BLOGGED PHILIPPINES

It’s in the news last week that Cebu Pacific will strictly implement their policy for hand carry baggages. So what really is the current policy. Here’s what their website says. Every passenger is allowed one carry-on or cabin baggage, with a maximum weight of 7kg and dimension of 56cm x 36cm x 23cm for Airbus flights and 56cm x 35cm x 20cm for ATR flights. - source This stricter implementation is set to begin tomorrow. Cebu Pacific explained the purpose of this move: “to streamline operations and to provide a more efficient check-in experience.” Cebu Pacific Flight So if it has been your habit not to care for the actual weight of your carry on bags, then it’s time to weigh in. Excess weight will require check-in which will cost you more than to book a check-in baggage in advance. Most airlines are not strict with this 7kg policy. AirAsia is the only company I personally know that is very strict at this. But since Cebu Pacific is the largest airline company in the countr...

The OAG, an air travel intelligence company based in United Kingdom, in its annual report listed Cebu Pacific and AirAsia Philippines as some of the world's least punctual airline. Garnering only 57.6% and 58% OTP respectively, the two airlines based here in the Philippines was among the worst in the world. OTP (on time performance) refers to flights that arrive within 15 minutes of their scheduled time. Image by  Jyi1693 at en.wikipedia [ CC BY-SA 3.0 ], via Wikimedia Commons Punctuality Culture On the other hand, some of the world's most punctual airlines are in Japan, with Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways taking the top two spots with 85.27 amd 83.81% OTP. This result may not be surprising when you consider their culture. Japan is well known for being a process oriented and strict in punctuality country. For instance, late last year, Japan’s Tsukuba Express, a train that connects Tokyo and Tsukuba issued an apology for a train that departed the station 20 secon...

It is quite likely that most of us here in the Philippines flies only in the these three airlines - Cebu Pacific, AirAsia and Philippine Airlines. That is very true locally since these three were almost the only options. But that's also true when flying internationally. I said these because I asked a few people and they are not aware that another airline is there as an option for flying internationally at a relatively lower cost. Photo by AirKoryoTU-204 (S.Stavridis) YMML photos - Own work , CC BY-SA 3.0 , Link I'm talking about Jetstar Airways. I don't know much about this airline until my college friend called me a few years ago asking for help to book her ticket to Singapore. And then she mentioned Jetstar as having a cheaper option. When when I checked, she's right. It's really cheap! Well, of course, the word "cheap" is relative but I mean flying off to another country for less than 3000 Pesos? Well, that's cheap! 3 Facts About Jetstar A...

Contrary to what many people think, there are other ways to book a promo ticket online even though one has no credit card. Cebu Pacific, AirAsia Zest and Philippine Airlines have provided many alternative ways to allow more people to access their promo offers. For Cebu Pacific , you can choose to book using your Debit Card, Bancnet Online or Payment Centers. Most ATMs nowadays can also be used as a debit card. If you're not sure if your card is capable of transacting online as a debit card, you can check it through your bank. AirAsia Zest Airbus A320-216 RP-C8971 (Photo credit: /migma/ ) Bancnet Online is an online payment and transaction facility for Bancnet members. Bancnet is the largest network of banks in the Philippines. To know whether your bank is a member of Bancnet, you can visit their website at www.bancnetonline.com .

Airlines in the Philippines have been very consistent in the past 4 years or more. Everytime there's a holiday, they are more likely inclined to announce promo fares. I remembered what Airphil Express (now PAL Express) and Cebu Pacific announced during the Easter of 2012: Zero Fare . Yes, Zero matching the Egg Hunt, a popular practice during Easter Holiday.

Most people think that the chance of survival in an airline accident is slim. For that reason, safety is the number one priority in civil aviation industry. Airline makers are always improving their designs to make  air travel safer. Now, air travel is considered to be the safest form of travel surpassing land and sea transportation. While international aviation organizations continues to improve the safety standards of airlines, accident still happens. And the Philippines had a fair share in the list of those. Here are some of the worst.