever possible. does PAL's staff responsible for mishaps like these not get reprimanded whenever they happen, or are the higher ups too f-ing messed up to even give a damn?!

anyways, they'll finally be back in Europe - even if it's just once. they only have four A340s so it will for sure mess up schedules to their North American destinations as well as some regional services...

anyways, they'll finally be back in Europe - even if it's just once. they only have four A340s so it will for sure mess up schedules to their North American destinations as well as some regional services...
Seriously... :runaway:

I'll try to keep an eye out for any anomalies PAL's schedule...

top stories

MANILA, PHILIPPINES | Tuesday, April 5, 2005
Focus
Entry of budget airliners: RP warms up to the global trend
By FRANCIS Y. CAPISTRANO, Reporter

Last year, budget airliners, or low-cost carriers, started to take off and land in different parts of Southeast Asia.

And although critics said the industry model would not work in a region laden with complex restrictions on routes and traffic rights, it was, on the contrary, well-received by the market.

In Singapore's Changi airport, for example, low-cost carriers accounted for 7% of traffic, and proof of this niche's lucrative prospect was airport management's decision to build a terminal that would exclusively service their flights.

The worldwide trend of budget air fares is also about to take off locally. Low-cost carriers have begun to apply with the local Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) for permission to fly to Philippine destinations.

In an interview, CAB deputy executive director Carmelo Arcilla told BusinessWorld that no-frills carriers have started to enter in recent months.

"Actually, it's a trend all over the world, a rise in budget airlines. They are establishing a new niche in the aviation market," he said.

He also said the low-budget carriers were flying in either within existing bilateral air rights agreements or extra-bilaterally through charter flights, adding that the development was good for the market in terms of lower fares and the creation of new routes.

CAB implemented a liberalized charter program two years ago. The program, which aims to improve the tourism industry, allows charter airlines to issue individual tickets to passengers and to make scheduled trips, including in areas not served by domestic carriers.

SELLING WELL

Singapore-based Tiger Air, 49% owned by Singapore Airlines, has scheduled for today its maiden Singapore-Clark-Singapore flight.

Early in March it began selling tickets for flights to the Philippines; the one-way trip ticket is $16 (P880 at P55:$1).

Tiger Airways chief executive officer Tony Davis said in a response to a questionnaire sent through e-mail that Clark-Singapore flights had been selling well online, in both the Singapore and Philippine markets.

"With offers of consistent low fares, travellers are able to fly not only more frequently but also to more destinations in the region," he said.

"This encourages more visitors across the region and in turn helps the economy through more transactions which provide jobs to the people of the Philippines," he added.

At present, there are only 70 Singapore-Manila commercial flights weekly, compared with 200 for Singapore-Hong Kong, and 400 for Singapore-Jakarta. Budget flights are seen to increase the frequency of flights between Manila and other Asian destinations.

Tiger Air previously announced the offering of Singapore-Clark flights thrice weekly this month, which will be increased to five in June.

Meanwhile, Malaysia-based AirAsia, the pioneer and top no-frills airline in the region, also starts today flights to Clark from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

Seats for these flights are also on sale online, and a regular round-trip ticket costs $68.40 (P3,762 at P55:$1).

Jetstar Asia, 49% owned by Australian flag carrier Qantas Airlines and based in Singapore, will be the second Singapore-based budget airline to offer Singapore-Manila flights via the Ninoy Aquino International Airport starting April 27, according to a statement.

Its promotional fare until June 30 is $60 (P3,300 at $55:1) for a round-trip ticket.

Already flying five times weekly into Clark is Asiana Airlines of Korea through the liberalized charter program. CAB announced last week that two other low-csot carriers -- Air Asia of Thailand and Air Asia Berhad of Malaysia -- also plan to fly to Clark from Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, respectively.

Late last year, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo announced the review of the bilateral air agreement with Singapore to facilitate more flights.

The policy of air traffic liberalization is part of the framework to promote tourism under the govermnment's Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan.

HUB

In a separate interview, Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano said the strategy was for the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in Clark Field, Pampanga to be the hub for international low-cost carriers.

"If there are components of our packages that can be lowered, then it will further open up the Philippines to more markets," he said

He noted that the tourism sector was not competitive in the mass market.

"Business dynamics will entail all carriers to be selling the destination [Philippines] as well, for them to get the traffic. So the dual benefit here is lowering the air fare component of our packages, and also, helping us promote [our] destinations," he said.

In late last year, when Mrs. Arroyo and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Long announced the approval of budget airlines coming in through Clark Field, Philippine Airlines (PAL), as expected, initially did not welcome the news; in particular, it warned that this would cripple the aviation industry and displace workers.

However, in an interview with BusinessWorld, Rolando Estabillo, PAL vice-president for corporate communications, said PAL did not oppose the entry of low-cost carriers per se, and, in fact, has not filed an official opposition with CAB on the matter.

"We believe that we can hold our own here because we have our unique brand of service," he said. "Let's see how far this will go."

Mr. Estabillo refused to disclose plans in relation to the entry of low-cost carriers since PAL was on a wait-and-see.

In the meantime, he added, PAL is confident in maintaining its position as its long-time existence will allow it to face the competition squarely.

ENCOURAGING MORE COMPETITION

For Cebu Pacific, general manager Danilo J. Mojica II said in an interview that "Low-cost carriers are like a manifestation that airline travel now can be commoditized they try to make it a little bit lower-cost so that they can offer low fares to allow more to travel."

He said the presence of low-cost carriers tend to expand the market and improve tourism -- and the local carriers would benefit in bringing people to other destinations from either Clark or NAIA.

"The natural offshoot of that is if [passengers] want to go to other destinations within the Philippines, it's going to be the local carriers that will carry these travellers, unless they go by boat or by bus," he said.

Mr. Mojica said the entry of budget airliners could also force local carriers to be more competitive and more efficient. "I think it's going to be a pretty good call even for Philippine carriers to take note that these [low-cost carriers] have come to our shores and at some point may even fly within our shores," he said.

He noted that Cebu Pacific was modelled after low-cost carriers in the United States, which also offered no-frills flights.

Cebu Pacific has already captured more than a third of the domestic market.

In preparation for the entry of more budget airlines from the region, Mr. Mojica said his company would make sure its costs would be competitive.

In addition, Cebu Pacific is re-fleeting with the purchase of 12 new planes and the leasing of two others.

It is also considering a joint venture with Singapore Airlines Engineering Corp. to handle aircraft maintenance functions.

He said the company would expand within the Asia Pacific region, particularly to Japan, Korea, China, and Hong Kong, as travellers from these destinations were the top tourist arrivals after balikbayans from the US.

Cebu Pacific has flights to Korea six times weekly, to Hong Kong 14 times weekly, and daily flights to Shenzen, China will start this month.

Mr. Mojica said Cebu Pacific has availed itself of seven new entitlements to Japan, and would start flying there towards the end of the third quarter or the start of fourth quarter.

DIRECTIONS

Meanwhile, Capt. Aljess Lasmarias, general manager of Omni Aviation Corp. in Clark Field, said the entry of regional low-cost carriers would have a positive impact on the local aviation and tourism industries.

"[They] bring us one step closer in realizing Clark as an international gateway for the Philippines," he said.

But he also said the Macapagal airport needed better facilities. It lacks an approach radar, and it needs to expand its passenger terminal, which, as it is, is smaller than a domestic airport terminal.

He also noted the need to have a fast rail service from Clark to Manila, to reduce travel time.

The provision of rail service is now being undertaken with the Northrail project that will revive the northern line of the Philippine National Railways at least until Central Luzon, in particular, to connect Manila to Clark Field.

On the open-skies policy and liberalization of air travel, Mr. Lasmarias said the government must "tread the middle point" between totally unregulated competition and protectionism.

"You liberalize areas where you see a need [to increase] carriers," he said.

For example, India's skies are "open" only for certain months. In the same manner, he said, the term of Manila's open skies should not be unlimited.

and here it is!!! :)

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/809735/M/


awwright, can't wait to fly on that baby to davao!

Booyah!!!! Check out which pic is @ the top of the last 24 hours in Airliners.net! :D

Eh...ironically the tread I started there is still dead...>>;;

http://www.airliners.net/discussions/general_aviation/read.main/2037080/

I know that the Philippines is cash-strapped, but I was wondering why doesn't the government have a dedicated aircraft for the President's official use (like Air Force One here in the US) rather than sequestering one of PAL's aircrafts and disrupt their flight schedules.

may LEARJET si madam president.. The prob is... d ata kaya ultra-long-haul flight na MNL-Rome... Kaya nagcharter ng A340

i beleive shes using the phil airforce fokker 50 jet ??? as the offical presidential plane but mainly for domestic flights and for nearby countries in southt east asia, she usually use the pal plane or executive jet charter in really depends on how many people are coming with her, for long haul routes like europe and america the government has to charter the pal wide bodied planes or they usually block all the first class cabin on commercial flights... incidentally the fokker 50 was completely refurbished in singapore but the afp delayed in the payment and the firm threten to take the aircraft and not to return to the phil government but in the end the government release the payment and the plane return to the country good as new

More airlines eye Clark flights
Posted: 1:12 AM | Apr. 07, 2005 Clarissa S. Batino
Inquirer News Service

AT LEAST five more foreign budget and full-service airlines are planning to mount flights to and from the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in the Clark Special Economic Zone north of Manila, a Clark official said.

These include leading Middle East carrier Emirates, Virgin Blue of Australia, and Spring Airlines of China, said Victor Jose Luciano, executive vice president of Clark Development Corp. (CDC)



The increasing interest of aviation players to operate in Clark has prompted the CDC to fast track plans for a P2-billion upgrade of the airport, which should begin this year, Luciano said.

"We are getting inquiries from a lot of airlines that are looking at Clark as one of their destinations," he said. "We already had initial talks with Virgin Blue and Spring of China."

Danilo Augusto Francia, president of Clark International Airport Corp., said Emirates visited the Macapagal Airport during the Holy Week to inspect the facilities.

He said the Clark airport agency also received an inquiry from another Singapore-based budget carrier, Valuair, following the entry of Tiger Airways that started flying to Clark last April 5.

Another no-frills player, Jetstar Asia, will begin flights from Singapore to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport this month.

Luciano said an American full-service airline, which he refused to name, had also made inquiries about flying to the Clark airport.

There are now three passenger carriers operating in Clark, plus the cargo lines of United Parcel Service.

Luciano said Clark was ideal for budget airlines because the Macapagal Airport charges low fees and, as an incentive, even agrees to waive aeronautical fees for the first six months. With INQ7.net

wow that's good news :D

so what's included in that P2-billion upgrade? does anyone know the details of such upgrade (what will be upgraded, etc?)

hopefully, dmia will get really, really busy so that a bigger terminal is imminent :colgate:

sweet!! looks like the big terminal at DMIA might not be too far off now...

i just went to check out Virgin Blue's website and they don't fly out to many int'l outside the Australasia region. I wonder why they would consider flying into DMIA... Emirates is entering DMIA is exciting though!

@tyronne - I think the P2B upgrade was the one that PGMA announced a couple months ago... last year pa ata. I forgot what it covered, but I thought all along it was already in the works. I guess they're still waiting to push through with it...

sweet!! looks like the big terminal at DMIA might not be too far off now...

i just went to check out Virgin Blue's website and they don't fly out to many int'l outside the Australasia region. I wonder why they would consider flying into DMIA... Emirates is entering DMIA is exciting though!

@tyronne - I think the P2B upgrade was the one that PGMA announced a couple months ago... last year pa ata. I forgot what it covered, but I thought all along it was already in the works. I guess they're still waiting to push through with it...

thanks, absent :)

that american full-service airline is quite intriguing as well :okay: meron pa silang suspense-suspense na nalalaman hehehe!

thanks, absent :)

that american full-service airline is quite intriguing as well :okay: meron pa silang suspense-suspense na nalalaman hehehe!

oh yeah, I forgot about the full-service American carrier. I wonder what that could be... Continental, maybe??

oh yeah, I forgot about the full-service American carrier. I wonder what that could be... Continental, maybe??

hmmm... honestly i have no idea haha! :lol:

umm... I just found out about my dad planning a trip to HK in his email to my mom and he might be taking one of the LCCs flying into DMIA! haha! I think it's Air Asia cause he mentioned KUL, Malaysia. I dunno if he's gonna take a full-service airline from KUL into HKG, or if he's even gonna go through KUL as he might've just been mentioning the incredibly cheap fares. I'll ask him one of these days though, and if he will be taking a trip from DMIA, I'll ask him to get shots of the terminal at Clark...

hmmm... honestly i have no idea haha! :lol:
haha! I dunno why Continental came into my head...

NWA doesn't seem very likely. I think those are the only American carriers that fly into the country, right...? but yeah, it could be any airline right now...

sayang wala pang LCC flying directly to hongkong from clark.. and i dont see any news that the LCC of HK (dragon air) will opt to go to clark.. tsk tsk..

but im keeping my fingers crossed.. ;)

haha! I dunno why Continental came into my head...

NWA doesn't seem very likely. I think those are the only American carriers that fly into the country, right...? but yeah, it could be any airline right now...

how about Delta and United...

Gov’t to Seek Cancellation of $93-M Airports Loan
Business World - 03/04/05

The government will ask the Asian Development
Bank (ADB) to formally cancel a $93-
million loan earmarked for a project that
seeks to upgrade key domestic airports in
Palawan and Mindanao. The Department of
Transportation and Communication has encountered
problems in implementing the
Third Airports Development Project
(TADP). It seeks to upgrade key domestic
airports in Palawan, Zamboanga del Norte
and del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Cotabato
and Tawi-Tawi to meet International Civil
Aviation Organization standards. It seeks to
upgrade and extend runways, improve air
navigation and safety facilities and expand
cargo capacities; construct passenger terminals
and rehabilitate existing ones, and provide
equipment for airfield maintenance,
communications, navigation, meteorology,
and crash, fire and rescue. The total cost of
the project was estimated at $167 million.
Aside from ADB, the European Investment
Bank provided co-financing of $29-million,
with the rest of the project cost to be shouldered
by the government.

Northwest Airlines is the only US carrier that connects the Philippines via their lay-overs at NRT, KIX and NGO. Continental also flies to the Philippines but it's under their subsidiary Air Micronesia. Delta does not fly its planes to the Philippines but can be code-shared with their partner carriers on SkyTeam (Korean Air, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Northwest Airlines and Continental Airlines), the same is true with United Airlines, they code-share flights with their Star Alliance partners (Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, Asiana Airlines, Lufthansa and ANA) to the Philippines, but don't fly their own planes there. :colgate:

sayang wala pang LCC flying directly to hongkong from clark.. and i dont see any news that the LCC of HK (dragon air) will opt to go to clark.. tsk tsk..

but im keeping my fingers crossed.. ;)

that will be great cheaper rates than pal, cathay and cebu pacific cant wait to go to hkg when disneyland opens

Newest Runway Inaugurated
The Philippine Star - 03/11/05

A P40-million, two-km. runway has been
formally inaugurated in San Luis, Aurora.
Southeast Asian Air will launch within the
year the inaugural flight for the runway
with commercial planes which have a capacity
of 32 passengers. The runway’s
construction started in 1992 but its completion
took more than 10 years because
of lack of funds. The project was opened
in 2000 with the inaugural flight in 2001
but then Pres. Joseph Estrada was ousted.
Shortly after, right-of-way problems occurred
after the remaining landowners
refused to sell a parcel of land straddling
the runway. This prompted the ATO to
file a case for expropriation which is still
pending with the Regional Trial Court.

70 joined Arroyo in historic flight

SEVENTY-ONE passengers, including President Macapagal-Arroyo and her daughter Luli, were on board Philippine Airlines' special flight to Rome which left Wednesday night.

"This is a historic flight for PAL," Jaime Bautista, the airline president, told reporters after checking in. "It's the first time that we are flying to Europe since 1998, and we're going there for the funeral of the Pope."

PAL flight PR 001 was chartered for the funeral of Pope John Paul II today at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. Ms Arroyo, her official party and the rest of the Philippine delegation arrived at Rome's Fiumicino Airport yesterday at around 7 a.m. (1 p.m. in Manila).

A source told the Inquirer that apart from Bautista, eight other PAL executives were part of the delegation. But PAL owner Lucio Tan and other prominent businessmen did not join the special flight.

Bautista said it had become standard practice for either Tan or himself to accompany Ms Arroyo whenever she used the national flag carrier on a trip abroad.

For the flight, PAL used a 268-seat Airbus 340, with Captains Butch Generoso and Rene Lim as pilot and co-pilot, respectively. A dozen crew members were also on board.

Generoso is the chief pilot of PAL's fleet of Airbuses and Lim is senior vice president for flight operations, Bautista said.

But how much will the chartered flight cost, given that there were only 71 passengers on the 268-seat aircraft?

"There's a charter contract between PAL and Malacañang. But, of course, the rates are confidential," Bautista said.

According to an industry source, it would be difficult to estimate how much a chartered flight to Europe costs.

"That's a tough question because there are many considerations for a chartered flight," the source told the Inquirer yesterday.

Aside from the cost of jet fuel, there are instances when an aircraft is charged for the route it takes, the source said.

"Then there's the crew. Is it a voluntary crew or a fully operational crew?" the source said. "There are many factors that come into play and substantially change the mathematics."

On the average, a round-trip ticket to Europe costs $800-$1,100 (economy class) and $2,300-$2,700 (business class), the source added.

The others who left with the President and her daughter were Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye, Georgina de Venecia, Presidential Security Group chief Delfin Bangit, former Ambassador to the Holy See Howard Dee, Cecille Guidote-Alvarez, Social Security System chief Thelmo Cunanan and his wife, Inquirer columnist Belinda Olivares-Cunanan, and Batangas Rep. Hermilando Mandanas.

Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla, San Fernando Archbishop Paciano Aniceto, Bataan Bishop Socrates Villegas, Ipil Bishop Antonio Ledesma, Sr. Lou Solijon, Sr. Ma. Luz Mijares, Sr. Clarissa Vallaque and Teresa Tunay were also on board.

Likewise part of the unofficial delegation were Angel Atutubo, Manila International Airport Authority assistant general manager for security and emergency services, and Ambassador Preciosa Soliven.

The media members on board were TV reporters Pia Arcangel of GMA 7 and Karen Davila of ABS-CBN and their respective cameramen.

Heherson Alvarez, a former senator and ex-spokesperson of the ruling Lakas party, said his wife Cecille was representing the cultural sector in the delegation.

Alvarez recalled that in 1989, his wife's theater of the handicapped performed for the Pope, himself an actor in his youth. "There were about 20 Filipino performers and the Pope even welcomed them individually," he said.

Asked why he did not join his wife on the trip, Alvarez said Ms Arroyo did not invite him to be part of the delegation.

'Diplomatic miracle'

Archbishop Aniceto barely made the flight because of an expired Schengen visa.

"Malacañang didn't notice that my visa had expired. I was already resigned to go home," he told the Inquirer.

Aniceto waited at an office at the Centennial Terminal while the Palace coordinated with the Philippine Embassy in Rome.

An Inquirer source said Aniceto was permitted to go and would be met by an embassy officer at the Rome airport to explain his visa to immigration authorities.

"This is a diplomatic miracle by Pope John Paul! I really prayed hard to him that I would be able to attend his funeral," a smiling Aniceto said.

Capalla, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, said he and the other members of the clergy would stay at the Colegio Filipino in Rome, a dormitory for Filipino priests studying there.

Sin's health

Villegas said the Pope left wonderful memories for Filipinos with his visits to the Philippines, especially during the World Youth Day celebration in 1995 that drew a record number of young devotees.

Asked about his ailing mentor, Jaime Cardinal Sin, Villegas said the prelate was "very sad" that he would not be able to pay his last respects to the Pope.

Sin and John Paul II were good friends.

Villegas said Sin was not allowed by his doctors to make the long trip to Rome.

"Hindi na kaya ng kalusugan niya (His health can't take it)," Villegas said. "And in Rome, the work for the cardinals will be very stressful when they vote for the next pope and discuss the issues."

Nevertheless, Sin's health was "stable," the bishop said.

I hope flight spotters get a couple shots of it over in Europe. did PAL use to serve Rome when it was still flying to Europe?

anyways, ummm... here's a new shot of Cebu Pacific's new A320 at Airbus in Tolouse.
http://www.planepictures.net/netshow.php?id=320798

is it taking off for MNL already? can't wait to see it at NAIA!! :D

Yes PAL did serve FCO.....and surprisingly ATH as well at one point! O_O

that's Cebu Pacific in France?.... Does Cebu Pacific fly there?... I thought it only have HongKong and Seoul as its international destination....

Yes PAL did serve FCO.....and surprisingly ATH as well at one point! O_O

Add LGW, CDG, AMS, FRA and ZRH to that list of European destinations once served by PAL. :)

that's Cebu Pacific in France?.... Does Cebu Pacific fly there?... I thought it only have HongKong and Seoul as its international destination....

No, Cebu Pacific does not fly to France (yet! ;) ). Toulouse is where the Airbus consortium is headquartered. Those are Cebu Pacific's newly ordered aircrafts from Airbus Industries. :)

Add LGW, CDG, AMS, FRA and ZRH to that list of European destinations once served by PAL. :)

PAL used to fly the MNL-BKK-KHI-FCO-FRA-AMS route twice weekly. Then in 1979 they added ATH together with BAH. They subsequently added a twice weekly flight to LGW through FRA in March 1980 when they got their third 747-200, and a twice weekly FRA passing through ZRH once a week in 1982. At that time they flew to seven destinations in europe!

70 joined Arroyo in historic flight

SEVENTY-ONE passengers, including President Macapagal-Arroyo and her daughter Luli, were on board Philippine Airlines' special flight to Rome which left Wednesday night.

"This is a historic flight for PAL," Jaime Bautista, the airline president, told reporters after checking in. "It's the first time that we are flying to Europe since 1998, and we're going there for the funeral of the Pope."

PAL flight PR 001 was chartered for the funeral of Pope John Paul II today at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. Ms Arroyo, her official party and the rest of the Philippine delegation arrived at Rome's Fiumicino Airport yesterday at around 7 a.m. (1 p.m. in Manila).

A source told the Inquirer that apart from Bautista, eight other PAL executives were part of the delegation. But PAL owner Lucio Tan and other prominent businessmen did not join the special flight.

Bautista said it had become standard practice for either Tan or himself to accompany Ms Arroyo whenever she used the national flag carrier on a trip abroad.

For the flight, PAL used a 268-seat Airbus 340, with Captains Butch Generoso and Rene Lim as pilot and co-pilot, respectively. A dozen crew members were also on board.

Generoso is the chief pilot of PAL's fleet of Airbuses and Lim is senior vice president for flight operations, Bautista said.

But how much will the chartered flight cost, given that there were only 71 passengers on the 268-seat aircraft?

"There's a charter contract between PAL and Malacañang. But, of course, the rates are confidential," Bautista said.

According to an industry source, it would be difficult to estimate how much a chartered flight to Europe costs.

"That's a tough question because there are many considerations for a chartered flight," the source told the Inquirer yesterday.

Aside from the cost of jet fuel, there are instances when an aircraft is charged for the route it takes, the source said.

"Then there's the crew. Is it a voluntary crew or a fully operational crew?" the source said. "There are many factors that come into play and substantially change the mathematics."

On the average, a round-trip ticket to Europe costs $800-$1,100 (economy class) and $2,300-$2,700 (business class), the source added.

The others who left with the President and her daughter were Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye, Georgina de Venecia, Presidential Security Group chief Delfin Bangit, former Ambassador to the Holy See Howard Dee, Cecille Guidote-Alvarez, Social Security System chief Thelmo Cunanan and his wife, Inquirer columnist Belinda Olivares-Cunanan, and Batangas Rep. Hermilando Mandanas.

Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla, San Fernando Archbishop Paciano Aniceto, Bataan Bishop Socrates Villegas, Ipil Bishop Antonio Ledesma, Sr. Lou Solijon, Sr. Ma. Luz Mijares, Sr. Clarissa Vallaque and Teresa Tunay were also on board.

Likewise part of the unofficial delegation were Angel Atutubo, Manila International Airport Authority assistant general manager for security and emergency services, and Ambassador Preciosa Soliven.

The media members on board were TV reporters Pia Arcangel of GMA 7 and Karen Davila of ABS-CBN and their respective cameramen.

Heherson Alvarez, a former senator and ex-spokesperson of the ruling Lakas party, said his wife Cecille was representing the cultural sector in the delegation.

Alvarez recalled that in 1989, his wife's theater of the handicapped performed for the Pope, himself an actor in his youth. "There were about 20 Filipino performers and the Pope even welcomed them individually," he said.

Asked why he did not join his wife on the trip, Alvarez said Ms Arroyo did not invite him to be part of the delegation.

'Diplomatic miracle'

Archbishop Aniceto barely made the flight because of an expired Schengen visa.

"Malacañang didn't notice that my visa had expired. I was already resigned to go home," he told the Inquirer.

Aniceto waited at an office at the Centennial Terminal while the Palace coordinated with the Philippine Embassy in Rome.

An Inquirer source said Aniceto was permitted to go and would be met by an embassy officer at the Rome airport to explain his visa to immigration authorities.

"This is a diplomatic miracle by Pope John Paul! I really prayed hard to him that I would be able to attend his funeral," a smiling Aniceto said.

Capalla, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, said he and the other members of the clergy would stay at the Colegio Filipino in Rome, a dormitory for Filipino priests studying there.

Sin's health

Villegas said the Pope left wonderful memories for Filipinos with his visits to the Philippines, especially during the World Youth Day celebration in 1995 that drew a record number of young devotees.

Asked about his ailing mentor, Jaime Cardinal Sin, Villegas said the prelate was "very sad" that he would not be able to pay his last respects to the Pope.

Sin and John Paul II were good friends.

Villegas said Sin was not allowed by his doctors to make the long trip to Rome.

"Hindi na kaya ng kalusugan niya (His health can't take it)," Villegas said. "And in Rome, the work for the cardinals will be very stressful when they vote for the next pope and discuss the issues."

Nevertheless, Sin's health was "stable," the bishop said.




i wonder who sat in first class, business class, and who got stuck in economy? hehehe. of course, no doubt about it that GMA got first class. And also, how the plane would look like flying 30000 feet above sea level with majority of the seats at the back empty. hehehe

DoT making the archipelago more accessible by air travel

The Department of Tourism in coordination with the DoTC has fast-tracked the construction of new airports and the upgrading of existing gateways across the country, in a bid to make the islands more accessible, attract more investments to the regions and to further boost international and domestic travel.


New airports are being constructed in Loakan and Bagabag in Cordillera, San Fernando, La Union, and in El Nido, Palawan. Meanwhile, upgrading and expansion work are being done in airports in Vigan, Busuanga as well as the international airports in Clark, Laoag, and Palawan.

Other airports scheduled for construction and upgrading are the Regional International Airport in Daraga City in Albay; Caticlan Airport in Aklan; the new Iloilo Airport; Silay Airport in Bacolod; Bohol’s Panglao and Tagbilaran airports; Tacloban’s Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport; the new Zamboanga International Airport; Iligan’s Baloi Airport, as well as those in Dipolog and Pagadian.

Next in line are the airports in Laguindingan, Cotabato, Siargao, Butuan, and the Sanga-Sanga Airport in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The DoT together with the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) are prioritizing this joint program which when completed will make the country more competitive globally and propel it to greater heights of development and prosperity.

"The enhanced efforts of the DoT and the DoTC to attract more local and foreign tourists would ultimately translate to national economic growth, as more tourists mean more jobs and livelihood opportunities for all," Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano said.

Tourists and investors bound for Baguio, Banaue, Sagada and other destinations in the Cordillera region will have an option to skip the 8-12-hour land trip and reach these places in an hour via plane as soon as construction work on the runway and terminal facilities at the Loakan and Bagabag Airports are completed.

Durano said shortened travel time, increase in visitors and economic development can also be expected in the provinces of Abra, Benguet, La Union, Ilocos, and Pangasinan upon completion of the Laoag International Airport upgrading work, construction of Vigan Airport runway extension, and with the opening of a new airport in San Fernando, La Union.

According to Durano, another international gateway that is fast attracting investments for Luzon, is the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in Clark, Pampanga. The DMIA terminal currently serves an average of 800,000 passengers a year. This number is expected to surge to 1.5 million in the next five years when expansion work of its passenger terminal is done.

The tourism chief also reported a plan to upgrade the Palawan International Airport to international standards, after improvements in the existing Busuanga Airport and the construction of the El Nido Airport are completed.

That's good news! Opening up parts of the country to more foreign markets will surely advance the Philippines stature on the tourism map. Although I highly doubt that we'll be seeing wide-bodied planes (like a B747) touching down at Loakan Airport in Baguio City, but that would be one helluva white-knuckle landing if it does happen, much like the famed final approach at Hong Kong's old Kai Tak Airport. :)

Indeed sounds good to hear improvements happening/planned. Let's just hope all of this makes it out of paper...

yeah... I hope these pushes through... and I hope there are proper connections to be made to these airports so that foreigners intending to go to El Nido or Boracay can get an easy connection to them....

about jetstarasia... I think that they are selling very well... in their site, they advertise for flight to Manila at S$99.... but they no longer have that price... On the end of May we are heading for Singapore and opts to try JetStar since it is way cheaper.... I inquired over the net and via the phone.. and the cheapest ticket they can offer is at the rate of US$59 for MNL-SIN AND US$85 SIN-MNL plus taxes totalling to US$179... my travel agent even told me that she has just booked a client at US$225 who'll fly this April....

pare nag tigerairways ka nlng sana.. ngbook kmi ng flight, P5875 lng roundtrip.. :)

well... sa Clark pa kasi sya.... medyo malayo... :D anyways.. di pa kami actually nakabook..

anyways... I just checked TigerAir a few minutes ago... and on the same date, their ticket price is now US$192..... unlike JetStar at US$179.... both tax included and remember Tiger flies from Clark... so the transportation fee to Clark is not yet included.... sayang di na namin inabot ung mga promo prices..... well at least they're almost half the price cheaper than PAL ($295)and SQ ($310)....

sayang d ka na nka-abot.. yung fare namin including all taxes na raw e.. dont know if the airport tax is included na rin..

i thought bababa pa cya in the future, promo lang pala yun, di rin me inabot :D

No communication barriers for PAL pilots in all continents
by Ruth G. Mercado April 11, 2005

Proficient in English, no language barrier comes between pilots of the country’s flag carrier and air traffic controllers in world airports. The only problem is when ground controllers in foreign countries do not follow defined phraseologies.

Captain Emmanuel Generoso, chief pilot of the Airbus 340/330 for Philippine Airlines said that Filipino PAL pilots are very much exposed to all types of communications as they operate in all continents.” He said that if there are problems, this occurs when ground controllers do not follow defined phraseologies. He singled out ground controllers in US airports who usually get colloquial.

“This is not only a problem for new pilots from PAL but from other Asian or European operators,” he said.

Err... how’s that?

Barriers and deficiencies in the communication process between pilots and air traffic controllers have since been a serious concern to aviation safety. Captain Reuben Sternberg, PAL’s vice president for safety and environment said that between 1976 and 2000, the International Air Transport Association reported more than 1,100 passengers and crew to have lost their lives owing to language used in air traffic control communications. Numerous incidents involving language issues, including runway incursions, are also reported annually.

To improve air transport safety, the International Civil Aviation Organization issued language proficiency guidelines in 2003 on minimum level of language proficiency required by pilots and air traffic controllers.

But Generoso is uneasy about faithful enforcement of proficiency guidelines and said that Filipino pilots have to contend with the staccato, dialect accents and semantic misinterpretations with air traffic controllers in foreign airports.

What complicates language barriers between pilots and air traffic controllers are environmental variables like clipping, masking and blocking or distortion. Masking occurs when speech is difficult to understand because of unwanted noise.

Clipping when a speaker does not use a microphone properly especially when a pilot may inadvertently begin to speak before keying a microphone or unkey the microphone before finishing transmission.

Blocking is when two pilots are trying to inadvertently transmit at the same time and the transmission is blocked. A blocked takeoff transmission reportedly caused two 747s to collide in 1977.
English solution.

Sternberg said that the IATA meets with airline members annually to focus on safety and security especially language proficiency for pilots and air traffic controllers. PAL is a member of IATA. To eliminate language barriers, there is an Aviation English Solution program. English is the unofficial international language of aviation.

In recent years, IATA has forged partnerships with Berlitz, a renowned international language instruction provider in developing a complete solution for pilots and air traffic controllers to meet ICAO’s new language standards.

In the meantime, PAL pilots will have to put up with colloquial lingo in foreign airports. Unless these ICAO’s language standards are met, a “how’s that?” between pilots and air traffic controllers could mean an aircraft of a difference between safe landing and smooth take-off.

YEAH THERE WERE LOTS OF INCIDENTS SOME OF DAY FATAL INVOLVING LANGUAGE BARRIER BETWEEN AIRLINE PILOTS AND AIR TRAFFICE CONTROLLERS

I guess that's one key we DO have for having our nation progress, proficiency in English. I mean look at how flexible our OFWs are when being deployed across the world!....not to mention it's a big plus in attracting tourists to the country. ;)

yeah. i saw a documentary in National Geographic about a plane crash which happened a couple of years ago because the pilot didn't know what to do because what the radar on his plane is saying is the complete opposite of what the traffic controller is telling him.

does anyone have access to airport layouts or drawings of the new constructions in el nido, loakan, bagabag, busuanga, laoag and clark (DMIA), iloilo, or any other airports ??
would be great to see what they will look like....
rds from richard/germany.

any pics of the new budget airlines flying into clark at the apron ?
any pics of fed ex and UPS line-up´s in subic and clark ?
need to revive my collection of phil. airports and their respective airlines...
rds from richard/germany

does anyone have access to airport layouts or drawings of the new constructions in el nido, loakan, bagabag, busuanga, laoag and clark (DMIA), iloilo, or any other airports ??
would be great to see what they will look like....
rds from richard/germany.

The New Bacolod Airport:
http://www.airport-technology.com/projects/bacolod/images/bac1.jpg
The new Bacolod Airport is the first stage in the air transport infrastructure development strategy of the Philippines Department of Transport and Communications (DOTC) - Air Transportation Office

http://www.airport-technology.com/projects/bacolod/images/bac2.jpg
Model of the airport terminal building showing air bridges.

http://www.airport-technology.com/projects/bacolod/images/bac3.gif
The new Bacolod Airport will replace the existing aiport in Bacolod City on Negros Island

http://www.airport-technology.com/projects/bacolod/images/bac5.jpg
The terminal will have three floors and will incorporate three air-bridges designed to accommodate aircraft of a size up to and including the Boeing 737 and the Airbus 330.

i wonder who sat in first class, business class, and who got stuck in economy? hehehe. of course, no doubt about it that GMA got first class. And also, how the plane would look like flying 30000 feet above sea level with majority of the seats at the back empty. hehehe

Don't be so naive. :) Pres. Arroyo woudn't fly with half the plane empty! Sayang, so of course empty seats has to be occupied by unnamed hangers-on, Philippines style, expenses shouldered by no less than the pinoy taxpayer.

well ive seen in the news on tv the president and others on board being interviewed some seats were empty

Don't be so naive. :) Pres. Arroyo woudn't fly with half the plane empty! Sayang, so of course empty seats has to be occupied by unnamed hangers-on, Philippines style, expenses shouldered by no less than the pinoy taxpayer.


im very sorry. i didn't know that curiosity is equivalent to being naive. I just happened to have heard on the radio, seen on the tv news, and read on the newspapers that the Philippine delegation to Rome for the Popes funeral is just 70 people. And since PAL very rarely if not never leaves the ground with an empty seat, it is just normal for someone who've been a PAL customer for years to ask or at least want to know for infor about it.

im very sorry. i didn't know that curiosity is equivalent to being naive. I just happened to have heard on the radio, seen on the tv news, and read on the newspapers that the Philippine delegation to Rome for the Popes funeral is just 70 people. And since PAL very rarely if not never leaves the ground with an empty seat, it is just normal for someone who've been a PAL customer for years to ask or at least want to know for infor about it.

errr. why can't we have a presidential plane? we have a presidential jet which is being use in domestic flight by the president. we also have presidential chopper and presidential yacht. I don't really mind if my taxes will be use in buying for a presidential plane...

^but other people mind. Imo, its not a priority since the govt. is in fiscal deficit. There are other things more important to spend on that will actually help the economy. Later on in the future yes, there should be a presidential plane.

well ive seen in the news on tv the president and others on board being interviewed some seats were empty

yeah.. I saw PGMA sitting in the rightmost window seat on I guess the first row of First Class when they interviewed her on TV Patrol. no one beside her... just before that she was typing on her laptop, had a huge stack of legal sized papers beside her and the ptv out. haha... it was just pretty weird to me to see the president typing away on a computer. I always thought any president would have a billion people to do that for them... haha!

and yeah, I don't think it is even remotely practical or sensible to acquire a wide bodied presidential aircraft for the Philippines right now. she can get around the country fine on the helicopters and the one or two presidential jets and that's all she would actually need a plane "on demand" for... haha!

yeah.. I saw PGMA sitting in the rightmost window seat on I guess the first row of First Class when they interviewed her on TV Patrol. no one beside her... just before that she was typing on her laptop, had a huge stack of legal sized papers beside her and the ptv out. haha... it was just pretty weird to me to see the president typing away on a computer. I always thought any president would have a billion people to do that for them... haha!

Maybe she's a hands-on kind of gal! :lol:

well all presidents do that i guess, may be if they like to work on speech and put their mind on it so wht they do is use their pc or laptop instead of writing down on a piece of paper, or maybe she jst got bored sitting on a plane on a 16 hr flight so what cah she do

...or maybe she's browsing SSC :lol:

...or maybe she's browsing SSC :lol:
Trying to imagine someone within Malacanang using a PC and browsing SSC...let alone GMA... :rofl:

:lol: wouldnt that be great?

btw, i just met her yesterday. She is in Jakarta because of the African-Asian Summit.

:lol: wouldnt that be great?

btw, i just met her yesterday. She is in Jakarta because of the African-Asian Summit.

wow, congrats, greyx :D i, too, had the chance to shake hands with her when she was still a senator. she was a guest during one of our town fiestas in the past :)

:lol: wouldnt that be great?

btw, i just met her yesterday. She is in Jakarta because of the African-Asian Summit.

Did you meet her up-close or viewed from afar? :D

took a picture right next to her:D

i was reading the latest edition of flight magazine where they catalogued the profiles of the worlds airlines, in the pal section i counted the fleet at 32 aircrafts and order of four b-747-400??? anybody can cnfm???

took a picture right next to her:D

haha! cool...! how tall is she really...? hehe!

i was reading the latest edition of flight magazine where they catalogued the profiles of the worlds airlines, in the pal section i counted the fleet at 32 aircrafts and order of four b-747-400??? anybody can cnfm???

woah...! afaik, they ordered 2 B744s quite some time ago but has since only taken delivery of an ex-Air Canada aircraft (RP-C8168). I hope that's true! it is becoming pretty evident now that PAL operations are really being constrained by their lean fleet. I can't even imagine how they plan to come up with new destinations right now... they really, really need additional aircraft.

btw, do you guys know if PAL made money the past year...? last report I read, their had quite a big loss for Q3...

i was reading the latest edition of flight magazine where they catalogued the profiles of the worlds airlines, in the pal section i counted the fleet at 32 aircrafts and order of four b-747-400??? anybody can cnfm???


wow, that's really great. wonder if there's any European flights (especially here in London) for PAL? Hope they'll start planning it or so .. to many Filipinos around Europe nowadays.

yes they made money for the whole year 2004 overall though as wht u said they incurred a lost in the 3rd quarter due to rising fuel cost, etc, etc, i hope its true they ordering 4 brand new 747-400

yes they made money for the whole year 2004 overall though as wht u said they incurred a lost in the 3rd quarter due to rising fuel cost, etc, etc, i hope its true they ordering 4 brand new 747-400

around how much did they profit? I read about Lucio Tan sponsoring the 2005 SEAG. he's planning to provide air transportation for atheletes going around the different venues throughout the country. grabe yan ah... are they sure PAL can afford that right now?

i do not believe PAL is ordering any additional 747´s. i´ve googled, i´ve checked airliners.net, and all the other sites. anyhow, if they really do order any additional aircraft, it definately will not be bought, rather leased. no money honey.....
but if tourism secretary mr. durano wants to bring in another 300.000 tourists this year, they will have to react somehow. if anyone finds anything new, please post !

i do not believe PAL is ordering any additional 747´s. i´ve googled, i´ve checked airliners.net, and all the other sites. anyhow, if they really do order any additional aircraft, it definately will not be bought, rather leased. no money honey.....
but if tourism secretary mr. durano wants to bring in another 300.000 tourists this year, they will have to react somehow. if anyone finds anything new, please post !

ive checked the boeing website, its mentioned there that pal ordered 07 747-400 as of 29 October 1992, three were delivered and four un-filled, in the latest flight international magazine, its mentioned pal has four or five existing 747-400 aircrafts (i cant remember), so i suppose out of the 05 or 04, two aircrafts were leased not owned by pal, as for the reamining 04 un-filled aircrafts perhaps pal has not cancelled the order, that is why it remains as unfilled delivery

There are 5 total 747-400s are in the fleet. Of the 8 originally ordered, N755PR and N757PR ended up with South African Airways, N756PR went to Air New Zealand (which had one of the Lord of the Rings colorschemes), and N758PR went to Dubai Air Wing/Abu Dhabi Amiri Flight. RP-C8168 (the 5th and latest PAL 744, the one with the slightly thinner "s" on one side) was the supposed to be N754PR but that wasn't taken up and it went on to Canadian Airlines then to Air Canada...finally ending up with the airline that originally ordered it. (talk about a touching story of a child whom went through two families before being reunited. :P) The current N754PR (the ex. Kuwait Airways 747 w/ PTVs in all classes) wasn't part of the original 8 that were ordered and that one was supposed to be N759PR.

Here's the 747s that were supposed to be with PAL but ended up w/ different owners:

South African Airways (N755PR and N757PR)
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/078125/M/
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/078058/M/

Air New Zealand (N756PR)
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/785098/M/

Dubai Air Wing (N758PR)
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/644943/M/

RP-C8168 (the 5th and latest PAL 744, the one with the slightly thinner "s" on one side) was the supposed to be N754PR but that wasn't taken up and it went on to Canadian Airlines then to Air Canada...finally ending up with the airline that originally ordered it. (talk about a touching story of a child whom went through two families before being reunited. :P)

hahaha!! that's sounds so funny... lol...

thanks for all the info though... so the five Philippine Airlines B744 in the fleet today were all originally ordered by PAL but just shuffled around before they got them back. okay... haha! cuz I was wondering why they all had the same PAL customer code (B744-4F6) when RP-C8... came from AC.

thanks for those links too... the Air New Zealand one looks so cool! haha!

Interesting, skyblade:) So out of PAL's five B747-400's which ones have PTV's in all classes? Too bad we didnt get all those planes, but if PAL didnt need them/couldnt afford them i guess it worked out:D

Interesting, skyblade:) So out of PAL's five B747-400's which ones have PTV's in all classes? Too bad we didnt get all those planes, but if PAL didnt need them/couldnt afford them i guess it worked out:D
That would be N754PR, the ex-Kuwait Airways a/c. Technically this isn't the same as all the other 744s. I'm sure you know that this one can be a combi and the aircraft isn't a -4F6 like absent-minded said but rather still stuck w/ Kuwait Airways' -469M designation. But man imagine if PAL took up all 8 747-400s along w/ the current N754PR...all that utilization w/ 9 747s in the fleet! :D

That would be N754PR, the ex-Kuwait Airways a/c. Technically this isn't the same as all the other 744s. I'm sure you know that this one can be a combi and the aircraft isn't a -4F6 like absent-minded said but rather still stuck w/ Kuwait Airways' -469M designation. But man imagine if PAL took up all 8 747-400s along w/ the current N754PR...all that utilization w/ 9 747s in the fleet! :D

oh... ooops. hehe...

I hope PAL is able to acquire a couple new aircraft soon. they really have no opportunity for expansion and growth with their current fleet and thus lose money having to forego what could be profitable services...

hi everyone,
does anybody have new pics of cebu pacifis´s new A 320 in Manila. and when will the second one arrive in may, what date. would be nice to see both next to each other on a pic ! can anyone quote ? salamat !

hi everyone,
does anybody have new pics of cebu pacifis´s new A 320 in Manila. and when will the second one arrive in may, what date. would be nice to see both next to each other on a pic ! can anyone quote ? salamat !
I don't think its in Manila yet...well since I haven't heard much commotion yet among 5J employees in the Philippine Flight Simmers Group... Usually they'd be all over this beyond kingdom come... :nuts:

I hope PAL is able to acquire a couple new aircraft soon. they really have no opportunity for expansion and growth with their current fleet and thus lose money having to forego what could be profitable services...
Amen on that! We all know that the current fleet is highly utilized and when something happens like GMA needs to use a A340 as a VIP transport or something, the entire schedule is thrown off. Again one could dream with that 9 747 fleet...or better yet...

http://www.cardatabase.net/modifiedairlinerphotos/search/photo_search.php?id=00004118
http://www.cardatabase.net/modifiedairlinerphotos/search/photo_search.php?id=00002581

I just dug out my old Vital Guide to Major Airlines of the World book and scanned this bit on PAL:

(Circa 1996)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/Skyblade04/PAL.jpg

Check out the Fleet Development section:
Four Airbus A340-200s to be delievered by end of 1996. Large order placed in December 1995 for four A340-300s, eight A330-300s, 12 A320-200s and eight Boeing 747-400s, delieveries scheduled from mid-1997.

That brings up the tally up to around 11-12 747-400s (dunno where N754PR fits in this)....and 8 A340s! :eek2: They did get those -200s but you know what happened in 1998...so they're currently operating with Aerolineas Argentinas. Just imagine a widebody fleet of 23-24 aircraft in PAL colors...

ya lucio tan did ordered around 32 aircrafts from airbus and boeing for a huge refleeting programme and then the asian financial crises came, but from that i believe only 6 a320 and 4 b-747 werent delivered to pal and the rest were all acquired right

hi skyblade,
now that´s some interesting statistics ! so PAL used to fly 6.9 million passengers in 1996. does anyone know how many passenergs they flew in 2004 ? with approx. half of the fleet today, but with full load-factors they chould be transporting about an equivalent amount, does anyone know ?

and what happened to CPA´s new A 320´s ? they were supposed to come in in april&may.....maybe the pilots are still being trained on airbus cockpits before they fly them, especially since they want to utilize them on regional routes in SEA. would be greatfull for some breaking news !

salamat po from germany.

what happened to the MIAA site. cannot load it up since some time now.......?

hi skyblade,
wow, those livery projections on A 380 and B787 reeealy look nice ! hopefully they will come in soon, one or the other. i believe it is better to stick to airbus (not because i´m european) but it saves costs. you only have to aquire 2 instead of 4 or 5. they should rather order the A 350 in favor of the B787, it´s more compatible to their A 330/A340´s, and will save costs again. any news on the domestic fleet upgrade? have they decided yet what type to order besides the short-period leased 3 A320´s ?

another question : air phil. stated they would renew their fleet in 2007 again to keep in line with CEB and PAL. what will they get ? their (new) but still old B 737-200´s are ageing and fuel-intensive compared to any other new A 320´s or B 737`s new generation. any news there ?

salamat from germany

hi skyblade,
now that´s some interesting statistics ! so PAL used to fly 6.9 million passengers in 1996. does anyone know how many passenergs they flew in 2004 ? with approx. half of the fleet today, but with full load-factors they chould be transporting about an equivalent amount, does anyone know ?

and what happened to CPA´s new A 320´s ? they were supposed to come in in april&may.....maybe the pilots are still being trained on airbus cockpits before they fly them, especially since they want to utilize them on regional routes in SEA. would be greatfull for some breaking news !

salamat po from germany.

technically, NAIA-2's capacity is 7.5 million in its mixed-use form. It is also said that it is already straining its capacity. Since PAL is the only tenant of NAIA-2, that should give you an idea of PAL's numbers :)

And as for the Cebu Pacific A320s, I have no idea. I've seen a photo or three in a-net, but not much more. A delivery of this kind would generate a lot of media brouhaha (with 5J rubbing in the fact that they're getting newer planes than PAL :D) but there's nothing so far.

(with 5J rubbing in the fact that they're getting newer planes than PAL :D)
Bwahaha now I'd love to see Lance Gokongwei pull that off in the news. :D

ya lucio tan did ordered around 32 aircrafts from airbus and boeing for a huge refleeting programme and then the asian financial crises came, but from that i believe only 6 a320 and 4 b-747 werent delivered to pal and the rest were all acquired right
Yeah w/ PAL taking in 3 additional A320s recently. I have the pics of the 4 744s that weren't delivered a few posts above.

As for Air Philippine's refleeting program...didn't know anything was concrete until now... :runaway:

Bwahaha now I'd love to see Lance Gokongwei pull that off in the news. :D


Yeah w/ PAL taking in 3 additional A320s recently. I have the pics of the 4 744s that weren't delivered a few posts above.

As for Air Philippine's refleeting program...didn't know anything was concrete until now... :runaway:

My understanding is that 4 A320's were delivered sometime in late 1997, but one figured in an accident in bacolod sometime in early 1998 and had to be scraped. PAL also recieved 8 A330-300 and 4 A340-300 sometime in 1997. PAL never took delivery of the 4 A340-200's that it ordered in early 1992 together with the 2 747-400 it took delivery of. PAL eventually took delivery of a third 747-400 in May 1995, and a fourth 747-400 eventually (I can quite remember when it was delivered).

My understanding is that 4 A320's were delivered sometime in late 1997, but one figured in an accident in bacolod sometime in early 1998 and had to be scraped. PAL also recieved 8 A330-300 and 4 A340-300 sometime in 1997. PAL never took delivery of the 4 A340-200's that it ordered in early 1992 together with the 2 747-400 it took delivery of. PAL eventually took delivery of a third 747-400 in May 1995, and a fourth 747-400 eventually (I can quite remember when it was delivered).
Whoops I forgot about the one w/o in Bacolod, my bad. :nuts:
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/008978/M/

As for the A340-200s:
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/288294/M/
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/289609/M/
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/212785/M/
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/029394/M/

These guys served briefly up until the big tamale that left PAL in tatters in 1998.

As for the 4th 744, N754PR (again the ex-Kuwait Airways a/c) was delievered almost one year after N753PR in 1996.

I kinda looked to see any updates on the ex-PR A342s in Airliners.net and got these. Dosen't these seats look awfully familiar? :D

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/370241/M/

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/Skyblade04/BCA023.jpg

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/370160/M/

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/Skyblade04/BCA024.jpg

Sorry for the bluriness, I was still getting used to using a digital camera. ^^;;

taken from philstar.com

Hong Kong's CR Airways opens charter flights to Subic
05/05 7:24:40 PM

HONG KONG (AFP) - Hong Kong charter carrier CR Airways has expanded its commercial services to include Subic north of Manila, a company spokeswoman said Thursday.

CR Airways will fly 40-seater jets three times a week with sales geared mainly at the high-end recreation market, the spokeswoman said.

CR Airways currently flies services to a handful of regional tourist destinations including Phuket in Thailand and Siem Reap in Cambodia.

Good to hear foreign airlines expanding into Subic. More planes to spot, I guess. :D

taken from philstar.com

Hong Kong's CR Airways opens charter flights to Subic
05/05 7:24:40 PM

HONG KONG (AFP) - Hong Kong charter carrier CR Airways has expanded its commercial services to include Subic north of Manila, a company spokeswoman said Thursday.

CR Airways will fly 40-seater jets three times a week with sales geared mainly at the high-end recreation market, the spokeswoman said.

CR Airways currently flies services to a handful of regional tourist destinations including Phuket in Thailand and Siem Reap in Cambodia.

Doesn't this same carrier operate flights to Laoag too? :dunno:

Multilateral air rights bad for RP aviation
by Ruth G. Mercado May 5, 2005

Provoking thoughts and debate worldwide, opinions are split on whether or not bilateral air rights are outdated. Domestic carriers strongly believe bilateral air rights must stay saying that multilateral arrangements will phase out many airlines in favor of “global mega airlines.”

Thoughts on whether or not bilateral air rights have outgrown fired up debate when Giovanni Bisignani, director general of the International Air Transport Association, hit bilateral air service agreements to have restricted markets in the aviation industry. He said bilateral agreements tend to keep the industry fragmented and constrain competition.

Crafted in Chicago in 1944, bilateral air agreements are negotiated between nations to have reciprocal balance of benefits for airlines of two countries.

But airline industry players believe bilateral air service agreements are placing international air transportation among the most restricted forms of commerce. Some countries push for more restrictive environments and thus defeat reciprocal arrangements. Bisignani criticized the bilateral system as outdated having been crafted when state-owned airlines still flew DC-3s.

In 1990, open skies agreements set new standards for bilateral air rights, deregulating markets and allowing air carriers of two nations freedom to
serve any point they wished. It also set fare rates and service standards based on commercial considerations, not government
regulation.

Even then, open skies agreements and bilateral air rights were seen to rock industry balance especially where governments are not effective in regulating monopoly suppliers, clamping on fuel costs and holding off taxes.

Bisignani called upon governments to lead and facilitate change towards multilateral air rights that encourage “markets and competition to shape the future.”

Entrench, Develop, Dominate.

Reacting to Bisignani’s call, industry sources here believe phasing out bilateral or open skies air systems will only hurt and restrict developing countries like the Philippines. Sources at Philippine Airlines said global free-for-all air systems are “fine” among major aviation hubs where the country can “entrench, develop and dominate positions.”

For the Philippines that thrives on homegrown airlines and where tourism thrives and survives on stable air linkages, global free-for-all-systems will demote and banish the country to a “peripheral corner of the world aviation map.”

PAL referred to a 2003 conference of the International Civil Aviation Organization where member nations rejected one-size-fits-all illusion of global open skies system. Member states said conditions are not ripe for global multilateral agreements because existing bilateral and regional regulatory regimes can still accommodate different approaches to air transport regulation.

Flexible and Sensible.

PAL suggests flexible and sensible trading of air rights giving leeway for countries to carve out its own competitive position in a global market.

PAL and Bisignani may have found common ground in flexible and sensible trading of air rights. Question is, can the Philippine government provide policy, plot systems and build infrastructure for flexible and sensible trading arrangements.

Cebu Pacific set to acquire 12 Airbus planes

Gokongwei-led Cebu Pacific Air will seek approval from export credit agencies and for the purchase of 12 new aircrafts over the next 18 months.

Cebu Pacific president and chief executive Lance Gokongwei said it will also tap sale-lease back agreements to fund additional planes.

"The main issue there is we need planes now. We don’t have enough planes to serve capacity. We are waiting for a new planes to come in. The first two planes are coming at the end of this month. We have two brand new A320s operating in the Philippine market by early June," he told reporters.

For one, it is mulling to tap French Compagnie Francaise d’Assurance pour le Commerce Exterieur (Coface). The French company, which acts as a commercial export finance agency, insures short-term political and commercial risk and facilitates financing for export credit.

"Airline is growing its revenues, but its cost base is going up much more quickly. The cost of fuel has increase by 60% to 70% versus previous years. We have to adjust our prices. We have to impose fuel surcharges to compensate for the increases in fuel," he said.

However, he did not disclose how much the adjustment will be. -- Ruby Anne M. Rubio

i inquired thru the reservations in one of the budget airlines, & theyre fully booked upto June!!! hello, they better increase the frequency of the flights as early as now!!

hi solblanc,
thanks for approx. passeneger numbers of PAL. but, have you seen T 2 in manila really ever full ? most pics i´ve seen, mostly empty or at the most half full. never seen all docking fingers all taken (exept for early morning and early evening flights) ! how can T2 then be operating all full capacity ? so i do not quite believe they are transporting 7.5 million passengers per annum. but don´t they publish any statistics ? like CEB does in press statements.....
merci, danke, thanks, salamat !

hi skyblade,

and what happened to CPA´s new A 320´s ? they were supposed to come in in april&may.....maybe the pilots are still being trained on airbus cockpits before they fly them, especially since they want to utilize them on regional routes in SEA. would be greatfull for some breaking news !

salamat po from germany.

hope this article today from business world will help re above query:

Cebu Pacific set to acquire 12 Airbus planes
Gokongwei-led Cebu Pacific Air will seek approval from export credit agencies and for the purchase of 12 new aircrafts over the next 18 months.

Cebu Pacific president and chief executive Lance Gokongwei said it will also tap sale-lease back agreements to fund additional planes.

"The main issue there is we need planes now. We don’t have enough planes to serve capacity. We are waiting for a new planes to come in. The first two planes are coming at the end of this month. We have two brand new A320s operating in the Philippine market by early June," he told reporters.

For one, it is mulling to tap French Compagnie Francaise d’Assurance pour le Commerce Exterieur (Coface). The French company, which acts as a commercial export finance agency, insures short-term political and commercial risk and facilitates financing for export credit.

"Airline is growing its revenues, but its cost base is going up much more quickly. The cost of fuel has increase by 60% to 70% versus previous years. We have to adjust our prices. We have to impose fuel surcharges to compensate for the increases in fuel," he said.

However, he did not disclose how much the adjustment will be. --

hi greyX,
thanks for infos on CEB´s 2 A-320 arrivals. hopefully they can keep their date forecasts this time. what was the problem. the first one was supposed to be operating since 2 weeks already?
salamat po.

thanks skylinepigeon,
it helps when SCCforum members respond to diverse questions. CEB & PAL better reajust to LCC soon, otherwise they will be losing instead of gaining. especially CEB and APhil that profile themselves as LCC´s. i don´t know why they can´t fly from clark, cebu, puerto pricessa, laoag, davao to other destinations i.e. in korea, china (their preferred market for the future) at prices like tiger or air asia. all these flights seem to be fully booked. and they do not fly "old birds" as equipment at all. PAL should restart their long haul flights to europe. they have to find competative routes. only LH and KLM/AF are plying these routes. PAL could fly nonstop to frankfurt, paris or london with A340-500 or 600´s. no airline does that ! instead they compete to singapore and KL with LCC : they will lose ground fast. i am in favor of phil. carriers instead of LH or any other global player anyhow. and there are a lot more like me in europe.....

heres another article on ceby pacifics acquisition of brand new airbus aircrafts

Cebu Pacific borrows to buy 12 new planes

The Gokongwei-owned carrier, Cebu Pacific Air, plans to buy at least a dozen planes on borrowed money, the company said Friday.

Cebu Pacific plans to double its existing 12-plane fleet over the next two years, and is eyeing some $300 million from export-credit agencies that include the ECGD of United Kingdom, Euler Hermes AG of Germany and Coface of France.

Lance Y. Gokongwei, Cebu Pacific president and chief executive officer, told reporters the airline needed to raise $400 million to buy as many as fourteen Airbus A320s and A319s, which are 168-seater and 150-seater planes, respectively.

The airline plans to acquire the new planes starting this month until February 2007.

"We need planes now. We don’t have enough planes to serve capacity," Gokongwei said.

The company expects two A320s to arrive in June.

At present, the airline uses a fleet of eleven DC 9-32 McDonnell Douglas aircrafts, each with a 110 to 115 seating capacity, as well as three Boeing 757s, having a seating capacity of 150 each.

Rising oil prices, which pose a threat to its profitability, however has plagued the airline. Gokongwei said that in a short period of time, the cost of fuel increased by as much as 70 percent.

"We had to adjust prices to compensate [the costs we incurred]," he said.

Recently, Cebu Pacific leased two Airbus 320s, which will feature the airline’s eagle logo with the addition of a bright yellow tail.

The new fleet will showcase various liveries including this corporate eagle design and the colorful Filipino motif that Cebu Pacific has come to be known for: City of Cebu, City of Davao, City of Manila, Centennial Plane and Tropical Plane Fun.

A brand new livery, which will exhibit Philippine attractions, will be added to the roster.

For this refleeting program, Cebu Pacific has signed up with General Electric for the purchase and maintenance of 31 aircraft engines. The airline has likewise entered into a joint venture with a unit of Singapore Airlines for maintenance.

thanks skylinepigeon,
it helps when SCCforum members respond to diverse questions. CEB & PAL better reajust to LCC soon, otherwise they will be losing instead of gaining. especially CEB and APhil that profile themselves as LCC´s. i don´t know why they can´t fly from clark, cebu, puerto pricessa, laoag, davao to other destinations i.e. in korea, china (their preferred market for the future) at prices like tiger or air asia. all these flights seem to be fully booked. and they do not fly "old birds" as equipment at all. PAL should restart their long haul flights to europe. they have to find competative routes. only LH and KLM/AF are plying these routes. PAL could fly nonstop to frankfurt, paris or london with A340-500 or 600´s. no airline does that ! instead they compete to singapore and KL with LCC : they will lose ground fast. i am in favor of phil. carriers instead of LH or any other global player anyhow. and there are a lot more like me in europe.....

It'd be great to see PAL back to Europe and I'd seriously love to see the day (:D) but w/ competition esp. from Middle Eastern carriers that dump capacity into the Philippines at low prices, it's been somewhat hard for PAL and European carriers to do Manila-Europe nonstop, let alone Manila-Europe itself... :cry:

Cebu Pacific is already a LCC. :)

yes skyblade,
and i´ve also heard that arabian countries force filipino OFW´s to sign contracts that force them to fly their carriers whenever they fly back home. which in my opnion, is somewhat criminal and devastating to PAL trying to pick up OFW´s from the middle east. that is why PAL codeshares more on those routes than flying with own equipment. what kind of fairplay is this ! just because they are sitting on the oil barrel does not mean they can behave like cave-men....besides that : they get their kerosine to much cheaper prices than the rest of the world. that is why they start dominating and can offer air routes at dumping prices. how can any smaller player compete with those "rules" ! they should share equally, after all, they are empoying over a million OFW´s. so i believe sharing 50 - 50 % is fair. that would bring substancial growth to PAL on those routes and they could continue their flights from there onto europe. the best thing to do to compete is find oil together with china, vietnam and malaysia (petronas) in the china sea, refine and convert it into kerosine and offer it to local carriers at the same affordable prices as these arabians practise with their own carriers !

before PAL can fly into europe, it needs a little necessity called cash. it is still greatly in debt. As for the Middle eastern carriers, their cutthroat prices are only hurting themselves. Those rates you see in the Philippines applies only to the Philippines. Try buying a ticket on emirates from italy, and the price is gonna shoot up to two to three times the price. And the discount we receive in the philippines applies to the entire route network of these airlines. Besides, the government is already keeping its own controls in terms of air rights. PAL is making money off the Manila-Dubai route without spending a single cent because its renting out its air rights to Emirates.

Also, what keeps a long-haul route alive is whether or not the front of the plane gets filled. PAL is having trouble with that in the Middle east, as its product is clearly inferior.

they say PAL is trying to beef up their service in their Singapore-Manila flights... maybe they are loosing a great deal after these budget airlines started operating and try to gain back their customers by improving their service! hahaha, about time, good for them!

yes skyblade,
and i´ve also heard that arabian countries force filipino OFW´s to sign contracts that force them to fly their carriers whenever they fly back home. which in my opnion, is somewhat criminal and devastating to PAL trying to pick up OFW´s from the middle east. that is why PAL codeshares more on those routes than flying with own equipment. what kind of fairplay is this ! just because they are sitting on the oil barrel does not mean they can behave like cave-men....besides that : they get their kerosine to much cheaper prices than the rest of the world. that is why they start dominating and can offer air routes at dumping prices. how can any smaller player compete with those "rules" ! they should share equally, after all, they are empoying over a million OFW´s. so i believe sharing 50 - 50 % is fair. that would bring substancial growth to PAL on those routes and they could continue their flights from there onto europe. the best thing to do to compete is find oil together with china, vietnam and malaysia (petronas) in the china sea, refine and convert it into kerosine and offer it to local carriers at the same affordable prices as these arabians practise with their own carriers !

first time i heard of such story forcing ofws to sign a contract that they have to fly with the countrys national carrier going home, here i saudi arabia companies book the cheapest fare for the vacation tickets of their workers and the airline that offers the best rate usually gets the deal , and many workers are also paid their vacation tickets in cash and they book themselves whatever airlines they like to fly going home usually and they tend to book philippine airlines especially workers going to visayas and mindanao

PAL is having trouble with that in the Middle east, as its product is clearly inferior.
Indeed, compared to lets say Emirates and what PAL sends to the ME, Emirates has a better product . What PAL sends in is the latest product that they have avaliable and thats the one installed in the A330/A340 fleet. PAL's Mabuhay Class seats do seem to be somewhat comparable to the older 777-200 seats of Emirates but are behind compared to what EK has to offer in the rest of their fleet and the Fiesta seats are decent but lack what Emirates seems to love to tote...their IFE. Come the A340-500, then that's a whole different ballfield. ;)

Indeed, compared to lets say Emirates and what PAL sends to the ME, Emirates has a better product . What PAL sends in is the latest product that they have avaliable and thats the one installed in the A330/A340 fleet. PAL's Mabuhay Class seats do seem to be somewhat comparable to the older 777-200 seats of Emirates but are behind compared to what EK has to offer in the rest of their fleet and the Fiesta seats are decent but lack what Emirates seems to love to tote...their IFE. Come the A340-500, then that's a whole different ballfield. ;)

Emirates is using its newest 777-300ER to Manila, too. I took it on my way to Rome last month, and I'll be taking it again on my way home in a few weeks. I swear, I could curse that IFE, because I couldn't sleep! It kicks CX ass any day, and I was in economy! Everything was AVOD. There were so many movies, television shows, and documentaries to choose from. And the CDs were so diverse, too! They had the soundtracks of some of my favorite musicals, a lot of nice rock albums, a lot of pop, some anime songs, and even filipino stuff. Who cares about 10-abreast seating on a triple seven and slightly miserable seat pitch when you have something to distract you? Not even the hurried and awkward service of Emirates F/As trying to squeeze through those horribly narrow aisles was a bother.

PAL's product, unfortunately, is miles away. I've seen their IFE, and even on Mabuhay class, it looks like a pathetic attempt. Considering that SIA, CX, and Emirates fly to Manila, why doesn't it even try to keep up?

well slyblade,
i hope you are right and it was a fake what i heard about those unfair contract conditions using their own home carriers. i do hope so. why is PAL not flying to all these other places in the middle east there OFW´s work like dubai, qatar, abu dhabi like they used to before ? there are hundreds of thousands of filipinoes working in these places ! that should mean full load factors for PAL.

well slyblade,
i hope you are right and it was a fake what i heard about those unfair contract conditions using their own home carriers. i do hope so. why is PAL not flying to all these other places in the middle east there OFW´s work like dubai, qatar, abu dhabi like they used to before ? there are hundreds of thousands of filipinoes working in these places ! that should mean full load factors for PAL.
I dunno if I'm ever right so I'd rather not take my word for it. :nuts: Though it should be profitable for PAL to do more flights to the ME, look at what solblanc had to say, the IFE is still in the stone age. :bash:

PAL's product, unfortunately, is miles away. I've seen their IFE, and even on Mabuhay class, it looks like a pathetic attempt. Considering that SIA, CX, and Emirates fly to Manila, why doesn't it even try to keep up?
I guess since it costs more to retrofit an IFE system compared to having it installed prior to delivery and since PAL's fleet faces high utilization, having one pulled out of service to install it would be a bit of a hassle unless it's scheduled to go through a D check. Here's one thing I reccomend that seems to be remotely close to keeping PAL passengers sane: the digEplayer. :D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/Skyblade04/SU-digiplayer.jpg

It's basically a portable AVOD player loaded w/ music, movies, and TV shows. Alaska was the first to try it out on their trans-cons along w/ Hawaiian, Aeroflot, and Independence Air.

From the APS website. (https://www.digeplayer.com/digeplayer03.php)

digEplayer 5500 vs. Installed Systems/DVD Players
Installed Systems:

-Can cost $400,000+ to install - up to 2 weeks downtime at $65,000+ a day in lost revenue.
-Installed system weight 2,000+ pounds can cost a single aircraft $80,000/year in fuel, 100 planes is $8,000,000/year.
-Smaller aircraft being used on longer trips cannot handle the weight of an installed system.
-Additional maintenance, or support system cost and training.

DVD Players:

-Flight attendants must deal with DVD library, scratched discs, broken players, short life batteries.
-DVD's and players are valuable and can be stolen.
-No programming or advertising opportunities.

digEplayer Advantages:

-No installation required, digEplayer is carried on/rolled on board, self-contained 50+ movies and battery powered.
-Unlike installed heavy systems, even for empty seats or short flights, digEplayer brought on to meet demand.
-2.4 pounds - 50 sold units weigh 115 pounds total.
-1.4 pounds without battery, AC/DC seat powered.
-Self contained 20+ movies, sitcoms, cartoons, many hours of music and featurettes. DVD quality or better.
-Is a complete and self-contained system.
-Self-contained, fully loaded content, the flight attendant simply hands them out.
-Early release movies, 30 days before they are released in stores.
-8 to 10 hours of battery life. (This one dosen't seem to be in PAL's favor when looking at a trans-Pacific flight)
-Each digEplayer is uniquely programmed, has no value once the battery runs out.
-Each unit customized: airline info, flight maps, airports, schedules, special promotions, advertising and destination featurettes.
Numerous airline branding opportunities.

------

It could be like a stop-gap solution in IFE though 8-10 hours of battery life dosen't seem to fit on a flight across the Pacific and still is wee bit behind to what SQ and EK have to offer but heck as long as the passenger has a up to date personal system to watch...:D

the reason why workers still choose to fly pal especially those whose final destinations are in the visayas or mindanao provinces is the fact that pal is the only airline that can connect these ofws to these places and they also give generous discounts on domestic flights in tandem with their international flight tickets, so even if pal services and equipment are not at par with other middle east and asian carriers a lot of pinoys still prefer pal over other airlines even if their fares are not exactly the cheapest, for one cathay pacific is giving pal stiff competition with their cheaper tickets and they have the best connecting flights to manila and cebu

so why not fly to dubai ? abu dhabi, qatar, etc. ???

the reason why workers still choose to fly pal especially those whose final destinations are in the visayas or mindanao provinces is the fact that pal is the only airline that can connect these ofws to these places and they also give generous discounts on domestic flights in tandem with their international flight tickets, so even if pal services and equipment are not at par with other middle east and asian carriers a lot of pinoys still prefer pal over other airlines even if their fares are not exactly the cheapest, for one cathay pacific is giving pal stiff competition with their cheaper tickets and they have the best connecting flights to manila and cebu
True, one thing that does keep Filipinos going for PAL is the convenience of a consolidated operation in Terminal 2. Easier than going from T1 to T2 or Domestic. :D I mean that's one of the reasons why I still choose to fly PAL over Northwest because of the convenient timing of arrival of our flight from LAX to the morning departure to Iloilo, the fact that we'd be having 6 balikbayan boxes to transfer along with it, and also since I'd rather have a full Filipino experience when I fly to the RP. ;) (that may change this June though when I give NW a shot. :D)

That's one advantage that PAL offers, the interconnectivity and ease for its transfer passengers of its International and Domestic flights, added to that the utilization of just one terminal (T2) for both operations. Since most flights of foreign carriers that arrive in Manila are terminating flights and doesn't go any further, check-in baggages aren't checked all the way through to the final destination other than Manila, thus the passenger still have to claim their baggages from the international flight, clear customs and immigration, then check-in again in a different terminal for the domestic leg of their journey, an arduous task for a balikbayan with tons of boxes.

Philippines’ flag carriers divided on ‘open skies’
By Beting Laygo Dolor, May 11, 2005

MANILA – In November of 2004, Philippine Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said the Justice department would issue a ruling in favor of the “open skies” policy of the government.

It should have put to rest the decade-long debate of whether the Philippines should or should not adopt the globally accepted policy, one that had long been contested by the country’s first flag carrier, Philippine Airlines, as unfair.

Specifically, PAL had been against the Philippines adopting the policy vis-à-vis the U.S.

Gonzalez’s ruling was a reversal of an earlier ruling by his predecessor, Ma. Merceditas Gutierrez, on the matter.

That earlier ruling of Gutierrez was issued upon the request of the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), which upheld the agency’s position that the nationality requirement under the 1987 Constitution, which provided that public utilities such as transport firms should be at least 60 percent Filipino-owned, applied to airfreight forwarders.

“Without the ‘open skies’ policy, the Philippines will not be a trading hub,” Gonzalez said.

The Nov. 2004 legal opinion not only applied to Subic and Clark, where a number of international air cargo firms are doing business, but to other airports including the yet-to be opened Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3. This terminal is itself the object of a legal dispute between its builders, led by a German consortium, and the Philippine government, which earlier this year took control of the facility.

Whether PAL liked it or not, the open skies policy had been accepted by the government. PAL’s objections that the Philippines was not totally ready had become moot and academic.

The Philippines’ other flag carrier, had been less vociferous in its objections to the policy, which on paper took effect on October 1, 2003 after close to two decades of occasionally acrimonious talks.

This means that the policy was still in limbo for some 13 months, before the DoJ gave its opinion.

Cebu Pacific Chief Operating Officer Danilo Mojica II told Philippine News that the policy had to happen anyway, beginning with one covering the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region.

“That (policy) will happen because of ASEAN,” he said, “They’re talking about an ASEAN open skies policy.” They, of course, meant the government.

“Cebu Pacific is fairly liberal because we want to claim that we are a pretty efficient operator. We will be more efficient with the new planes.”

Now-retired PAL president Avelino Zapanta had contested the policy to the end of his term, saying the issue of whether the supply-demand situation in the air passenger industry justified the adoption of an open skies policy.

This, he said, can be assessed by examining the capacity utilization, passenger traffic, and load factors of the different air carriers in the country.

By the time the policy took effect, Zapanta insisted that neither PAL nor Cebu Pacific was ready to face competition against bigger commercial airlines like Northwest, Continental and United Airlines.

It is not only the Philippine’s first flag carrier that has had difficulties accepting the open skies policy. In the case of India, the debate even reached their Congress, but the policy was finally adopted by India this year. This is because of the growing traffic between the two countries, directly related to the growth of U.S. to India outsourcing.

Instead of bilateral agreements, the U.S. has gone further. Multilateral agreements have been worked out as well.

During the time of President Bill Clinton, the U.S. and four of its APEC partners – Brunei, Chile, New Zealand and Singapore – inked the first multilateral open skies accord.

Prior to that, the U.S. had negotiated bilateral open skies agreements with 50 countries.

According to the U.S., the multilateral pact offered three important benefits:

* Provide a Competition-Enhancing Model for Future Agreements: The Multilateral Agreement mirrors the enormously successful U.S. Open Skies agreements, which eliminate government restrictions on what routes airlines can fly, the number of flights they can schedule and the fares they can charge. Thus it helps set the terms for the global marketplace and increases the odds that the U.S. approach will become the international standard.

* Expand Carrier Access to Equity Financing: Most bilateral agreements require that an air carrier must be substantially owned by either nationals of its home country or the homeland government. However, this requirement has made it difficult for many foreign carriers, which lack access to large domestic capital markets, to obtain cross-border financing.

The Multilateral Agreement reduces the traditional ownership requirement, thus enhancing foreign carriers’ access to outside investment.

* Streamline International Aviation Relations: Aviation is currently governed by thousands of bilateral agreements between more than 180 countries. The Multilateral Agreement provided a single, streamlined standard for commercial aviation relations. By joining one multilateral agreement, countries can avoid prolonged negotiation of countless individual bilateral agreements.

In theory, therefore, the policy can only redound to the common good of signatory countries. But it is in the small print, the details of the individual agreements that issues arise.

On the broader issue of open skies, PAL called on the U.S. to recognize what the 25-nation EU and other countries have long pointed out that the U.S. domestic skies must be open to foreign competition for the concept to have any real meaning.

“The trouble with the U.S. brand of open skies is that it wants to open three fourths of the existing air traffic of the world and at the same time keep the remaining one fourth represented by its domestic market to itself,” a European analyst is quoted as saying.

According to PAL, today’s aviation world had become a series of competing geographic blocs defined less by national boundaries than by airline economics. For example, in negotiating air rights with the U.S., the EU is considered one country, with flights between France and Germany, for example, classified as a domestic service.

Therefore, East Asian states should be regarded as one aviation bloc. If U.S. carriers have the right to carry passengers between Manila and Hong Kong, Philippine carriers must have a reciprocal right of equal value to carry traffic between Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

Such a right does not exist, at least between the Philippines and the U.S. Nor will such a right be granted in the foreseeable future. This is because of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. With tighter aviation policies in the U.S., the current open skies policy between the Philippines and the U.S. is likely to remain unchanged for many years to come.

Malaysia's AirAsia gets greenlight to impose fuel surcharges
Posted: 8:04 AM | May 12, 2005
http://money.inq7.net/breakingnews/view_breakingnews.php?yyyy=2005&mon=05&dd=12&file=3

KUALA LUMPUR—Asia's top budget carrier AirAsia has obtained government approval to impose 10 percent surcharges due to rising jet fuel prices, a senior Malaysian minister said Wednesday.

"The surcharge is less than 10 percent. It is be imposed on both domestic and regional routes," Transport Minister Chan Kong Choy was quoted as saying by the official Bernama news agency.



Chan said no company could avoid surcharges due to soaring oil prices.

Kamarudin Meranum, AirAsia's executive director, told Agence France-Presse on Tuesday that the carrier would try to put surcharges off as long as it could manage its costs.

"We will resist fuel surcharges. It is a balancing act between profit and serving the interest of our passengers," he said.

Chan said if fuel prices continue to rise, the government may have to consider suggestions from flag carrier Malaysia Airlines to increase its fuel surcharges but for only its regional and international routes.

Could someone please verify a piece of news I gathered stating that PAL is to commence service to Beijing, China next year. I heard that it'll be a direct flight, thrice weekly. :)

where did you get that news? hope its true though.

Could someone please verify a piece of news I gathered stating that PAL is to commence service to Beijing, China next year. I heard that it'll be a direct flight, thrice weekly. :)

yup i read that too.. here (http://money.inq7.net/columns/view_columns.php?yyyy=2005&mon=05&dd=20&file=6) it is...

anyways, its just a one-liner in the middle of the article, this is what it says..

Money-go-round

• METRO Pacific, RFM, Swift and DMCI, along with the usual garbage stocks, are on carpet with the Philippine Stock Exchange for their failure to submit their respective 2004 annual reports despite a longer deadline.

• PHILIPPINE Airlines is starting a thrice weekly, direct Manila-to-Beijing service next year.

/\ Thanks! My cousin told me about that yesterday but forgot to mention where he got it; that's great news for PAL! :)

Excellent to hear more on PAL's China expansion! :D

yeah... read about the Beijing service too. I wonder what aircraft they're gonna use. do they do okay in Xiamen and Shanghai right now?

My money is on the usual A320 or A330...if they have any A330s to spare on that run...

Aye for Open Skies Policy.

Good news for PAL ... hoping the best!

on the official airbus.com page (go into "enter airbus" ikon on their A380 starting page) we now have the top news of CEB´s new delivery of leased A320 with photo. unfortunately it is only very small. nevertheless, so i believe it has been delivered to manila ? any news/photos about that anyone in manila?

^^^

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y229/sleepie_uno/airplane/3524.jpg

this file is almost 3mb...but nice photo...summer na summer ang color.

what a beauty!! nice pic sleepwalker...

What an amazing sight.... :runaway:

hi sleepwalker,
yes ! that´s the photo i was talking about. can we get it somehow smaller ? my monitor-screen unfortunately is not 1 yard long.....
very impressiv !
salamat

so PAL is going to fly to beijing again. good idea. better than myanmar or nepal, where traffic probably will not pick up the way the beijing route will.

WHO IS GOING TO BE THE FIRST OF YOU GUYS ON LOCATION TO TAKE PICTURES OF CEB´s NEW A 320 IN MANILA ????? unfortunately i´m just toooo far away here in germany.....BUT I COULD GO TO HAMBURG, WHERE THE A 319´s WILL BE BUILT ! SO LETS TAKE TURNS, ANYONE WITH IT ????

look what i found on www.gov.ph of today :

"CEBU CITY, May 24 (PNA) - The Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) will build a new international terminal to meet the projected doubling of number of airport passengers in the next five years. MCIAA General Manager Adelberto Yap announced this on Monday as he led the media in the blessing and inauguration of the mobile asphalt batching plant. The batching plant will supply materials to the P83-million asphalt overlay project of the airport runway. Yap said they are currently catering to 2.5 million passengers a year. But Robert Go, Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) president, foresees the number to double by 2010. At present, the existing terminal building being used for both domestic and international operations has only four bridges because this is designed for domestic flights. The bridges are areas where tubes are connected to the aircrafts during boarding and disembarking time. Yap said the MCIAA often has to guide domestic aircraft to the remote parking area during arrivals of wide-bodied aircraft of Philippine Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Qatar Airlines. "In transition, while we are finalizing the construction of Terminal Two, we are going to put up two bridges at the north side of the existing terminal building, he said."

GOOD NEWS, EH ?
any renderings or pics of terminal architecture in the papers around ? can anyone check and post please ?
salamat, rds from philpal !

that is awesome news!! nice find, richard_fischer!! thanks...

finally, a second sorta big airport in the philippines is emerging! there are currently no other airports with more than one terminal, right? (or is there?) I hope it will be a nice, modern new terminal. can't wait to hear and see more of it soon... the Philippines is really booming now! yay...!! haha!

oh yeah, nice picture of the new Cebu Pacific A320! I love their new livery!! can't wait to see it in Manila. I wanna see interior shots...!

hi once again,
here some more good news for airport development and phil tourism !

Gokongweis to run new Boracay airport?
DEMAND AND SUPPLY By Boo Chanco
The Philippine Star 05/16/2005
*
They are getting tired of waiting for government to expand the Caticlan airport to accommodate larger aircraft. A top Cebu Pacific executive confirmed to us that they are considering getting involved in managing a proposed new airport in place of Caticlan that would be close enough to Boracay so as to also get tourists there in 20 minutes by boat. But the private sector proponents who approached them will have to build the facilities first and the Gokongweis may consider running it on an open skies basis.
The proposed new airport will not be in Aklan province but in Romblon, more specifically, one of the smaller islands in the Tablas group. The Cebu Pacific executive confirmed early reports we received that the proposed airport would be built to accommodate aircraft as large as 747s flying the international routes. Unless they are stalled by government red tape, which is likely, they hope to get the airport ready for the opening of new world class resorts in Boracay by Shangri-La among other chains.
Marketing executives of Cebu Pacific told me it would not be difficult to fly in a significant number of tourists from Korea, Japan and China directly to Boracay via this new airport. I agree with their view that bringing in the tourists directly to the beaches of Boracay and Palawan is the only way we can bring in more legitimate foreign tourists, not just balikbayans. Flying in through Manila is a turn off for potential tourists for a number of valid reasons, like the metro area’s filth and crime.
The executives of the Gokongwei owned airline dropped by the Tuesday Club at the EDSA Plaza last week and used the opportunity to express confidence in their ability to put up a strong challenge to the country’s dominant flag carrier once their fleet of all new Airbuses arrive, starting next month. Cebu Pacific currently has a 38-percent market share vis a vis Philippine Airlines, but it was explained, that is only because of present limited capacity. They say they can do a lot better with bigger and better aircrafts.
That is why Cebu Pacific bought outright, a dozen brand new Airbus 319s and leased two Airbus 320s for use in their domestic and regional routes. Around $650 million has been initially allocated for the re-fleeting program. They are looking at mounting regular flights to Shanghai and Beijing. A trans-Pacific route to either San Francisco or Los Angeles is also being considered for next year. That would require buying or leasing a few 747-400s or the equivalent Airbus.
We were told that the load factor for Cebu Pacific’s direct flights to Cebu from Asian cities had been good. A marketing executive said they could bring in even more tourists from Korea and Japan if they could get more gates to mount more flights. But, they complained, they are not being treated as well as the dominant carrier. Also, Cebu is running out of decent hotel rooms.
On the proposed new airport for Boracay, I was told that a group of entrepreneurs are now working on getting the necessary permits from government to build it as a purely private sector undertaking. Hopefully, they do not encounter red tape or even outright opposition from sectors that might feel threatened by the project. This is definitely one infrastructure we need, if we want to get on the radar screens of travel planners. Kalibo is just too far.
I brought up the matter of the unsightly Manila Domestic Terminal that is now being used by Cebu Pacific flights to Korea that pass through Subic. I was told that they don’t have a choice, even if they agree that it is embarrassing to bring international passengers in that terrible terminal. A Cebu Pacific executive explained that they tried to get permission to use the domestic side of the Centennial Terminal now being used exclusively by Philippine Airlines, but failed.
In fact, I was told that they asked airport officials what are the long term plans for the domestic terminal. They said they are ready to build their own terminal near the domestic terminal if the present situation would continue for a while. But they could not get a definite timetable from airport officials. Everything, it seems, depends on how and when the Piatco terminal problem is resolved.
Based on the Power Point briefing they gave us, it seems that losing the bidding for the privatization of Philippine Airlines during the Cory years was a blessing for John Gokongwei. He still got his own airline and without the baggage of excess personnel and the problematic balance sheet of Philippine Airlines, a GOCC that was abused during the Marcos years. Even Lucio Tan would have done better putting up a new airline from scratch. That’s apparently, what John Gokongwei intends to show him.
The Cebu Pacific execs point out that their employee to aircraft ratio is a lot more competitive in these difficult times of high fuel costs and budget airlines, than PAL’s. The entry of the budget carriers, they admit, is going to keep them on their toes. They are glad they pulled out of Singapore, because the rates to the Lion City just hit rock bottom, thanks to the no-frills airlines that are now flying to Clark and NAIA.
They may consider flying to the Middle East to service our OFWs but it is not yet in their immediate planning horizon. High fuel costs are making them a lot more careful in mounting new routes. But, they promised, they will fly the Philippine flag proudly wherever they go, with great service, young personable cabin attendants along the standards of Singapore Airlines and the youngest fleet of planes in the region.

look what i found on www.gov.ph of today :

"CEBU CITY, May 24 (PNA) - The Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) will build a new international terminal to meet the projected doubling of number of airport passengers in the next five years. MCIAA General Manager Adelberto Yap announced this on Monday as he led the media in the blessing and inauguration of the mobile asphalt batching plant. The batching plant will supply materials to the P83-million asphalt overlay project of the airport runway. Yap said they are currently catering to 2.5 million passengers a year. But Robert Go, Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) president, foresees the number to double by 2010. At present, the existing terminal building being used for both domestic and international operations has only four bridges because this is designed for domestic flights. The bridges are areas where tubes are connected to the aircrafts during boarding and disembarking time. Yap said the MCIAA often has to guide domestic aircraft to the remote parking area during arrivals of wide-bodied aircraft of Philippine Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Qatar Airlines. "In transition, while we are finalizing the construction of Terminal Two, we are going to put up two bridges at the north side of the existing terminal building, he said."

GOOD NEWS, EH ?
any renderings or pics of terminal architecture in the papers around ? can anyone check and post please ?
salamat, rds from philpal !

Good news! But i dont understand the last line. Are they going to build an entirely new terminal with lots of gates, or just building additional two gates to the existing terminal. Or both?

Cebu Pacific, SIAEC sign joint-venture accord

Cebu Pacific (CEB) and SIA Engineering Company Limited (SIAEC), a unit of Singapore Airlines recently signed a joint venture agreement for the maintenance of CEB’s new fleet of Airbus aircraft and its existing fleet of DC9’s and B757’s.

CEB President and CEO Lance Gokongwei and SIAEC Chief Executive Officer William Tan signed the agreement at the Shangri-La Hotel in Makati.

The company will be owned 51 percent by the SIA Engineering Ltd. and 49 percent by Cebu Pacific Air.

Cebu Pacific CEO Lance Gokongwei said, "Aviation Partnership (Philippines) Corporation (A+), our joint venture with SIAEC, further strengthens our confidence in our fleet of new Airbus aircraft arriving in May 2005. With SIAEC, providing the total airframe support and GE providing total engine support, plus our local team – we have a world-class group which will add significant merit to the Philippine aviation industry by increasing the efficiency of our operations."

"SIAEc’s worldwide experience and support capabilities will certainly help us live by our mission to bring people together through an affordable and reliable mode of travel. This will also allow A+ to grow its business base to attract additional third party customers, which will add more employment opportunities to our country. In this way, we hope to do our part in uplifting tourism in the Philippines and strengthening our economy," said Gokongwei.

Tan said: "We are delighted that Cebu Pacific Air, a highly prolific and progressive airline in the Asia-Pacific, is partnering us in our first foray into the Philippines. By capitalizing on each other’s strengths and expertise, we will be able to add greater value to the aviation industry in the Philippines."

This is the third line and light maintenance joint venture engaged by SIAEC outside of Singapore, besides Pan Asia Pacific Aviation Services in China and PT Jas Aero Engineering Services in Indonesia.

The agreement formalized a memorandum of understanding signed last Dec. 17, 2004 that would provide line maintenance, technical ramp handling services, and light maintenance checks at 13 airports that CEB serves.

CEB bought 12 brand-new A319s for delivery from September 2005 to early 2007 and is leasing two A320s which are due by the second quarter of this year. The $670-million refleeting would make the CEB fleet the youngest in the Philippines and one of the youngest in the region.

Good news! But i dont understand the last line. Are they going to build an entirely new terminal with lots of gates, or just building additional two gates to the existing terminal. Or both?

It says in Transition. so basically while they are building This "Terminal 2" they will construct 2 new gates on the north side of the Terminal Building

It says in Transition. so basically while they are building This "Terminal 2" they will construct 2 new gates on the north side of the Terminal Building

yeah... hehe. that's how I understood it too...

btw, here (http://philskies.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5625&sid=53826b9a13cc59bada856230709c2f68) are some shots of the new Cebu Pacific A320 finally in MNL!! it's a link to the thread in the Philskies forums. the cabin isn't anything special, but I love the new livery!

Ohhh...alright thanks

Nice shots of the new 5J A320! Yeah, the livery looks great plus its so shiny coz its still new. I forgot but, how many new A320s and A319s did Cebu Pacific order?

Ohhh...alright thanks

Nice shots of the new 5J A320! Yeah, the livery looks great plus its so shiny coz its still new. I forgot but, how many new A320s and A319s did Cebu Pacific order?

It ordered 12 A319's but I don't know with the A320's.

Source: http://www.airbus.com/dynamic/media/press_releases.asp#1722

It ordered 12 A319's but I don't know with the A320's.

Two I believe. :)

Two I believe. :)

ONLY LEASE NOT BOUGHT BUT I HOPE THEY WILL OPTION TO BUY THE TWO A-320 LATER

beautiful shots ! thanks for the thread absent-minded !
if CEB plans to fly to US or middle east next year they will need bigger aircraft. i suppose they will stick to an all airbus fleet to save costs, maintenence and flightcrew training. that would mean leasing either A340 or A 330´s. let´s see what happens .....
no comments on that inquire.net article of a new open skies airport for boracay ? i think it´s a great idea, at last someone is thinking BIG. that´s what the phil. needs to attract foreigners/tourists besides OWF´s or bilikbayans. foreigners will bring even more money into the country. and they will attract more foreignerss, because they will talk about how beautifull the phil really is ! any comments on J. Gokonwey´s grand idea to manage that airport ? this by the way is being practiced in thailand. a local airline built it´s own airport to cater to tourist´s. but they exclusively allow only their airline to land. romblons new intern. airport would be for any carrier that wants to bring in pockets full of money for the phil. people !

another goody for cebu mactan international airport i found today on : www.gov.ph :

Last week, general manager Adelberto Yap of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority said they cater to 2.5 million international passengers a year. Yap is optimistic that five years from now, the number of international passengers will double, as projected by Robert Go, president of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He also expects an increase in the arrival of Koreans with the opening of twice-a-week direct flights of Asiana Airlines and Korean Airlines to South Korea. Arrivals of international passengers have steadily increased since 2001.

so asiana&korean air are comming to cebu, does anyone know when ?
rds from philpal richard

I understand the CEbu Pacific's interest in flying to the west coast involves 747's .

Ive heard that from people that work at Cebu Pacific at www.philskies.net forum... Its been going on for a few months.. i don't think they are gonna push plans with it especially since they decided to refleet the domestic/regional fleet.. but you never know. maybe they will fly after they are done replacing their aircraft

taken from inq7.net..

Asiana, Korean Air to launch Cebu flights--gov't exec
Posted: 4:17 PM | Jun. 01, 2005

Erik de la Cruz
XFN-Asia

Asiana Airlines and Korean Air will launch international flights to and from Cebu next month, Mactan Cebu International Airport general manager Adelberto Yap said.

Asiana will mount four flights every week between Cebu and Incheon in South Korea starting July 13, while Korean Air will fly twice a week starting July 18, he said.

"The Korean airlines are going to bring in more tourists to the region. More foreign airlines are planning to use Cebu as their hub from the Visayas and this is why we want to beef up the facilities," Yap said.

Singapore's Tiger Airways and Malaysia's AirAsia earlier signified interest to launch flights to and from Cebu.

Yap said the government plans to expand the Cebu terminal, which will cost 500 million pesos. He gave no other details.

yay... great news. any new flights means that there is increasing/renewed demand and surely room for growth in tourism. my uncle emailed me that article today with a message in the subject line saying "Hotels in both Manila and Cebu are fully booked since Holy Week." wowphilippines!

re. Cebu Pacific transpacific flights. there was a post on a thread there (might be the same on as the link) from a 5J captain saying the widebodies could be anything from B747 or B777 or A345 or A346. however, nothing until maybe three years from now after they've settled in the new fleet.. can't wait. it's good that they aren't expanding too fast. from the posts in that forum, Cebu Pacific seems to be a really well managed airline. hopefully things go well for them...

Here's an article from the latest Airliners World magazine onLufthansa Technik Philippines:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/Skyblade04/LTP1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/Skyblade04/LTP2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/Skyblade04/LTP3.jpg

Read that article while I was in a bookstore last night. Lufthansa Technik Philippines really is doing a great job there in Manila! :okay:

great find and post skyblade ! salamat !
any other new pics on phil aviation ? what about some new pics of LCC´s afront of DMIA terminal ? or at davao´s new terminal, or at cebus terminal with qatar air and others ? i heard whenever qatar shows up in cebu, it´s crowded with PAL and was it cathay 747 ? that would be a nice pic ! anyone in cebu lately ?
please post whatever pics you guys have. thanks !

Very good article:) Thanks for scanning it for us, skyblade. Nice to hear LTP has lots of customers and it can only grow further. hopefully they will expand either in NAIA or in Clark, possibly.

I read a similar article in PAL's Mabuhay magazine last year, although it wasnt as in depth. Interesting indeed. Just wondering, although i read about it last year and forgot...what are C and D checks?

D checks is a thorough inspection in which the plane is taken apart up to the bare bones, inspect and repair (if needed) every nook and cranny of the frame and every piece that belongs to the plane, repair anything wrong that was noted in the inspection, "rebuild" the plane, and repaint it (since it the original coat is removed before the inspection.) Also this is usually how airlines like United and Northwest make their slow transition into a new colorscheme, since the planes need to be repainted after a D check, might as well put the new livery in it. :D Usually this happens every 6 years while C checks are less intense and occur every 3,000 flight hours.

Great article on LTP!

PAL seeks to expand routes in Japan, South Korea

TOKYO, Japan – Philippine Airlines (PAL) is urging Philippine aviation and tourism authorities to negotiate with the Japanese and South Korean governments for increased routes to key cities in Japan and South Korea to boost the country’s tourism and trade efforts.

"We want to expand our routes in Japan and South Korea to support the Department of Tourism’s thrust to bring in more tourists from these two countries," said Genero Velasquez, PAL manager for Japan and South Korea during the third leg of the Philippine Business Mission (PBM) to Japan, led by Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano.

The business mission team covered the cities of Osaka, Nagoya and Tokyo.

PAL currently flies 31 times weekly to five cities in Japan and 17 times weekly to Inchon and Busan in South Korea. Velasquez said PAL could increase flights to Nagoya, Japan’s fourth largest city, if other airlines do not avail of their allocations.

Durano noted that there are 66 return flights weekly from Manila to Japan, offering 20,192 seats, and this number can already accommodate arrivals from Japan.

In 2004, more than 320,000 Japanese nationals traveled to the Philippines. For 2005, Japan’s association of travel agencies are aggressively working to send half-a-million tourists to the Philippines.

Aside from PAL, Durano noted that starting August this year, the Gokongwei-owned Cebu Pacific Air will start flying to Osaka. Currently, Cebu Pacific Air offers charter flights to Japan.

"We are more than ready to fly in more Japanese travelers and we would certainly be willing to help PAL and other Philippine carriers get more allocations from Japanese aviation authorities," said Durano.

Durano noted that PAL’s load in Japan, especially to Nagoya, has improved considerably with daily flights to Tokyo, six times weekly to Fukuoka, five times weekly to Osaka, four times weekly to Nagoya and four times weekly to Okinawa from Manila. It also flies five times weekly to Tokyo from Cebu.

"We are currently studying the market. If growth will continue we will ask aviation authorities to negotiate for additional traffic rights to Japan and Korea," said Velasquez.

Velasquez said that PAL is actively supporting the DOT’s tourism efforts in Japan since this will also benefit the airline. Last year, the Japanese government gave the Philippines 14 additional rights to Japan.

Japan is considered an important destination for local airlines since it is the second largest source of foreign arrivals, next to the United States. Tokyo is the most populated city in Japan, Osaka is the third and Nagoya, an industrial hub, is fourth.

Cebu Pacific replaces old jets
By Ruth G. Mercado June 16, 2005

Replacing its current fleet of aging and noisy DC-9s, Cebu Pacific launched its first Airbus 320 on Saturday even as A320s have been flying the Philippines for more than a decade.

Touching down at the Mactan Cebu International Airport slightly before noon, the Airbus 320, is the first of two aircraft that Cebu Pacific is leasing as part of a re-fleeting program. In addition to the leased jets, Cebu Pacific purchased 12 new A319s, bringing to 14 its new aircraft. The A319 purchase was signed in a deal with Airbus in September last year.

Cebu Pacific general manager Danilo Mojica said that with challenges besetting the airline industry including high costs of fuel, taxes and insurance, operators must find more ways to be efficient and having a fleet of Airbus planes is one way. “The other way,” he said, “is for Cebu Pacific to find ways to offset increased costs.”

Industry observers however believe what may have prompted Cebu Pacific to re-fleet is a recent air transportation order requiring the phasing out of DC-9s this year after it earned flak as noisy and heavy guzzlers of fuel. Before the arrival of its Airbus, Cebu Pacific had a fleet of 15 aircraft with 12 DC9s and 3 Boeing 757s.

The Air Transportation Office has also ordered airline operators of DC-9s to install hush kits on aircraft to deaden noise. But installing hush kits has turned out to be more expensive than leasing or buying a new aircraft.

Low cost

Gaining 38 percent of market share in eight years of operation, Mojica describes Cebu Pacific as a low-cost airline. He said, “we are definitely a low cost carrier with the way we operate and the way we price our product because our fare is not so high.”

But a random check comparing fares of Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines and Air Philippines showed that all three have almost the same airfare. For instance average one-way fare for the Cebu-Manila route is P3,500 from all three, exclusive of surcharges in fuel, insurance and Value Added Tax.

Cebu Pacific claims it is currently the biggest carrier from the Cebu hub, flying within Visayas and Mindanao in a loop service for regional passengers. It takes pride in having the youngest fleet in Asia.

The 179-seater A320 is known for low maintenance and fuel costs while the 150-seater A319 is among the quietest and fuel efficient in its class.

Cebu Pacific pioneered low fares and fun flights in the country since 1996. With its new planes, it will add flights to and from Korea and Japan and service new domestic destinations.

What passengers and stakeholders want to see is how Cebu Pacific can keep the fun in flights with low fare now that lease charges become part of its burdens and challenges.

looks like its now up to air phil to do some rigorouse changes in their old 737-200s fleet.....after even SEAir and asian spirit have updated their fleets with newer planes.

still no pictures of DMIA terminal ??? no one even ever answered ! salamat......

I think there are pictures in the DMIA thread? I remember seeing them around here. For sure there are some in the Phil Forum. Baka nawawala lang sa dami ng information!

looks like its now up to air phil to do some rigorouse changes in their old 737-200s fleet.....after even SEAir and asian spirit have updated their fleets with newer planes.

still no pictures of DMIA terminal ??? no one even ever answered ! salamat......

this is the only photo of DMIA in Philippines forum. we dont have a close up photo of the Terminal building
http://www.clarkab.org/photos/a08.jpg

Cebu Pacific expects up to P400M in profit
Clarissa S. Batino | Inquirer News Service | June 17, 2005

CEBU PACIFIC expects a profit of P300-P400 million this year from about P200 million in 2004 on improved efficiency, its president Lance Gokongwei said.

The airline is expecting an improvement in its performance with the addition of a brand-new Airbus 320 to its fleet. It will add another Airbus 319 soon.

Once the $500-million re-fleeting is completed in 2007, the company will cut cost by 30 percent per passenger, Gokongwei said.

With the new planes, the company will be consuming 45 percent less fuel, he said.

He added that to be more competitive, especially with the low-cost foreign carriers now flying to the Philippines, Cebu Pacific would further invest in airline distribution system.

Gokongwei said the company would pass on a substantial portion of the savings efficiency to its customers.

"We are looking at a profit of P300-P400 million this year," he said. "We are in a better position to remain profitable with the arrival of the new planes."

Cebu Pacific's sales dropped starting in the second half of 2004 up to the first quarter of this year because the old age of its fleet discouraged potential passengers, Gokongwei said.

The country's second-largest carrier, after Philippine Airlines, suffered a net loss of P54 million in the first quarter of 2005. "April and May were good months," Gokongwei said.

With its re-fleeting program, Gokongwei said, Cebu Pacific will have the youngest and more efficient fleet in the region in early 2007.

In line with the fleet upgrade, Cebu Pacific has tied up with Singapore Airlines for aircraft maintenance and with General Electric for engine support.

I took a "flight" by NAIA earlier today

Terminal 1.
http://www.philskies.net/library/rpll2k4/rpll2004-4.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a269/hubzilla/ManilaIFS.jpg


Terminal 2
http://www.philskies.net/library/rpll2k4/rpll2004-10.jpg


Terminal 3
http://www.philskies.net/library/rpll2k4/rpll2004-6.jpg

http://www.philskies.net/library/rpll2k4/rpll2004-7.jpg

http://www.philskies.net/library/rpll2k4/mnl33.jpg


General Aviation area
http://www.philskies.net/library/rpll2k4/rpll2004-8.jpg


From Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004, if you want to see more of my "flights" (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=224789&page=1&pp=20)

Cool! T1 still looks the grand dame that it is, classic architecture of her time. Hope no one gets the notion of tearing it down, it would be such a shame.

Do they have Manila, Ortigas and Makati filled out too? Or do they only have the detail for NAIA?

Microsoft's default scenery did absolutely nothing with the Philippines. I found the airport as a freeware add-on (http://walhalla.mine.nu/fs2004.php#philippines). The airport was the only Manila thing, but they do have other Philippine towns and cities you can download.

The airport scenery did, for some reason, have a few buildings in Fort Bonifacio.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a269/hubzilla/Manila1FS.jpg

But alas, no Ortigas/Makati/Manila landmarks.

Here are some others for the freeware Philippines list:
http://walhalla.mine.nu/fs2004.php#philippines

Iloilo
http://library.avsim.net/sendfile.php?Location=AVSIM&Proto=file&ImageID=59983

Legaspi
http://library.avsim.net/sendfile.php?Location=AVSIM&Proto=file&ImageID=84333

This is also a great source for Philippines scenery; except Manila.
http://www.philskies.net/main/scenery/

salamat bustero and nbcmandy,
i already have seen those aerials of dmia. nevertheless it is good to know someone cares and tends to your questions, so once more thank you very much ! it is impossible to get any infos here in germany about the phil civilian aviation or any other infra projects besides this forum and some other sites like phil.gov. on the net. i am very greatfull for all you guys over there keeping us all posted and informed.
SALAMAT PO ! if anyone needs anything from germany i can support, just let me know. rds from philpal richard.

sorry its not nbc but ncbmandy, sorry ! philpal

salamat bustero and nbcmandy,
i already have seen those aerials of dmia. nevertheless it is good to know someone cares and tends to your questions, so once more thank you very much ! it is impossible to get any infos here in germany about the phil civilian aviation or any other infra projects besides this forum and some other sites like phil.gov. on the net. i am very greatfull for all you guys over there keeping us all posted and informed.
SALAMAT PO ! if anyone needs anything from germany i can support, just let me know. rds from philpal richard.

Clark International Airport
http://www.whoa.org/82/perkins/clarkinter.jpg

...oh...they definitely need to build a new terminal...well atleast facelift the whole airport.....

Hey hubzilla, you a PFSGer by any chance? :D

Hey hubzilla, you a PFSGer by any chance? :D

Nope, just a guy who loves zipping around skylines using Flight Simulator. I wanted to add the Philippines since I've been to Manila's airport.

I've seen some of your works through the photobucket invite, very very nice :cool: :cheers: This one is no exception. How about an Ayala Avenue "joyride"?:D

Now go update your webpage! :D

Oh, and feel free to use the ones in my trip page (http://www.gvsdestoroyah.com/Philippines.htm), I didn't feel like putting them in the photobucket, too.

The only enhanced Flight Simulator scenery is the airport and those few Bonifacio buildings. No Makati, Ortigas, or Manila skyscrapers.

Cool! T1 still looks the grand dame that it is, classic architecture of her time. Hope no one gets the notion of tearing it down, it would be such a shame.

You know, I did not like Manila's airport. It did not make the best impression. I just looked like it needed some major renovation on the inside. Then again, neither was the long wait at customs or the scenic drive through Paranaque.

Happily, things went perfectly after that!! :okay:

is American Airlines considered a budget airline? i read theyre soon putting up their co. office here, w/ hiring on-going...not so sure if w/c between naia or clark shall be the office site

:)

You know, I did not like Manila's airport. It did not make the best impression. I just looked like it needed some major renovation on the inside. Then again, neither was the long wait at customs or the scenic drive through Paranaque.

You're not the only one that thinks the same. ;) Well personally, I love it's looks outside...indoors is a different story... :runaway:

My mom and bro took LAS-YVR with PR and my mom thankfully brought back a Mabuhay Magazine. :D Here's an article on the first flight to NGO:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/Skyblade04/yokuso.jpg

And a Virgin soda advertisement in the back...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/Skyblade04/virgin.jpg

Ahh i read a few months ago Lucio Tan bought the Philippine Rights to Virgin Cola. so it was only a matter of time that they were on PAL flights

@hubzilla... my page?:D or someone else you talking to? :?

I remember when we went from NAIA 1 to San Andres where we were staying.. took us a bloody long time. then we decided to just go a couple of kms. to duty-free p'que... that took like 45 minutes down one road.

is American Airlines considered a budget airline? i read theyre soon putting up their co. office here, w/ hiring on-going...not so sure if w/c between naia or clark shall be the office site

:)


perhaps its due to oneworld or code-sharing with PAL. I doubt that AA would fly here. They don't fly to this part of asia, and they have better things to do with their money rather than compete head-on with NorthWest and PAL.


@Skyblade: I think that inaugural flight was delayed. If it was, how typical :D

hi ncbmandy,
its nice to see DMIA terminal, at last someone found a pic ! well, i guess it does need a change doesn´t it. was it not renovated and enlarged shortly ?
salamat from philpal !

Boeing 777 stalls on runway, delays 11 flights at NAIA
By Rainier Allan Ronda
The Philippine Star 06/21/2005

A pilot’s miscalculation caused a Korean airliner to stall on the runway of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport-Terminal I, causing several flights, both incoming and outgoing to be delayed yesterday afternoon.

It was learned that a Korean Air Boeing 777 Series 300 with registry number HL 7534 bound for Seoul, South Korea had failed to comply with the guidance marker for a 180-degree turn at the end of Runway 24 as it taxied for take-off at around 12:30 p.m.

This failure prevented the pilot, Capt. Kang Inyong, from maneuvering the aircraft for actual take-off, causing it to stall in the middle of the runway.

Minutes after receiving the report on the stalled plane, Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) safety patrol officers immediately proceeded to the area with a Philippine Airline (PAL) "headset man" to assess a possible solution to the problem.

After 30 minutes, a PAL pushback tractor arrived and repositioned the stalled aircraft.

After being repositioned, the aircraft was cleared for departure and took off at around 1:12 p.m.

It was learned that 11 other flights were delayed due to the incident.

Five of the delayed flights belonged to PAL and one each for Cebu Pacific, Cathay Pacific, JetStar, Eva Air, Asiana, and Japan Airlines.

MIAA general manager Alfonso Cusi, for his part, downplayed the incident.

"Incidents such as these are unavoidable. Whether or not is was a result of pilot error, the quick action of the people at operations was a big boost in quickly resolving the said

hi ncbmandy,
its nice to see DMIA terminal, at last someone found a pic ! well, i guess it does need a change doesn´t it. was it not renovated and enlarged shortly ?
salamat from philpal !

The Terminal was upgraded about 6 or7 years ago during Ramos last years for the centenial. I think it's rated for up to 2 to 4 million. Skyblade/Skyline our resident airport pigeons can give us a more exact figure. I think this airport from what I've seen is good for a few years, the present crummy Domestic Terminal (where the non PAL domestic flights use) was serving higher and it was smaller!

wow... I read about Lucio Tan and Richard Branson tying up some deal for Virgin's softdrinks a while back too. I've never actually seen Virgin drinks anywhere in the world til now. haha! are they only available on PAL flights?

@DMIA's terminal - it was in the news that they recently renovated and upgraded the airport's passenger terminal. I think it was only a minor upgrade to encourage the airlines that are there now (such as Asiana, Air Asia, etc.) to come in. there is also a bigger upgrade (although I think not for the passenger terminal but the airport complex itself) ongoing right now. the plan to relocate NAIA operations to a huge world-class terminal at DMIA is still quite a long way down the road from now though...

funny incident at NAIA. good thing nothing major happened! they really do need a second runway in MNL capable of serving widebodies... btw, this was cut off from Kiel's post:

"problem," Cusi said in a statement. "This just shows our commitment to a better and more efficient service.""

Cusi does seem to be real hard at work to make NAIA better. I hope they keep at it...

thanks bustero, salamat absent-minded,
so lets all hope DMIA will soon also receive a decent terminal appropriate to accomodate bigger international flights with 747´s. as they do have 2 long runways capable of simultanous operations. the NAIA incident would not have delayed any flights at DMIA....

Carrier plans Asian expansion

Cebu Pacific is eyeing to have more transPacific flights in two years, a company official said.

Danilo Mojica II, chief operating officer of Cebu Pacific said the carrier is looking at acquiring bigger planes for this plan.

"The most logical to do is prioritize Asian routes like Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and China, and other promising destinations like Vietnam and Indonesia," Mojica said.

By October, the airline will fly to Japan and will prepare for other routes in Southeast Asia. "We have been given the right to fly in Japan," Mojica said.

Earlier, Lance Gokongwei, president of Cebu Pacific meanwhile said the company expects to double its net income this year.

"This year, we have to make at least 300 million to 400 million from last year’s P200 million. That’s our plan and we are very optimistic about this target," Gokongwei said.

He also said Cebu Pacific’s acquisition of 12-brand-new A319s for delivery from September 2005 to early 2007 puts Cebu Pacific in a "very good position" to meet targets.

Cebu Pacific has leased two A320s, which are due by the second quarter of this year and is part of the carrier’s $670-million refleeting plan.

Gokongwei also said the company is preparing to meet the challenges of budget airlines.

"Right now, we’re not competing with them directly. In everything we do, we plan that real low-cost competition will come to this market and we are preparing ourselves to meet these challenges," he said.

There's been chismis going around that 5j is getting two 744's. Heard it from my pilot nephew, our resident airport pigeons can probably check this out if true.

No problem Phil, agree with you on the two runways. I think in the long run it will go there but only when they fix the infra issues like a fast connection like the train. MIA will probably be relegated to short hops on smaller planes which can use both runways.

Boeing 777 stalls on runway, delays 11 flights at NAIA
By Rainier Allan Ronda
The Philippine Star 06/21/2005

A pilot’s miscalculation caused a Korean airliner to stall on the runway of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport-Terminal I, causing several flights, both incoming and outgoing to be delayed yesterday afternoon.

It was learned that a Korean Air Boeing 777 Series 300 with registry number HL 7534 bound for Seoul, South Korea had failed to comply with the guidance marker for a 180-degree turn at the end of Runway 24 as it taxied for take-off at around 12:30 p.m.

This failure prevented the pilot, Capt. Kang Inyong, from maneuvering the aircraft for actual take-off, causing it to stall in the middle of the runway.

Minutes after receiving the report on the stalled plane, Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) safety patrol officers immediately proceeded to the area with a Philippine Airline (PAL) "headset man" to assess a possible solution to the problem.

After 30 minutes, a PAL pushback tractor arrived and repositioned the stalled aircraft.

After being repositioned, the aircraft was cleared for departure and took off at around 1:12 p.m.

It was learned that 11 other flights were delayed due to the incident.

Five of the delayed flights belonged to PAL and one each for Cebu Pacific, Cathay Pacific, JetStar, Eva Air, Asiana, and Japan Airlines.

MIAA general manager Alfonso Cusi, for his part, downplayed the incident.

"Incidents such as these are unavoidable. Whether or not is was a result of pilot error, the quick action of the people at operations was a big boost in quickly resolving the said problem," Cusi said in a statement. "This just shows our commitment to a better and more efficient service."

Article courtesy of RJ @ PFSG
http://www.philskies.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5788

again good news for the development of phil-mindanaos airport development :

DOTC revives plan to construct P5-M airport in Misamis Oriental
MANILA, June 19 (PNA) -- The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) will soon construct a P5 billion world-class airport at Laguinding, Misamis Oriental.

DOTC Undersecretary Robert Castanares said the construction of Laguinding International Airport (LIA) is now in the Department's agenda in line with the countryside development thrust of the Arroyo administration.

Castanares said the DOTC and the National Development Co. (NDC), the investment arm of the Department of Trade and Industry forged an agreement recently to create a joint venture that would partly finance the airport.

"We created the joint venture to raise funds by floating bonds and selling the assets of the old, 150-hectare Laguindingan trunk line airport which sits in Cagayan de Oro City," Castanares said.

He also said that the money that will be raised would compliment the grant of nine million US dollars given by the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) of South Korea.

"The Korean grant was not enough to fund the whole LIA. The DOTC could not shoulder it alone because we only have P2 billion infrastructure budget since 2004," he said.

The Export-Import Bank of Korea will partly fund the construction which the Philippine government had secured on February 24, 1998.

The LIA will follow the international standards for trunk line air stations, Castanares said.

A business plan for the construction of the new airport will be completed in October.

The LIA will be constructed under a build-operate- transfer (BOT) scheme.

The scope of work includes the construction of new airport of international standard, terminal building, cargo terminal and control tower.

It will also entail the installation of air navigation facilities, airfield lighting system, visual aids and utilities.

In 2000, a total of 52 landowners has been paid, corresponding to an area of 64 hactares.

In January 27, 1999, a memorandum of agreement (MOA) was also signed by the DOTC/Air Transportation Office (ATO) and the local government (Province of Misamis Oriental and the Municipality of Laguindingan) for the construction of the airport.

LIA is set for construction in a 200-hectare land outside the Cagayan de Oro City proper. It will have a 2.5-kilometer runway that could accommodate Airbus and Boeing aircraft.

It will also compliment the planned 82.5-kilometer, 520 million US dollars Phase 1 of the Mindanao Railway System that will serve the transportation needs of the Iligan-Cagayan de Oro Industrial Corridor.

The LIA is seen as a key element in the government's plan to put "priority" airport to spur tourism and trade in the country.

Other airports that will be constructed/upgraded by the DOTC are those in Iloilo, Bacolod, Caticlan, Panglo, Laoag, San Fernando, Butuan, Dipolog, Pagadian, and Sanga-Sanga. (PNA)


released 6/19/2005

hi skylinepigeon,
i do not quite understand : how can CEB increase their trans pacific flights if they do not have any ? i guess it meant they WANT to go there in 2 years.....and then suddenly they want to prioritise asian routes instead ? i am very anxious to see them double their profits, did they not just release a statement that they made a loss for the first quarter of 05 due to their old planes (DC-9s) ? who wrote this article, now what is really fact ? quite confusing don t you all agree ?

anybody heard any news about northwests plans to fly to cebu from USA through tokyo ? and there were no frill airlines requesting air rights to cebu too, was it air asia and tiger airlines ? any news about that ? it would bring the number of international airlines to 10 serving mactan, if i counted correctly. the mactan website is absolutely out of date. not even qatar air is listed on their schedules of arrival\departures. and their news site has never been activated. nothing about a new terminal etc.

does anyone know how construction is pulling up at new silay-bacolod and iloilo international airports and when there are supposed to be open to traffic ? any pics of construction or plans/renderings of terminal and runway specifications around ?

hi skylinepigeon,
i do not quite understand : how can CEB increase their trans pacific flights if they do not have any ? i guess it meant they WANT to go there in 2 years.....and then suddenly they want to prioritise asian routes instead ? i am very anxious to see them double their profits, did they not just release a statement that they made a loss for the first quarter of 05 due to their old planes (DC-9s) ? who wrote this article, now what is really fact ? quite confusing don t you all agree ?

well that could probably mean increasing their trans asiatic flights since the next sentence does not jibe with the first one, u know what i mean. as regards to their profit, if they released a statement that they were at a lost for the first quarter of 2005 bec of their old planes, perhaps because these old planes eats up a lots of fuel with souring oil prices and more expensive to maintain but they also said in one article they made good business during the summer monhts that is april and may so their second quarter results will in all probability give them a handsome profit and there are two remaining quarters would be better be good with their new planes, more flights, more efficient maintenance and operations etc??? if they expect to double their profit from last year