Thursday, March 25, 2010
PAL reshines through in Riyadh
Are we the airline we usually use?
Good news for people residing in Riyadh Region.Starting soon, Philippine Airline's flight services will resume in Riyadh.
Confession: I'm not a PAL fan.
The last time I took a Philippine Airlines flight was some years ago when it was still in operation in Dhahran. After a bad experience of being delayed for four days (worsened because it was Christmas season -- I left Saudi on 19th and arrived in Manila on 23rd! That late!), I promised myself not to board any PAL international flight ever.
PAL's Gulf service is also a bit sub-standard (for me).
On the two or three ocassions that I took PAL Gulf flights, I formed this notion that PAL's flight attendants are rude. It seemed they were all forced to serve, they don't like what they're doing and really, they are unexciting. Parang napilitan.
I heard that their other international flights, especially those US-bound, are far, far better. This hearsay worsened my dislike of PAL.
Does that make me an un-nationalist?
I usually take Gulf Air when I go home.
One, because it has a direct flight from Bahrain to Manila. (That's why I don't take Cathay because from Bahrain, it still has to stop over in Hongkong).
Two, because their service, although not as award-winning as Emirates, is passable. (Heirarchy of importance: my priority is to get home safe and on time -- give or take an hour or two of delay. I'm so undemanding a traveller that all I'm looking for in an airplane is that the food is palatable, the seats comfortably spaced so I can sleep and, most importantly, loos should all be working).
Three, because their frequent flyer card gives you an extra 10 kg on top of the baggage limit weight. PAL doesn't offer this perk; neither Cathay Pacific.
Lest you accuse me of being a paid agent of Gulf Air
What I like about PAL and Cathay is that they are benevolent with their frequent flyer miles. I know of a friend who uses his FF miles in getting a seat upgrade everytime he goes home. He thus sits comfortably in Business Class, whereas I, in Economy. PAL's FF miles, on the other hand, gets you to places around the Philippines. I like that!
(My Gulf Air FF miles, for five years now, can only get me as far as Dubai! They are that stingy!).
hahahahaha!
so can Gulf Air FF miles bring you AGAIN here? check it out... can't wait to see you Tito :) lolz!
ang natatandaan ko lang na masasabi sa PAL ay ang snacks nila...
wala akong masabi.
haha!
:PPP
hello po!
That's great! I'm only excited because it's our flag carrier and that just about it.
Is it true PAL's fare is expensive compared with other airlines like Cathay or Malasian Airline ect.?
I used to be a frequent flyer of PAL but I've never used their mabuhay miles because all our FF miles got expired and wasted ( 3yrs lang nag eexpire na yata). But I admire their pilots, smooth during landing/touch down hindi lumulundag compared with other airlines kaya laging may palakpakan when the plane touches down hehehe (ay hindi pala dahil dun, kasi nakalapag na sa paliparan ng Pinas ang eroplano hehehe). Their flight attendants are sometimes "masungit" din pero China Airlines has worst among the worst hehehe may bad experience lang ako kaya sinumpa ko ang CAL. Tama ka, mas mahal nga ang fare nila compared to other airlines at Plane Always Late (PAL talaga!) kakainis kaya ayoko na rin mag PAL hehehe, di ka nag-iisa Nebz LOL.
Nebz, FYI - wala ng +10 kg ang Gulf Air frequent flyer ngayon. Last I heard, it's a fix 30 kg na for all economy flights.
I always use Gulf bec of the FF program and bec of the good timing of the flights. Sayang walang PAL dito - if only to have another alternative. Sadly, though, I also have many bad experiences flying PAL.
basta low cost and on time, I take it, if I am in riyadh. Otherwise, no.
Used na ako sa Emirates, dami fud lagi, yum yum...
Dito sa Dubai, never heard yet of PAL planes since my five years. They are on code-sharing with Emirates though, that is, we buy PAL tickets and ride Emirates. Riding the same plane, we pay cheaper than the Emirates-ticketed co-passengers.
Singapore Airline I has the best food and service talaga. You can also take a connecting flight from Singapore to Davao sa mas madali.
Although pangit ang mga eroplano ng GF, like Kuya Nebz, mas gusto ko pa rin ang GF kasi maganda ang schedule at direct na from BAH to MNL. Sayang kasi ang Oras. As for my domestic flight, no choice kasi PAL lang talaga ang binibili ng company namin. Pero ok naman ang PAL when compared to 5J. Pero masungit at stuck up ang mga attendants. Hindi ka man lang tutulungan. Nagdadamot pa ng water eh hindi kaya ini inventory iyon.
I'm flying PAL when we go home. It's not because of their "superb" hospitality which is non-existence but because of our domestic connecting flight to our province. Carry-over ang bagahi mo and you don't have to pay if you exceed the maximum weight (20kilos).
I'am a PAL fanatic and love to ride with them again, their Frequent Flyers program is ok with me, i was upgraded two times by using my earned miles without extra costs and arrived on time with a good service above. In fairness BlogusVox is correct if you take PAL going to Manila with connecting flight to the Philippines with PAL they will not charges you for the extra baggage. Unlike if you travel with different airline and have a connecting flight,rest assured a over baggage charges will be shouldered by you. As of this time PAL offers 40kg Baggage Allowance from RUH to MNL(means any point of luzon with same airlines) saan ka pa...sayang din iyon na budget sa bakasyon.
Ooops i forgot, with their frequent flyers program i got Four round trip tickets to Boracay, Palawan, Bangkok and Hongkong....wheew what a great experience.
I've used my PAL miles once. Madaming points na na-expire. I only fly Cathay Pacific if I have the intention to do a stop over in HKG or if the flight sched in Etihad (my preference if from UAE) doesn't suit well.
I also flew PAL from KSA when I used to work there and I felt the flight attendants were really not interested in serving their mostly Pinoy passengers. It's like being discriminated against for being an OFW.