After my cruise from New Zealand to Australia in January 2023 (on another blog), I booked Philippine Airlines Business Class to take me back to North America. The flight was one-way and the price was okay for Business Class at $2085 USD. It required a stop in Manila on the way however, I thought it would be nice to take a break that way because the flight from Sydney to Manila was over 8 hours and then from Manila to Vancouver, Canada was an additional 11.5 hours! So direct it could have been around 16 hours, but I chose this option because of prices.
Philippines Airlines Business Class Checkin
The arrival and check-in process in Sydney was smooth and the lounge that was available before the flight was a place called The House. Located after security near gate 50 in Terminal 1, it was easy to find. It was a pleasant place, but nothing too exciting with limited food selections and an open bar. But it was better than sitting in the terminal gate area waiting for the boarding.
The first leg of the flight to Manila is on an Airbus A330-300 with my favorite 1-2-1 configuration in Business Class. The window side seats were staggered a bit so half were right on the window and the other half about 1 foot away. Not sure why they were not all the same, but it was a comfortable seat with all the usual amenities and a nice large touchscreen across from the seat.
In Flight on the Philippines Airlines Business Class
The amenity kit included the following; slippers, socks, a dental kit, chapstick, lotion, mouthwash, lotion and a brush. It was as complete as any airline in business class.
The dinner menu had a nice selection of entrees with appetizers and desserts included, as well as a wine list complete with descriptions of their selection of wines. Breakfast to be served later was also included in the menu.
The flight was comfortable and on time with a pleasant crew readily available for anything you needed.
Since we were considered transient passengers in Manila and I was a little unsure of the distance for changing terminals, I had ordered a wheelchair in advance due to some knee problems I had during the cruise. Sure enough, it was a complicated process waiting for them to process us and then busing us over to the next terminal. It took about 30 minutes of waiting for immigration to clear us, and then we waited another 10 minutes at the new gate entrance for a key to open the door! We finally entered and were whisked to the gate, where another scanner was set up. The business class did have a designated waiting seating area, but due to delays with changing the aircraft due to a mechanical problem, we left about 1.5 hours late.
2nd Part of Philippines Airlines Business Class
The 2nd leg of the trip, on the Philippines Airlines Business Class, was on a Boeing 777-300ER and had an unusual seating pattern 2-3-2. Luckily, the center seats of 3 were not very full, so I did not have anyone next to me in the middle seat, as that would not have been a pleasant business class experience.
Would I fly Philippine Airlines again in Business Class? Yes probably, if the price is right and the route works for me without too much of a diversion and time to get to my destination. However, I would have to closely watch the seat maps to ensure the proper seating configuration in Business Class.
Liked my Business Class review, check out my others in my blog!
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