PR to fly all the way to LHR soon

[Melburnian1]

There are a very large number of ways one can travel by air from SYD or MEL to LHR or elsewhere in Europe.

SIN, HKG, KUL, BKK, CAN, PVG, DXB, AUH, DOH, LAX and BWN are some of the many options.

Despite being slightly busier than MEL (with far more international passengers), MNL hasn't been in the above options because PR withdrew from European routes about 15 years ago.

PR is now controlled (though strangely not quite majority owned) by San Miguel Corporation so for the time being, it seems to be on a stronger financial footing although some of us may have said that in the mid 1990s about AN!

I gather in early November that PR will be starting its nonstops from MNL to LHR (five days a week - the original plans may have been daily or 6x week but PR may not have had the available equipment).

Australia to LHR passengers must stay in MNL overnight northbound, but southbound will make good connections on some days to the four Oz destinations (BNE, SYD, MEL and DRW) that PR serves on various days. It is using so called 'offpeak' slots in LHR to arrive about 1400 and depart about 1700. Timings vary by day of the week.

I do not know if PR will be like some other airlines and 'throw in' "free" accommodation in MNL northbound for Oz to LHR passengers given the lack of an evening connection to LHR.

The aircraft will be a B773ER as by November PR should have six (not the current five). From SYD, it operates B773s at present but I am not sure if one is being pinched for the MNL - LHR (and in time other European flights) or whether one can travel on a B773 all the way. From MEL to MNL, PR uses A343s while from BNE, that flight stops in DRW and is an A320.

I had thought GA would beat PR to the punch in resuming LHR flights but unfortunately GA struck problems at CGK with the (main?) runway being unavailable for a B773 operating at MTOW. GA has said it expects to start flights to a London airport in May 2014.

I don't know if PR's fares will be as cheap as CZ or other mainland Chinese operators, but unlike D7 which cancelled its flights to the UK, PR seems determined to make a go of it.

PR's business and economy class fares can be competitive: roughly A$2500 return in J, A$840 - A$920 return whY ex Australia to MNL, but I have not seen any fares in any class for Oz to LHR. It has a FF program called Mabuhay Miles of which its latest boast is that the points do not expire.

There aren't any hotels at PR's MNL T2 but there are three across the road from T3, although one could also stay in Metro Manila and be at the airport by 0630 - 0700 for the next morning's flight.

It's good that PR is set to use LHR but I would have expected LGW as a lot of the passengers will be budget conscious.

PR is one of the declining number of airlines that are not in one of the three main airline alliances.

It isn't the first cheaper airline to have an overnight stay northbound ex Oz to LHR and won't be the last. Routings via ICN require such a stay, as might NRT but I haven't checked the current JL timetable. A VN flight that I checked ex LGW to MEL via SGN requires a 14 hour stay in SGN southbound, but it is during the day.

 

[TonyHancock]

Despite being slightly busier than MEL (with far more international passengers), MNL hasn't been in the above options because PR withdrew from European routes about 15 years ago

Didn't the EU lift the their ban on PR recently?

 

[Melburnian1]

Yes, both GA and PR had their bans lifted.

However, other carriers in Indonesia (such as Lion Air) and Philippines (such as Cebu Pacific) remain subject to the ban, so the lifting was not 'country wide', it was 'carrier specific.'

Cebu Pacific (5J) is almost at the spitting chips stage as it too wants to fly to Europe. You may recall that from mid next year, 5J says it will fly an A330 from MNL to AVV. Just how it will fill 400 seats a few times a week (not daily) is a mystery to me, but it has a lot of flights to north (and SE) Asian destinations including ICN and various Japanese and Chinese cities. I don't believe that AVV has yet constructed (or changed its buildings to accommodate) Customs and Immigration.

 

[albatross710]

I don't believe that AVV has yet constructed (or changed its buildings to accommodate) Customs and Immigration.

My concern would be on the ability of PR to price competitively. I've watched how they are doing the pricing on the BNE-MNL (via DRW) flights and it doesn't make sense. The prices are up there, sometimes higher than QF & SQ. As for the J tix they always appear to be above a comparable QF tix. Given that PR stop sin DRW in the middle of the night, that is a real bummer and needs to be factored into the consumer perception of pricing.

I fear the same will apply for BNE-LHR. There needs to be a better price adjustment to entice travelers to make the multi stop journey compared to say QF,EK, SQ, TG etc etc etc.

If they are serious about that route, then the pricing has to show good end-to-end pricing.

BTW, I'm currently doing some study and found this according to Airservices AIP the following applies for Avalon international services: Customs, Quarantine and Immigration are provided to coincide with approved flights only. So they should be able to operate there now.

 

[aikman]

ITA is pricing MEL-LHR-MEL at $2,055 in Y and $5,471 in J.

 

[Simo]

5J (Cebu Pacific) is always very price savy.

Price is always similar to Air Asia.

They are not a bad airline for a LCC.

Just don't expect anything and you are fine.

 

[eastwest101]

ITA is pricing MEL-LHR-MEL at $2,055 in Y and $5,471 in J.

I was doing the same thing for Y flights around random mid Mar 2014.

With MEL-LHR-MEL pricing as QR $1975, TG $2200, PR $2221, SQ $2275, EY $2595, EK $2639, QF $2718 and CX $3358

For SYD-LHR-SYD pricing out as BA $1738, CA $1796, VS $1799, KE $1938, MH $2038, TG $2215, SQ $2291, JL $2325, EY $2610, EK $2654 and QF $2753

For BNE-LHR-BNE pricing out at BA $1743, MH $2045, TG $2216, SQ $2292, EK $2655, QF $2734, CX $3377 and VS $4549

Seems like PR flights from MEL only loaded into ITA at the moment, no sign of Garuda flights yet.......

I think some airlines including PR may have to sharpen their pencils a bit!

 

[Melburnian1]

eastwest101, the reason that there is no sign of GA flights yet is that according to media, that airline has only publicly provided an estimate of when it will start flying to Europe - May 2014. This must be subject to runway augmentation at CGK.

One would hope that PR fares are available for prospective passengers to see in the next week or so. As with all airlines commencing a particular route, it needs to get its act together otherwise the planes will be initially close to empty, not a situation that an airline's beancounters would enjoy.

 

[mannej]

Is MNL an airport that is pleasant to stop over at?
Reports on here would tend to suggest not.

 

[NM]

Is MNL an airport that is pleasant to stop over at?
Reports on here would tend to suggest not.

Would not be my first choice - given the options.

but options are good ... allowing each person to choose the one that best suits their needs/desires/allegiances/motivations.

 

[albatross710]

Is MNL an airport that is pleasant to stop over at?
Reports on here would tend to suggest not.

Staying at the airport would not be the thing to do at MNL. Clearing customs an heading to a local hotel/Resorts World type of place would be the stop over concept. Australians can get a 30 day visa on arrival, up from a previous 21 days.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I was doing the same thing for Y flights around random mid Mar 2014.

With MEL-LHR-MEL pricing as QR $1975, TG $2200, PR $2221, SQ $2275, EY $2595, EK $2639, QF $2718 and CX $3358

For SYD-LHR-SYD pricing out as BA $1738, CA $1796, VS $1799, KE $1938, MH $2038, TG $2215, SQ $2291, JL $2325, EY $2610, EK $2654 and QF $2753

For BNE-LHR-BNE pricing out at BA $1743, MH $2045, TG $2216, SQ $2292, EK $2655, QF $2734, CX $3377 and VS $4549

Seems like PR flights from MEL only loaded into ITA at the moment, no sign of Garuda flights yet.......

I think some airlines including PR may have to sharpen their pencils a bit!

wow.. and for $2700 (including all taxes, excluding UK) you can fly business class on your choice of star alliance carrier through USDM.

for $53 LESS than the qantas economy fare you can have a flat bed, massages thrown in at bangkok, and all the other perks of premium travel.

 

[Melburnian1]

Adding to albatross710's comments, MNL T2 (PR's exclusive terminal) is utilitarian, some might say minimalist: steel bench seating and no carpet. There are minimal (and rather unsatisfactory) refreshment facilities when a departing passenger is airside.

However it has some advantages.

Immigration queues (particularly incoming) can be very short: way better than LAX or LHR. Bag collection can also be quite fast.

Taxis are plentiful and very cheap from the inner roadway, but it may take 25 minutes to get to the hotels at Resorts World, 'Newport City' (strictly in Pasay City, adjacent to the Villamor Air Force base). The hotels are Maxims Suites, Manila Marriott and Remington. A Hyatt or Hilton (I forget which) is under construction in what appears to be a pretty cramped area adjacent to Andrews Avenue.

If travelling to an hotel in Makati, get your driver to take the Skyway elevated road. At a cost of P20 (A$0.55!), you save about five to 10 minutes during the busier times. There are many good hotels at various different price levels in Makati, which has attractive combined shopping and restaurant complexes such as Greenbelt (including a Catholic chapel) and Glorietta.

For J passengers and Mabuhay Miles Elite, Premium Elite and Million Milers, the PR Mabuhay Miles lounge at MNL T2 has just been renovated (reopening less than three weeks ago). Its footprint was not extended: it remains quite small. The food range is hardly stunning, but has some dumpling like items ('siomai') and a small range of hot items. There are some comfortable chairs. Apart from the cafe type area, the rest of the lounge is carpeted and noticeably quieter than used to be the case. The staff call all flights. There is one shower; it may not yet be open. There are a couple of PCs. There is now a separate staffed very small bar serving area.

If travelling via MNL and you have the time, catch a PR (either Philippine Airlines or PAL Express, the latter from T3 not T2 so beware) or Cebu Pacific (5J, from the most modern and busiest terminal, T3) flight, or even take a ferry in the dry season to one of the many beautiful centrally located Visayan Islands group. Many know about Boracay but there are heaps of others on the Internet. Some of the beaches are well worth a three or four day stay, while domestic air fares are cheap provided one does not leave a booking until a week before. This is particularly true of Boracay with the return leg of a flight (ex) MPH being priced at semi-Western levels due to the number of foreign tourists. The MNL - KLO route uses larger planes (A320s) and usually is cheaper, as much of the patronage is local, but you do have to travel 90 minutes by bus between KLO and MPH. The latter is a 10 minute boat ride to or from Boracay.

 

[Melburnian1]

PR;s new Australia- LHR route: sample whY fare $1843 return

PR is commencing MNL - LHR using an up to date B773ER (configured J 42, Y 328, the latter 10 across but I find it fine) with AVOD from 4 November 2013.

It is 5x week to and from LHR.

PR flies 3x weekly between MEL and MNL (A343 - no AVOD - 264 seats in total), 4x weekly SYD - MNL (B773ER - AVOD) and 3X weekly MNL - DRW - BNE - DRW - MNL (A320 on which I have not travelled internationally, but probably no seatback AVOD).

This means that the Australian flights do not connect every day to LHR. Going to LHR, a traveller would need to overnight in MNL: I suggest a Resorts World Hotel near T3, but PR flies from T2 at MNL (NAIA is the name of the airport). These two terminals are less than half an hour apart: sometimes there's a lot of traffic on Airport Road between the two. Manila Marriott is one well regarded hotel at Resorts World; Remington (which I do not recommend as the rooms and bathroom are tiny and lack a chair) is the cheapie while Maxims is beyond many travellers' budget.

Having to overnight in MNL one way is the same as some north Asian airlines at their home airports.

Coming back ex MNL, the flights will if on time arrive MNL mid afternoon and make a good connection to Australian cities, but not every day.

When trying to test the PR online booking at Philippine Airlines :: Home, I selected 'multi city' as the booking option because a quirk is that if there is no same day connection in MNL, the booking engine does not automatically put you on the next day's flight from MNL to LHR. This needs to be fixed.

I selected (multi city booking option) MEL to MNL on 17 November; MNL to LHR on 18 November and then (because it is a same day connection in MNL) LHR to MEL in one line, departing LHR on 25 November and MNL the following evening at 2100 (26 November).

The sample fare came to a pretty reasonable A$1843.92 for whY (don't ask me why it's in cents).

Sydney fares will be a bit higher as SYD taxes are higher.

I suggest ringing a Filipino travel agent in Australia: look under 'Philippines', or the PR website has a list of those in MEL and SYD (but strangely not BNE or DRW, although there may be at least one in BNE). The agents will generally offer better fares than online, which is true for many airlines.

Mabuhay Miles :: Home is the frequent flyer program.

Rather than going all the way through to LHR both ways ex or to Oz, why not consider a break at a central Philippines beach? There are many discussed on the Internet. Most are not on the main island of Luzon, but offshore from islands such as Cebu or Negros.

Like the north Asian airlines who do not offer same day connections both ways between Australia and LHR but only one way, PR won't be for everybody. However for leisure travellers with a bit of time up their sleeve, I could think of worse.

The Mabuhay class (business) airfares are unlikely to be quite as cheap as a couple of the Chinese airlines, but they may be fairly competitive, particularly if one travels all the way (ex SYD to LHR via MNL) on a B773ER as these have beds with a small drop off at the end (from memory on most airlines this is 15 degrees or so). I can sleep comfortably on it, even though it is not quite completely lie flat.

I am not sure if PR will throw in the Korean idea of a free hotel (for PR this would be in MNL) overnight due to teh lack of a same day connection when going to MNL. Best to ask a travel agent and try to insist on it.

 

[medhead]

Re: PR;s new Australia- LHR route: sample whY fare $1843 return

Haven't you already started a thread with this information?

 

[burrco]

Re: PR;s new Australia- LHR route: sample whY fare $1843 return

Looking forward to being kept apprised of delays and cancellations on this new route.

 

[mannej]

Re: PR;s new Australia- LHR route: sample whY fare $1843 return

Looking forward to being kept apprised of delays and cancellations on this new route.

They cancelled the PER route very quickly.

 

[sydstar]

PR will surely struggle. Why would someone choose to take a 15 year old A340 with no-IFE, before having to spend an overnight (probably at own expense) at MNL? Or even worse - an A320 :shock: There surely won't be much appeal to business travel either if J is not lie flat. Their average fleet age is not significantly different to QF.

I doubt they'll be able to undercut the likes of CZ (who at least are running new metal), and combined with poor (i.e. non-daily) frequency and no alliance feed, I question how profitable they'll be on LHR-MNL.

I'd rather stick to my "delayed" QF 1/9

 

[MEL_Traveller]

exactly... if I had to pick 'cheap as chips' to London I'd probably take the royal Brunei 787 one stop. although that's from MEL only. plenty of others out there for $100 more from other ports.

PR might be handy for those wishing to stop over for family / holiday reasons.

 

[Melburnian1]

status_seeker, the jury remains out as to whether PR will 'surely struggle.'

Many of the passengers may be Filipinos who live in the UK or Europe as a contractual employee and want to return home on an airline with Tagalog speaking flight stewards and hostesses. As always, price will be a key determining factor in choice of airline.

MNL is also one of the 10 largest cities in the world. It has growing business links with the UK and Australia.

PR's SYD - MNL - LHR flights (with a change in MNL, and an overnight northbound) may be on very up to date 773ERs. These are very good, especially in business class, and not old. Unlike Royal Brunei you can have alcohol served on board by the PR attendants, while MNL is a much more happening city than Brunei's tiny capital.

I agree that the lack of an alliance feed is bad for PR but perhaps in time we will see it join OneWorld (despite CX being a member if I recall) or SkyTeam. I couldn't see it ever joining Star Alliance as SQ is a member.

PR is advertising introductory fares:

Philippine Airlines :: Fly to London