Philippine Airlines: Manila to Hong Kong Round-Trip in Pictures

Traffic going to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 (NAIA 2) was unusually light and fast until we got to the unloading zone which started to resemble EDSA. I debated whether to get off at the domestic area and just walk to the international area but since I arrived faster than anticipated, I had lots of time to just wait it out inside the taxi.

Twenty minutes later, I was at the international departure area which had a long queue at the entrance.

The long lines continued at the check-in counters. It seems that airport management decided to lump several flights together for as long as they are flying the same class. Time will tell if this is a better system than dedicated flight counters.

Another change I noticed was the segregation of the terminal fee counters---foreigners at the left-wing and locals at the right-wing. There was no sign indicating this so I went to the left-wing which was nearer to my check-in counter only to be turned away.

At the immigration, they did away with the snake line system where the next waiting passenger can come up to any available counter. In its stead, there was a counter for business class, seniors, persons with disabilities and another counter for overseas Filipino workers while the remaining counters were for the rest of us. Personally, I prefer the snake line as I have more counter options whereas lining up in one counter will give me that grocery line experience where all the other lines are faster than the one I usually choose.

Although there were two airport security booths, only one was working for all the passengers. However, and much to my surprise, it was still fast.

The only thing I like about NAIA 2 is its laptop tables and chairs. But this time around, there were no chairs at all. Sitting at the lounge chair facing the table made me feel like a dwarf as the table top was to my eye level.

philippine airlines flights to hong kong

Boarding commenced earlier than what was printed on our boarding pass but we flew five minutes late.

We flew the Airbus A321-200 where neither in-flight entertainment or an iPad service was offered. I actually have no problem with this as Hong Kong takes only an hour and forty-five minutes. Besides, I already have my own iPad. However, if this is a problem for you, I would recommend flying with Cathay Pacific as no Philippine carriers seem to offer this amenity.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer and the Philippine Star were later offered. Over the public announcement system, we were told that we could send text messages and that our smartphones could be put on flight mode. I asked for clarification about the texting which I thought was possible during the flight. The flight attendant said that it was only allowed for as long as the doors remained open so obviously not while in transit.

Notice, by the way, how wider the seats of the business section are compared to…

….economy (naturally).

I have a beef with the representative at the check-in counter. When I booked my ticket online, I had reserved a seat while my friend did not. So upon checking in, we requested if she could be seated if not beside me, at least near me. We were told that all seats were taken and that the next available seat for her was 15 rows down. But when I got to my seat, the entire row in front of me was vacant and it wasn’t a choice seat row either. It remained unoccupied prompting the man seated beside me to transfer from his middle seat to the more comfortable aisle seat.

Lunch was served and much to my surprise, the pork adobo was flavorful and the rice was soft. It tasted like home-made cooking unlike before where it usually tasted like frozen dinner. To top it off, we were offered Magnolia chocolate ice cream which only the first few rows in the economy section got to enjoy as the dessert service was disrupted twice due to turbulence. My friend, seated fifteen rows down, could only settle for my kuwento (talk) on how delicious the ice cream was.

Duty-free service was also abandoned for lack of time as it was almost descending time.

We arrived at the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) fifteen minutes ahead of schedule with a smooth landing.

Although HKIA is a huge airport (almost like a zip code to itself), one can hardly get lost with the preponderance of signs showing the way.

(One can also choose to ignore the signs and do as they please…)

Because HKIA is huge, it has a lot of long walkalators so passengers can alternate between walking and taking them.

After immigration and customs clearance, passengers can either meet up with their tour guide at the tourist pick-up area…

…or choose to take the public transportation to get to the city.

You can take the taxi, bus or the Airport Express. I chose the latter as it’s the fastest and most convenient. As you can see from the above photo, it takes less than 30 minutes to get to the city while a taxi ride might take an hour and double the price which happened to my friends who arrived on another flight. You can buy the tickets at the airport.

There are different ticket options to choose from: single trip, round-trip, same-day return or the regular prepaid train ticket called the Octopus. Always ask for the most cost-effective solution for your needs.

Trains depart every ten minutes and seats are always plentiful.

There are no reserved seats so you can sit wherever you want.

Notice that they are cushion seats.

And this is where you place your luggage.

From the airport, there are three stops. If you are not sure where yours is, tell the ticket booth operator where you are planning to go or staying and they will advise you which one is your stop.

Inside the Airport Express train, you can track where you are. You can get a connecting city train service or taxi upon arrival at your designated stop.

Oh, how I wish we have the same service in the Philippines!

Because I am such a satisfied Airport Express customer, I chose it again for my return trip to Manila. I also advised my friends who took the taxi earlier to do the same. Not only is it more cost-effective and convenient, they get to experience something not available at home.

At the Airport Express Station, you once again buy a ticket going to the airport or you can use your Octopus which can be more expensive. You can buy at the customer service centre or…

…do it yourself. And now, comes the best part (which once again, I wish we can do in the Philippines!).

You can check in at the Airport Express Station located smack in the middle of the city and away from the actual airport! This way, you don’t have to lug around your stuff all the way to the airport. And if you have an evening flight, you can check in your stuff around lunch time, be issued a boarding pass and spend more time enjoying Hong Kong before heading to the actual airport for immigration clearance.

And just like the actual airport, the Airport Express Station has a flight board announcement.

However, not all airlines have a counter at the station. For Philippine carriers, it’s only Philippine Airlines (PAL) that has it which is the only incentive for me to be flying PAL even though Cebu Pacific and other local airlines may offer cheaper rates.

After buying your ticket, you enter the check-in area.

And line up at the designated check-in counter, just like at the airport.

As mentioned, once you are checked in, you may choose to go out to see more of Hong Kong or you can take the train straight to the airport with only your hand-carry.

This is the train station.

Upon entering…

…you tap the card and you’re cleared for entry.

There will always be signs to help you find your way…

…as well as announcements on how long the next train will arrive in both Chinese and English.

It’s the same train service that one takes from the airport, so expect the same features like the journey tracking.

You need to know which terminal you will be getting off. It is stated in your ticket as well as on the screens onboard. However, for this trip, the screens were not functioning. For Terminal 1, exit is to your left.

For Terminal 2, you exit at the right. However, if in case you get off at the wrong terminal exit, don’t fret. You don’t have to ride a cab or another train service to get to the right terminal. Unlike in the Philippines where terminals are terminally far from each other that a commute is needed, both terminals are inside the same airport.

hong kong international airport train station

Just follow the sign leading to the right terminal.

In the Philippines, if you need to get to another terminal, you can either take the bus shuttle service for P20 or take a taxi. The advantage of using the shuttle service is that it’s cheap but you have to wait for their scheduled departure which might make you miss your flight. (Remember the traffic as well.)

As for using the taxi, be wary of drivers that will take advantage of your situation. I was once charged P500 but I was too much in a hurry to argue.

You won’t have any need for the Airport Express ticket so you can either surrender it for recycling or keep it as a souvenir.

“Oh, signs, signs, everywhere there's signs…”

HKIA is very strict when it comes to forbidden liquids and creams. My friend once tried to down a room- temperature Coke in a can just because he didn't want to put it to waste but he gave up. There’s nothing worse-tasting than room-temperature soda. As for me, I once had to give up a hard-to-find lotion just because I forgot about the policy. Drat.

After you pass through immigration and security clearance, you will board on a train inside the airport to get to your gate. Don’t worry, it’s for free.

The train ride was as fast as my clearance, by the way.

The train is not normally this empty.

Depending on your flight, you might be led straight to your gate or you have to board a bus afterwards. Fortunately, for my trip, there was no need for that.

Announcements are also available in English.

You can while away the time by using their free (and fast) Wi-Fi on your mobile gadgets…

…or at the kiosk.

You can also watch the planes come and go. That’s the Airbus 321-200 that’s taking me home.

HKIA has mall-like shops and restaurants to keep you busy. It also has drinking fountains so you don’t have to spend to quench your thirst. Paging hot-and-humid NAIA….

And should you have any questions, just look for the information counters that can be found all over.

HKIA has always been considered as one of the best airports in the world with the same frequency that NAIA is regarded as one of the worst.

And yet, while we are suffering from lack of proper air-conditioning as we “study” the feasibility of building a bigger airport, HKIA is not resting on its laurels by continuing to improve its facilities. *Sigh* And they don’t charge terminal fees!

Upon boarding, you are naturally asked to line up freely or by seat numbers.

While queued, officials will double-check your boarding pass and passport.

A last-minute reminder on what is allowed as hand-carry.

Although we boarded on time, our flight was delayed by thirty minutes because three passengers who checked in were a no-show hence their luggage had to be offloaded. In the meantime, flight attendants offered three newspapers---the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine Star and Malaya.

Take-off was smooth and dinner was served almost as soon as the seatbelt sign was turned off.

Dinner was either pork in black bean sauce or chicken inasal. I chose the latter with no expectations since the last time I had PAL’s inasal, it tasted like commercial food. It was better this time though as the chicken tasted fresh but I had to wonder why they offered lechon sauce instead of vinegar. No ice cream was offered for this flight, instead there were slices of fruit.

I had difficulty eating my dinner as the table tray kept sliding off. I had to hold it with one hand as I fed myself. The mild turbulence made me eat faster than I wanted to as I was afraid the food and drink would spill on me.

Although we departed late, we arrived as scheduled and were greeted by a PAL ambassador. When I heard about these ambassadors at first, I thought it was an unnecessary scheme but seeing their lovely smiles greet us, I changed my mind.

I went to the rest room first before proceeding to immigration. To the dismay of the passengers, there were only two booths inside the rest room and one was clogged so a long line longer than immigration formed outside.

Immigration took only five minutes and miracle of miracles, my luggage came out in less than ten minutes! This has never happened before so I was so happy to be able to go home early but we are talking NAIA here. There is always a glitch.

I commissioned a trusted taxi driver to pick me up at the airport and since he was not allowed to bring in his empty taxi at the arrival section, he had to park. It was quite a walk going to the parking lot but the wait at the exit was even longer. The car ahead of us was taking forever to get his receipt because the printer conked out. A technician came strolling several minutes after and the only contribution his presence gave was now the parking attendant had somebody else with whom to share the pressure. Twenty minutes later, they were still figuring out how to fix the printer. I asked my taxi driver to pay the attendant and let us through the other exit beside it where all they had to do was lift the barrier---they can keep the receipt. The car ahead of us became impatient as well and requested for a signed receipt so he can reimburse his parking expenses which consequently freed us.

I understand that these things happen but how can we expect to aspire to run a world-class airport when we can’t even run a smooth parking facility? Oh, NAIA, my NAIA.

-The Paranoid Traveler

10 comments:

AnonymousJune 18, 2014 at 5:53 AM
does the PAL a321 have overhead lcd for flight update and status?
AnonymousJune 18, 2014 at 7:44 AM
you really expect the economy seats to be as wide and comfortable as the business class seats???...
next time, if you want better, roomier Yclass seats, better service and frills in Yclass and on the ground and in a better plane, try cathay pacific....the patriotic excuse to fly PAL is getting as old as their sub-par service...imho...
AnonymousJune 18, 2014 at 5:35 PM
I recently travelled on a Saigon - Manila flight with an Airbus A321 and was able to commandeer a PAL iPad. However only about 20 were available for 190 passengers. This isn't acceptable. Why aren't 120 or 150 loaded - of course, it costs money (adding to weight) and needs organisation (remembering to charge the things).

I continue to fly PAL but it's true that its management, particularly Mr Ramon Ang, need some guidance. Since San Miguel took over the company, I have been less impressed which is the reverse of what I thought I would find.
AnonymousJune 18, 2014 at 8:10 PM
PAL probably doesn't know the difference between world-class, mediocre and sub-standard when it comes to products and services. The economy and business class(?) seats look ugly, cheap and plain crap. Not surprising that many Filipinos would choose to fly Cathay, Singapore and Thai Airways rather than PAL. To survive and be competitive, PAL should aim need to be innovative and that passenger comfort should never be compromised.
AnonymousJune 19, 2014 at 5:15 AM
How do PAL passengers keep track of their location and airspeed and all if they dont have LCDs in the cabin?? If it was a budget carrier i would undertstand kahit wala but this is our flag carrier... how sad! i hope this is only temporary
AnonymousJuly 12, 2014 at 2:24 AM
I know, PAL is not Cathay or Emirates, even not Turkish Airlines or Lufthansa. But honestly: Also many A321 from Lufthansa and europeans best airline - Turkish Airlines - don't have a TV on every seat on their short haul flights! Well, of course, it is a nice thing to have a TV, so you could see where your actual location is. Or even watch a movie. Well, and about the Business Class seats: It is worse in Europe (and America). Business Class from most carriers on shorthaul flights have the same seats as in the Economy Class!!!! The only difference are: middle seat is hold free - for putting small things like e.g. camera or coat on it, and you will get a warm meal in Business instead of the cold meal in the Economy Class! As far as I know Turkish Airlines is the only airline which offers hot food within Europe! So I am always happy to get a warm food (from 2 selctions) with PAL.
AnonymousJuly 13, 2014 at 1:38 AM
err you dont compare asian airlines with european or american airlines, because basically asian airlines > rest of the world. You should compare PAL to asean carriers like, SQ, Thai, MAS, Garuda....these airlines are 4-5 stars airlines and see how PAL stands out versus them
AnonymousJuly 15, 2014 at 9:17 AM
If I compare with asian carriers like TG, SQ or even OZ, then I must say that they are surely better than PR. But the prices of PR are mostly cheaper within Asia, specially the one-way flights!. Only few routes are cheaper with the others! But specially filippinos prefer direct flights! I don't care about that - as long as they have nice lounges with good food and spa. Unfortunately PR has only few routes with "normal" prices if flying via MNL compared to other airlines like OZ/SQ/MH/EK.

But I would say that PR is better than VN, QV (Lao), BI, CA and most other chinese airlines, don't want to mention many other Asian airlines like SV, PK, IR,...

If all airlines would offer the same, then only few airlines would make profits. But an airline should never forget the loyal frequentflyer (eg. Emirates don't care anymore so much about them). Each airline has something positiv for me which maybe is negativ for you. For me lifetime elite member with Million Milers is a nice idea (specially if someday PR would join an alliance) - but I could have that already for 500000 Miles with OZ (using different airlines and more destinations). TG/MH/SQ/EK and many others don't offer a lifetime status, which defenetifly would be something very nice!

Philippine Airlines: Manila to Hong Kong Round-Trip in Pictures

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