1. Philippine Airlines

This awesome airline is the very own homegrown airline of the Filipino people and it bears their national flag; it is also Asia’s oldest commercial airline.

While it covers 31 destinations on the domestic circuit within the Philippines, it also boasts of a competent network to some of the best known destinations on:

1. North America,
2. Europe,
3. Middle East,
4. East Asia,
5. Southeast Asia, and
6. Oceana

There was a financial crisis in 1998 due to which this airline was sent into receivership but it emerged out of that and has not looked back since. Its recent success may be gauged by the following facts:

1. It is not a member of any alliance and this is a unique distinction since it is the only flag carrier that able to avoid alliances,
2. It has profitable code-sharing agreements with seven prestigious airlines which include Etihad Airlines and Emirates Airlines,
3. They are running their own subsidiary airline called PAL Express which is also running profitably, and
4. They are running Mabuhay Miles which is a frequent flyer program of their own.

Checking In

Both online and at the airport,

Web check-in (24 hours in advance to one hour before scheduled departure) but, not available for Xiamen or Dubai,

At the airport, counters close 45” before scheduled departure; check-in time is two hours for domestic flights and three hours for international flights.

Comfort

The legroom in economy flights on long haul flights is about 31” to 33” while for business class it is between 45” to 70”.

The same measures for short haul flights is 30” to 34” while for business class it may be 36” to 40”.

Advance reservations are available.

Rates of reserving the seats depend on:

The route on which the flight is operating,

The location in the plane,

The class of travel.

2. Emirates

Emirates has made a name for itself in the business and economy sectors and is the chosen airline for many; it has emerged as an industry leader in the highly competitive airlines industry though it is a relatively recent addition with its launch in 1985.

Their coveted services include:

• They are plying on the highly sought-after Kangaroo Route which flies between Sydney and London,
• It has been successfully operating four of the ten commercial flights which are in the longest non-stop commercial category.

This airlines prides itself on its ever improving Customer service.

Its in-flight services are some of the best.

Emirates is the first airline who provided mobile usage while in the skies back in 2009.

No wonder, they are an award-winning airline.

Checking In

Both online and airport modes are available.

For checking in at the airport you have to present yourself between three hours before the scheduled departure to 90”.

Online checking in starts 24 hours before the scheduled take off and ends 90” prior to the plane’s departure.

You may get a printed copy of the boarding pass or show a downloaded copy on your smartphone.

Since mobile checking passes are not admitted by some airports, it is advisable to check up from the airport in advance.

Comfort

As in other airlines nowadays, the facility of online checking in is available 24 hours before the scheduled departure of the flight; a link is provided on the website of Emirates; it is called Manage my booking  link and is prominently displayed on the website.

The seats in the rows containing the emergency exits cannot be reserved specifically; they are allotted automatically while checking in.

Since the onboard bassinet is located there, the seats in the bulkhead row are normally assigned to passengers travelling with infants, for their convenience.

Legroom space in the Emirates flights is also standardized in the economy class too; it provides for comfort of travel with an average of leg stretching space of 31” to 34”.

The seats are also comparatively wide with an average width between 17” to 18.5” allowing you to move around without getting cramped.

3. Cathay pacific

Cathay pacific is also a flag-carrying airline with a long history of achievements; it has its head office in Hong Kong International Airport since it is the flag bearer of Hong Kong.

The amazing fact about its formation was that it was founded in September 1946 by two gentlemen who had contributed $1 each for its registration; these gentlemen were Sydney Kantzow who was an Australian and Roy Farrell who was an American.

Cathay Pacific is the airline which flew its first flight into the newly constructed Hong Kong International Airport; besides, the first transpolar flight in the world was undertaken by Cathay Pacific which made a flight over North Pole during July 1998.

Checking In

You may check in to your flight 48 hours in advance of the scheduled  departure of your flight but no later than 90” before the time of your flight if you if you bought your ticket from the website of Cathay Pacific or if you happen to be members of club / Asia Miles.

If you happen to be holding an electronic ticket, then the earliest you can check in is 24 hours before the scheduled departure of your flight.

Cathay Pacific suggests that you arrive about two hours prior to the departure; local Hong Kong residents should have their boarding passes in hand at least 45” before their flight departs.

Passengers bound for Riyadh and North American destinations are required to be in possession of their boarding passes at least 60” prior to the departure time.

Passengers for Dubai should collect their boarding passes at least one hour before the scheduled departure of their flight.

Chinese Food

Being a Chinese airline, Cathay Pacific lives up to its Chinese reputation by supplying authentic Chinese food to its customers; the airline provides the best fare of Chinese local favorites to the travelers on the domestic network of flights.

While the traditional fare is recommended to all, on long-distance flights we have international menus which have been perfected by traditional Chefs over time to give you the feel of splendid cuisine from across the world.

Cathay Pacific is probably the first airline that attempted to supply freshly cooked food onboard its flights; they loaded up all the pots and utensils that were required to provide the steaming hot food that you crave for while flying.

Now, the cabin crew provide the flyers a highly standardized menu that sometimes helps to make the airline a favorite of frequent flyers and tourists; moreover, the First Class passengers have the liberty to choose from a variety of a la carte menu option; they are also free to choose when they will partake of their meals.

They provide in-flight services as follows:

1. Newspapers and magazines,
2. More than 22 Radio channels,
3. More than 500 TV programs to choose from.

Baggage, Allowance, and Fees

Before travelling, it will be in your own interest to check up the regulations, restrictions and rules regarding carriage of cabin baggage, luggage in cargo and the relevant charges; details are better if taken from the Cathay website.

End of part 1—-> Continue reading Part 2

Umrao Singh                                                       umraoz.wordpress.com

Written for:  Lars-Magnus Carlsson                          www.thephilippinepride.com?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss

The post TRAVEL: Some popular airlines flying from and to the Philippines, Part 1 appeared first on The Philippine Pride.