Airphilexpress To Hong Kong

[samatm]

I fly to HK regularly from Cebu and my usual Flights are Cathay Pac or Cebu Pac. Do to timing and and that Cebu Pac was sold out for my return this Friday i booked with Airphilexpress to hong kong. I was concerned as i had heard that they often cancel flights that are undersold etc.. and it is a new kid on the block. Here is a report on the trip To HK.

1. Online experience - didn't work never could get my card to go through. Works for some. ... so i had to call their Cebu based rsvns agent and surprisingly they were able to take my reservation at 11:30 PM.

2. Checkin. No Problems

3. Flight On time.

4.Aircraft: new A 320 -200 Clean, leather seats, no enterainment,

5. FA's Great

6. service. Snack / coffee / Tea Free (unlike Cebu Pacific- that don't even serve water)

7. sell Beer 100P and sandwiches

8 no silly boring game like Cebu Pac

9 Arrival on time. got a gate close to immigration. CEBU PAC is often at gate 70 near the Mainland Boarder.

10. Schedule : nice leaves at 3:25 pm . Departs HK at 7:30 pm Unlike CEBu pacific Red eye specials. flying in wee hours of the morning. arriving HK at 1 am etc.. or Cebu at 4am .

Good value. i got their regular fare non discount for about 14K Pesos return.

[Steve]

My brother in-law uses them in-country all the time. He actually prefers them. Glad that you had a good experience.

[i am bob]

Good value. i got their regular fare non discount for about 14K Pesos return.

What would the regular non-discount fare be on the competition?

[Dave Hounddriver]

Nice review. I used them on my last trip to Hong Kong and the flight was totally unmemorable. That is a good thing. It means nothing out of the ordinary happened and all went so smooth I did not even think about the flight. Price and timing were good as i recall. I would use them again.

[samatm]

Good value. i got their regular fare non discount for about 14K Pesos return.

What would the regular non-discount fare be on the competition?

Cebu Pacific About the same. Maybe a lil more or a lil less depending on the variables in play.

Cathay Pacific because i was buying so close to departure was $675.00 . Cheaper if you stay over and take the Saturday AM flight.

Edited December 20, 2012 by samatm

[Bil Brock]

Having gone to HK for a weekend on CP, I will say next time I would rather pay a little more & not take a red eye flight.

[Dave Hounddriver]

I will say next time I would rather pay a little more & not take a red eye flight.

But that is the beauty of AirPhil express. Morning flights at the same price as CP

[Markham]

I endorse Dave's opinion of AirPhilsExpress - which is more or less a consolidation of Air Philippines and PAL Express and is, for all intents and purposes, PAL's budget carrier. If you take a look at PAL's domestic schedule, you'll see that a number of PAL flights are in fact operated by AirPhilsExpress. In terms of comfort and pitch its seats are the same as PAL's economy class and some its A320s are borrowed from PAL (those are fitted with blue cloth seats). If I need to fly anywhere regionally then either PAL or AirPhilsExpress gets my business.

In my opinion, Cebu Pacific is the Philippine equivalent of Ryan Air - and that is far from being a complement! The similarities between the two airlines are there to be seen; from the confusing web sites and hidden charges to their attitudes towards their fare-paying passengers which borders on contempt. Their business models are designed to maximise revenue from each flight and to exact as much money as they can from their "guests". At least with Cebu Pacific, if you book a flight from Cebu to Manila there's a fair chance the plane will actually land at NAIA and not take you to Clark or Legaspi. Not so with Ryan Air. Book a flight from London to Hamburg and, even though your ticket says "Hamburg", the plane actually lands in Leipzig - only 100kms or so away!

[samatm]

After flying Cebu pacific many times I became quite comfortable with them. Usually on time, fair price, website ok never had a problem the past 2 years... But it hated that like Markham says they try to bleed every peso from their guest. The worst is not even having complimentary water to distribute. With Air Phil You get the feeling that they do value your business and will treat you like paying passenger including some handouts (not much - a sack of cookies and 3n1 coffee and hot water)...but its the thought that counts.

But the main thing for me to HOng kOng is that the Schedule is so much better than Cebu Pacific. With CEB PAC you arrive HK so late . Even the Airport express is already stopped running and only a handful of buses are running, meaning extra expense for a Taxi and bleary next morning. Same for the departure. I used to get back to CEB at 0400 and be wiped out the next Morning in Cebu.

The return trip was Packed .. and the crew handled it well. WE did check in at HK Terminal Two which was new to me. nice and the exit immigration que was much shorter than at T1 . I will definitely fly AirPhilexpress again.

Edited December 24, 2012 by samatm

[samatm]

I will say next time I would rather pay a little more & not take a red eye flight.

But that is the beauty of AirPhil express. Morning flights at the same price as CP

Right its a much better schedule. Currently its afternoon at 1530 departure and 1930 return from HK.