Philippine Airlines

...take the Philippines' national carrier, Philippine Airlines (PAL), once more for this year's trip. This, because of a most pleasant hop I had between Hong Kong and Manila. (The 17-hour flight from Chicago to Hong Kong was sheer agony in United Airlines' extremely tight seats and mediocre food in Economy class.) And its relatively cheaper fare (about $2430 for Business Class; ~ 2,000 EUR or 1,380 GBP) for a direct Los Angeles - Manila flight (with ...
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Reading material includes Philippine newspapers such as Philippine Daily Inquirer, Malaya, Manila Times and Manila Standard, the International Herald Tribune, and assorted US, European and Philippine glossy magazines (In Style, Time, The Economist, etc.). Each seat pocket holds a copy of 'Mabuhay', the in-flight magazine, and 'Fiesta', the duty-free shopping magazine.

In Business Class (and First Class), up-to-date movies can ... more

Why PAL?

Since embarking on my annual visit to the crazy, exciting, troubled, colourful and much-missed motherland last year, I chose to take the Philippines' national carrier, Philippine Airlines (PAL), once more for this year's trip. This, because of a most pleasant hop I had between Hong Kong and Manila. (The 17-hour flight from Chicago to Hong Kong was sheer agony in United Airlines' extremely tight seats and mediocre food in Economy class.) And its relatively cheaper fare (about $2430 for Business Class; ~ 2,000 EUR or 1,380 GBP) for a direct Los Angeles - Manila flight (with a brief stopover in Guam outbound for refuelling.)

Yes, I chose to fly PAL again, despite last year's four-hour delay by PAL that ruined my entire return trip to the US, forcing me to languish for nearly eight hours in Hong Kong International Airport and to scramble madly to get onto another domestic flight home from Los Angeles.

Why PAL Again?

The airline's acronym has long been thought by humourists to stand for 'Plane Always Late'. In my experience, PAL has justified that snarky joke in a total of two of eight PAL flights I've taken now (which include both international and domestic routes).

And yet I don't wish to give up on the carrier entirely, because of its many other pluses! I admit I did feel an urge to commit murder last year when the initially one-hour delay would evolve into a four-hour wait, with few explanations and no goodies to ease the pain of PAL's waiting passengers.

However. Like the masochist-more-of-a-hedonist that I am, I still love a lot of other things about PAL.

Like the plane's elegant livery (or logo), f'rinstance. After PAL rose from the ashes of the Asian financial crises of 1998, its old blue and red triangles were given a nice yellow accent in the form of a stylized sun rising behind the red triangle.

And the wonderful cuisine, for goodness' sake.

(For a sneak peek, take a look at the photos taken by passengers of their in-flight meals from Economy, First and Business Classes on international and domestic PAL flights here:

http://www.airlinemeals.net/meals/PhilippineAirlines.html

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's start at the airport ticket counter, shall we?

* * * * * *

[NOTE: This review applies mostly to the experience in Business ('Mabuhay') / First Class. Purchasing of tickets was done by a travel agent for us, so I can't say how easy or difficult that task is with PAL.]

Pleasant Check-in.

We flew into Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) from my home state on a Delta jet via Cincinnati, Ohio. Two outbound flights depart from LAX for Manila daily, and we were looking at six hours for our layover before our evening flight. After dining and chatting with locally based kith and kin, the PAL check-in counters finally opened for our flight. A few others preceded us in the Business Class ticket line. We handed over our tickets and passports to the man at the counter, who then informed us politely that we would have to take our luggage to be x-rayed at Security, situated near the entrance to the Tom Bradley International Terminal. Although a rather long, snaking line had already formed at Security, it moved fast and we were done in ten minutes.

Since passengers are not allowed to handle x-rayed bags, a LAX employee pushed a cart filled with our luggage and went back with us to the PAL ticket counter. There he loaded the bags onto the scale for us. With a pleasant (but not obsequious) smile, the PAL fellow handed us our boarding tickets, and two hours later, we would begin boarding the plane.

* * * * *

In-flight Experience.

Seats and Cabin Amenities.

Our seats were on the upper deck of the Boeing 747 (Business or 'Mabuhay' Class). Soft, square pillows in crisp, freshly laundered white linen and blue woolen blankets wrapped in plastic awaited the passengers. The belts, I noticed, were neatly laid out on the seat, with the buckle and the thin end parts crossed. I quickly got comfortable in my window seat, and put away my little carry-on in the storage compartment below the window.

The cabin and seats were neat and clean-smelling, without that usual 'airplane cabin smell' that comes with every US carrier I've flown.

I browsed PAL's in-flight glossy magazine, 'Mabuhay', to find out which movies were playing on this trip. Meanwhile, we were each given the newest version of PAL's amenity kit which contained toiletries from BVLGARI's Eau Parfumée Au Thé Vert collection, a towel, hairbrush, cologne, comb, folding toothbrush and toothpaste, knitted socks and an eye mask.

There is more than enough room even for six-footers in Business Class to ensure a comfortable ride on super-extended flights like that between Los Angeles and Manila. The seatback reclines well back, and the footrest can be extended to accommodate legs even longer than mine. The large soft pillows with their freshly laundered slips invite one to rest one's head on them. The supplied woollen blanket is so large that, folded once, it still covers a small frame like mine completely from neck to toe.

One thing I've noticed on the long-haul PAL flights I've taken is the lavatories' condition. They're still very clean and fresh-smelling - even after repeated use by more than a dozen passengers some six to eight hours past takeoff. It's a nice change from the ammoniacal scent that usually greets one in most airplane lavatories.

Also, the flight staff were all unfailingly courteous, often smiling, and very prompt in attending to the passengers.

Entertainment and Shopping.

Reading material includes Philippine newspapers such as Philippine Daily Inquirer, Malaya, Manila Times and Manila Standard, the International Herald Tribune, and assorted US, European and Philippine glossy magazines (In Style, Time, The Economist, etc.). Each seat pocket holds a copy of 'Mabuhay', the in-flight magazine, and 'Fiesta', the duty-free shopping magazine.

In Business Class (and First Class), up-to-date movies can be viewed on the collapsible personal video screens. Among those I saw in my eleven-and-a-half-hour outbound flight were 'Just Like Heaven' (wittier, funnier and more charming than I'd expected), 'The Constant Gardener', 'Sky High School' (more fun than usual), and 'In Her Shoes' (appallingly unfunny, as expected). Then there's the flight staple from Canada that always leaves me in tears of laughter with its Candid Camera-type jokes: 'Just For Laughs - Gags!' . US TV shows such as 'Frazier' and "Everybody Loves Raymond', as well as the brief Filipino travel program called 'Lakbay TV' are also available.

The in-flight radio has the usual assortment of music of different genres produced in Asia and the USA. No video games or similar to be had, but I don't see that as a minus. I'd prefer to have the basics done well - good food, good service and comfortable seats - to having mediocre food, service and seats coupled with such peripherals.

PAL also has a slim in-flight magazine ('Fiesta') showcasing the duty-free goods that can be purchased in flight. I've never bought anything from them, so I can't tell you much more about it.

Excellent Fine Dining in the Sky.

The first meal would be supper, and I immediately regretted the dinner I'd had earlier at LAX. Since September 2004, PAL's executive chef has been Scotsman Ian McKenzie, who strives to use the freshest ingredients (from the Philippines, if possible) in his dishes. (PAL happens to be a member of the Paris-based gastronomic society called Chaînes des Rôtisseurs.)

One chose an entrée from the menu card (prettily decorated with a large, pink dahlia) and relayed the choice to the flight attendant. Wonderful concoctions of western, Filipino and Japanese persuasion were on the menu.

PAL's fine dining ritual begins with trays of orange juice (though a bit sour for my taste) and ice water that go the rounds. A crisp, white linen place mat is laid on each dinner tray. Rolled hot towels to cleanse one's hands are then passed out. And then finally, the food.

The food is served in heavy white ceramic ware. A set of two forks, a spoon and a teaspoon, all in steel, as well as two plastic knives (a bit of silliness by airlines and airports) are wrapped in a starched, white table napkin.

The appetizer plate arrived on a tray also bearing a small plate with fresh fruit (grapes and orange wedges) and a bread plate with Camembert cheese and water crackers, an empty cup, and dessert. For some reason, I've noticed that the appetizers are usually presented much more nicely (more appetizingly?) than the main courses on PAL. These initial offerings are so exquisitely chosen and arranged that one HAS to partake of them even if it wasn't in the plan originally!

On this flight, the aperitif consisted of lightly seared pieces of raw ahi tuna on a bed of sweet pickled green seaweed and two chilled pieces of sweet cooked shrimp - all very fresh, clean-tasting and slightly sweet. A shaped dollop of wasabi dressing gave a nice green (and spicy) accent to the dish. Of course I cleaned off the plate. These appetizers had to have been very prepared very shortly before takeoff, since raw fish doesn't keep well for too long.

The entrée looked less spectacular than the aperitif, but by no means unattractive. My beef short ribs were cooked in a sweetish bulgogi sauce, with a side of sesame spinach and a generous helping of plump, sticky Japanese white rice. The beef might have spent a minute too long in the oven (or pan), but was very tasty, and was nicely complemented by the slightly bitter spinach and the clean, bland taste of rice. (The other entrées on the menu were Stir-fried Scallop and Squid with tomatoes and vegetables, and the lighter Hainanese Chicken with chilli ginger, soy sauce, mushrooms, veggies and rice.)

A big basket also made the rounds, filled with assorted breads that seemed freshly baked (rosemary garlic foccaccia, small baguettes and potato bread).

I'm not particularly fond of key lime pie for the excessive sourness of most specimens, but this dessert I would devour (gently). It was a genuine surprise, made of a delicate, thin crust filled with a chiffony, light custard that had the merest hint of the lime's sour edge.

An hour or two before landing in Manila, we were served a second big meal, breakfast. A similar ritual preceded the distribution of the starters, which came in the form of chilled fresh fruit - a small bunch of grapes, a few slices of sweet mango and wedges of rather bland cantaloupe - and a large tub of fresh, creamy yoghurt. That could have been my entire usual breakfast right there, but the entrée was still to come. I had chosen the pan-fried sea bass, accompanied by fluffy scrambled eggs, sliced button mushrooms and green peas, and delicious garlic fried rice. The sea bass was very tender and flaky, although a bit on the oily side. Otherwise, I thoroughly delighted in the hearty early morning repast. (One could also have opted instead for the Provencal-style Omelette with chicken sausage, mushrooms and country-style potatoes, or the Breakfast Meats of beef longaniza (Filipino sausage) and beef tapa (dried salted beef slices) with scrambled eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms and garlic fried rice.)

A cup of coffee or tea can be had with the meal. Coffee for the regular brewed cup is supplied exclusively by Manila's Café Figaro, which uses only the flavourful, strong and full-bodied Philippine coffee bean called 'barako'. I adore barako for its nutty taste and minimal acidity. For tea, you're given a fairly good selection of non-pedestrian tea brands (no Lipton tea here).

A fillling snack, or 'merienda', as Filipinos call it, can also be requested between supper and breakfast, accompanied by coffee or tea. Their chicken arroz caldo was superb - a steaming cup of rice porridge with tasty pieces of chicken topped with bits of fried garlic, spring onion, all given a small kick with some calamansi juice - the small, lime-like Philippine fruit also known as the decorative calamondin tree in the States. (A foccaccia sandwich was the other choice.)

(NOTE: Food is vital to Filipinos' well-being. Hence, even in domestic flights of just forty-five minutes' flight time, PAL serves a slice of cake (made by Philippine-based Goldilocks Bakeshop) and light beverages, as opposed to the tiny foil packets of peanuts and pretzels on US airlines on two-hour flights, and *nothing* on those less than an hour in duration.)

* * * *

Arrival.

I've yet to experience a bumpy landing on any PAL flight, and this touchdown at the NAIA (Ninoy Aquino International Airport) was no different. Deplaning was per usual with most airlines, neither too slow nor fast. However, boarding and deplaning from a PAL plane has fewer hassles than with other international airlines at Manila, mostly because PAL was given exclusive use of one of the three international terminals at the NAIA, the 'Centennial Terminal' or Terminal 2. We headed for the luggage carousel, where we retrieved our bags within fifteen minutes.

The surprise would come with our arrival time, however. At about five a.m. the party who was to kindly meet us at the airport had just come to NAIA, but took his time in heading for the greeting area. He was sure that our plane would come in twenty, maybe thirty minutes later than the posted time. When he learned through my phone message that we were already at Immigration, he was (pleasantly) shocked to learn that in fact, this PAL flight had landed in Manila a full hour ahead of schedule!

* * * *

The Mabuhay Lounge.

Every First Class and Business Class passenger should never pass up the chance to while some time in PAL's Mabuhay Lounge! In this outbound trip I couldn't take advantage of the amenities offered by the Mabuhay Lounge (there isn't one in LAX), but did so on the inbound flight, at Manila's NAIA Terminal 2.

Just before the flight, one can partake of a nice hot and cold buffet of light to filling snacks that are laid out neatly in covered plastic trays on a long table. The savoury offerings vary from mini-sandwiches to mini-siopaos (steamed Chinese meat-filled white buns); sushi maki to ravioli; deep-fried veggie rolls to siomai (similar to steamed potstickers); and chicken arroz caldo that one ladled into one's bowl from a gigantic, black, hot, iron pot. For the sweet tooth there are trays of light petit-fours and small pastries to please. At the tended bar, one can request his or her preferred beverage, including wine, soft drinks, coffee and tea.

Two flat-screen televisions offer news and movies, the smaller one set in one corner of the lounging area (where clean and well-stocked restrooms can also be accessed), the larger one set in the middle of the dining room. Facilities are available for making calls, faxing, and free Internet access on their computers, and Wi-Fi Internet access for laptop owners. In another room, one can relax with a brief massage, too, for a fee of just five pesos (if I recall correctly; ~ US$ 0.10 or 0.05 GBP or 0.08 EUR!).

* * * * *

Destinations.

Domestically, PAL services several cities in all three regions of the archipelago, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. In the US, there are flights to Guam, Honolulu, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas. Canada's sole (air)port of call is Vancouver. PAL also flies to Sydney and Melbourne in Australia. Its Middle East destinations have expanded (due to many overseas Filipino workers in the region; it flies to Saudi Arabia, Brunei, Qatar, United Arab Emirates), as have its connections in Asia (China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam).

* ALAS! *
For the moment, PAL is not a presence in Europe; its only link to the continent is through a codeshare agreement with Royal Dutch Airlines' KLM. I'm hoping that in a few years' time, PAL will restore its flights to the eastern United States and Europe as it continues to provide better and finer service to its passengers.

* * * *

Summary Judgement.

No, it's not a perfect airline at all, as PAL certainly needs to tighten up its on-time flight record. However, just based on my eight PAL flights, I would still prefer to take Philippine Airlines when I can, only because they tend to spoil their passengers with good food and good service, things rarely encountered at most airports and airlines anymore, especially in these days of hassled flying.

I've heard about the excellent service in the other Asian airlines like Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways (I haven't any experience with them yet), although many still prefer the food on PAL. It might be just a matter of taste. Literally.

++++++++++++ END OF REVIEW +++++++++++

 

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