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I recently had three weeks holiday in the Philippines. I have travelled around S.E Asia quite alot as a solo traveller as well as with family. I have flown a variety of airlines both full service and budget carriers. As Tiger Airways (TR) now flies to PER daily I thought I'd save a few dollars and take them to SIN instead of my normal SQ carrier. I booked early and got myself a bargin, my return trip cost me around half of what Id normally pay if I flew to SIN with SQ in Y.
Well it all started on the night of 15th of May 2008, got to the airport around 2 hours before departure time, a brisk check-in for TR 717, then it was up to the viewing deck, PER is a small airport so there is limited International flights, at the time there was a QF 737 and EK 777 at their bays. After immigration I had a quick look through the limited number of duty free and gift stores in the pre boarding area of the airport. There are a few airline lounges also at PER, QF, EK, MH and SQ. Our turnaround aircraft a A320 arrived around 9pm local time and a boarding announcement was made soon after that. Being a budget carrier TR has very quick turn around times, our push back time was right on 9.35pm.
I was located in seat 7A, I was one of the lucky ones, I had two free seats beside me. Aircraft config was 3-3 so I had an instant bed for the flight which worked out well cause it was a redeye flight. After a quick taxi we had short delay for takeoff due to an arriving aircraft, departure was to the SE intially off runway 21, for those non aviation ethusiests the runway numbers at an airport are the approximate bearing in degrees magnetic rounded to the nearest 10 degrees that the runway is directed into. For example, PER, runway 21 represents an approximate bearing of 210 degrees or SSW direction. You will sometimes see a letter L C or R after the number. These letters are used when there is a parrallel runway in the same direction L left, R right and C Centre. A climbing right turn toward the NNW put us on our outbound course for SIN. I slept most of the way and was awoken by the Pre decent announcement by our South African captain. We had an Australian first officer. Descent into SIN was a little rough as you'd expect due to the proximity of the equator, we approached SIN from the SE to make an arrival onto runway 20R. As it was 3.15am the airport wasn't all that busy so taxi to the budget terminal didn't take all that long. After clearing immigration which is really quick in SIN I collected my bags and organised some transport to my hostel. Anyone who is taking a flight with the budget carriers who use the budget terminal and arrive after midnight the best option for transport is the bus service that only costs 9 SGD in comparision to the taxis which will charge you an after midnight surcharge and airport surcharge. I was only in SIN for the day as my connecting flight to DVO via CEB wasn't leaving till the night of the 16th. I slept most of the day. I was having problems with the photos so they can be viewed here. http://citationau.multiply.com/photo...DVO-MNL_return.
Photos 1-11 are applicable to this part of the trip report.
1-4 Perth Airport
5-8 Inside the aircraft to SIN
9-11 Arrivals Budget terminal in SIN
I was back at the budget terminal that following evening for the Cebu Pacific Air (5J) service to DVO via CEB. I been to the budget terminal quite a few times in the past two years, very simple with a few shops and places to eat as well as free internet which is always handy, another tip, the eatery beside checkin at the budget terminal serves really nice fried rice, I always eat there before my flights. I was on flight 5J 548, the depature time is actually on the 17th of May cause the flight to CEB is a little after midnight, 1220am. After a short delay due to a paperwork issue we pushed back and begun our taxi to runway 20R, I was loacted in seat 18A. aircraft type was an A320 in 3-3 config. We departed behind a BA 777 from memory. Once again due to the flight time I slept the whole way, final approach was quite bumby with some rain showers included. We touched down runway 22 at Mactan Cebu International Airport at 4.16am.
Photos for this particular Sector are 12-14.
12-13 Sin Budget Terminal Departures
14- Outbound Aircraft
For some reason when I fly this particular flight from SIN to DVO via CEB I am made to collect my bags after immigration and recheck them in CEB even though Im flying the same Airline. Thats strange cause DVO is also an international airport so can handle international arrivals as well, my point, why can't I just clear immigration in DVO cause my stop in CEB is only a transit. Anyhow after rechecking for my flight to DVO flight 5J 593 I was told that there would be a three hour delay, wow lots of fun after you have had 3.5 hrs sleep and are then asked to sit in a departure area with only metal bucket seats! Oh well it wasn't that bad, the delay was due to a late inbound aircraft arriving from HKG. Time passed and our boarding begun at around 7.15am. The hop to DVO isn't all that long so the cruise segment of the flight is only around 10-15 mins the rest of the time is spent gaining altitude or losing it! After another bumpy approach we landed runway 05 at DVO, the weather was quite nice but we had a gusty left crosswind on final, I commend the pilot flying it was a tough approach, i can gaurantee it. I hate crosswind landings, they always keep me awake when Im at the controls! Touch down was at 0900 local. A quick walk to the baggage collection area and a long wait as always for my suitcase. Photos applicable to this segment are 15-19.
15- Mactan Cebu International Airport right after security screening
16-17 Inside Aircraft to DVO seat 22 C
18- Our A320 at rest in DVO after deboarding
19- Arrivals in DVO
Overall I thought TR was really great for the price of the ticket, its no frills yes and limited baggage allowance but they are only minor issues cause your flights are only a few hours. TR are starting a second service to PER which is good cause the flight will leave earlier meaning I wont have to overnight it in SIN in the future. I have been to the Philippines six times, 5 of those flights I have used 5J, their departures ex SIN always seem to be fairly on time, domestic flights within the Philippines are getting longer and longer delays everytime I visit. 5J is a really great carrier, but need to start concentrating on getting there flights out ontime cause once there is one flight delayed, the following flights using the same aircraft will also be delayed, just like a domino affect.
Hey well SQtalkers only a brief report but there are not to many of them to the Philippines, I hope u all enjoyed it!
Well it all started on the night of 15th of May 2008, got to the airport around 2 hours before departure time, a brisk check-in for TR 717, then it was up to the viewing deck, PER is a small airport so there is limited International flights, at the time there was a QF 737 and EK 777 at their bays. After immigration I had a quick look through the limited number of duty free and gift stores in the pre boarding area of the airport. There are a few airline lounges also at PER, QF, EK, MH and SQ. Our turnaround aircraft a A320 arrived around 9pm local time and a boarding announcement was made soon after that. Being a budget carrier TR has very quick turn around times, our push back time was right on 9.35pm.
I was located in seat 7A, I was one of the lucky ones, I had two free seats beside me. Aircraft config was 3-3 so I had an instant bed for the flight which worked out well cause it was a redeye flight. After a quick taxi we had short delay for takeoff due to an arriving aircraft, departure was to the SE intially off runway 21, for those non aviation ethusiests the runway numbers at an airport are the approximate bearing in degrees magnetic rounded to the nearest 10 degrees that the runway is directed into. For example, PER, runway 21 represents an approximate bearing of 210 degrees or SSW direction. You will sometimes see a letter L C or R after the number. These letters are used when there is a parrallel runway in the same direction L left, R right and C Centre. A climbing right turn toward the NNW put us on our outbound course for SIN. I slept most of the way and was awoken by the Pre decent announcement by our South African captain. We had an Australian first officer. Descent into SIN was a little rough as you'd expect due to the proximity of the equator, we approached SIN from the SE to make an arrival onto runway 20R. As it was 3.15am the airport wasn't all that busy so taxi to the budget terminal didn't take all that long. After clearing immigration which is really quick in SIN I collected my bags and organised some transport to my hostel. Anyone who is taking a flight with the budget carriers who use the budget terminal and arrive after midnight the best option for transport is the bus service that only costs 9 SGD in comparision to the taxis which will charge you an after midnight surcharge and airport surcharge. I was only in SIN for the day as my connecting flight to DVO via CEB wasn't leaving till the night of the 16th. I slept most of the day. I was having problems with the photos so they can be viewed here. http://citationau.multiply.com/photo...DVO-MNL_return.
Photos 1-11 are applicable to this part of the trip report.
1-4 Perth Airport
5-8 Inside the aircraft to SIN
9-11 Arrivals Budget terminal in SIN
I was back at the budget terminal that following evening for the Cebu Pacific Air (5J) service to DVO via CEB. I been to the budget terminal quite a few times in the past two years, very simple with a few shops and places to eat as well as free internet which is always handy, another tip, the eatery beside checkin at the budget terminal serves really nice fried rice, I always eat there before my flights. I was on flight 5J 548, the depature time is actually on the 17th of May cause the flight to CEB is a little after midnight, 1220am. After a short delay due to a paperwork issue we pushed back and begun our taxi to runway 20R, I was loacted in seat 18A. aircraft type was an A320 in 3-3 config. We departed behind a BA 777 from memory. Once again due to the flight time I slept the whole way, final approach was quite bumby with some rain showers included. We touched down runway 22 at Mactan Cebu International Airport at 4.16am.
Photos for this particular Sector are 12-14.
12-13 Sin Budget Terminal Departures
14- Outbound Aircraft
For some reason when I fly this particular flight from SIN to DVO via CEB I am made to collect my bags after immigration and recheck them in CEB even though Im flying the same Airline. Thats strange cause DVO is also an international airport so can handle international arrivals as well, my point, why can't I just clear immigration in DVO cause my stop in CEB is only a transit. Anyhow after rechecking for my flight to DVO flight 5J 593 I was told that there would be a three hour delay, wow lots of fun after you have had 3.5 hrs sleep and are then asked to sit in a departure area with only metal bucket seats! Oh well it wasn't that bad, the delay was due to a late inbound aircraft arriving from HKG. Time passed and our boarding begun at around 7.15am. The hop to DVO isn't all that long so the cruise segment of the flight is only around 10-15 mins the rest of the time is spent gaining altitude or losing it! After another bumpy approach we landed runway 05 at DVO, the weather was quite nice but we had a gusty left crosswind on final, I commend the pilot flying it was a tough approach, i can gaurantee it. I hate crosswind landings, they always keep me awake when Im at the controls! Touch down was at 0900 local. A quick walk to the baggage collection area and a long wait as always for my suitcase. Photos applicable to this segment are 15-19.
15- Mactan Cebu International Airport right after security screening
16-17 Inside Aircraft to DVO seat 22 C
18- Our A320 at rest in DVO after deboarding
19- Arrivals in DVO
Overall I thought TR was really great for the price of the ticket, its no frills yes and limited baggage allowance but they are only minor issues cause your flights are only a few hours. TR are starting a second service to PER which is good cause the flight will leave earlier meaning I wont have to overnight it in SIN in the future. I have been to the Philippines six times, 5 of those flights I have used 5J, their departures ex SIN always seem to be fairly on time, domestic flights within the Philippines are getting longer and longer delays everytime I visit. 5J is a really great carrier, but need to start concentrating on getting there flights out ontime cause once there is one flight delayed, the following flights using the same aircraft will also be delayed, just like a domino affect.
Hey well SQtalkers only a brief report but there are not to many of them to the Philippines, I hope u all enjoyed it!
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