It's back on again, the extremely cheap flights offered by Cebu Pacific from Sydney to Manila.
Travel period: July 1st to November 30, 2015.
Sydney to Manila from $149
A bit more than last time, and no mention of the return fare. But still undeniably a good deal, even if this is officially the most cramped flight in the world.
Baggage and food is extra, obviously, and there's no on-board entertainment aside from the dancing staff.
$143 Return
It was $143 Return, now is $149 ONE WAY
That was a great price. Not sure if we will ever see it again. But $243 return is still cheap.
agree - even if they had $243 return in the first place i would have thought it was cheaper but obviously $143 is cheaper but what can you do
Oh dear 1.97m and no extra legroom for my flight on 28 February! Will I make it in one piece
get an aisle seat so u can stretch and stand up walk around throughput the flight. FA prolly won't be busy pushing trolleys around serving food and drinks
Pay the extra and get the row just behind the middle exit doors. You'll have more space than you know what to do with.
It needs repeating every post but the leg room is no worse than usual for a budget airline thanks to seat curvature and thinness (I suppose the seat's plastic backing may be tougher on your knees?), despite the results on paper. So yes you're screwed at your height but you would have been with many other budget airlines.
However, the 16.5 inch width is no luxury either (although the same as AirAsia). I felt the common arm rests were very thin so you get up close with strangers.
Last two sales have been $243 return, looks like the new normal unfortunately.
$94 for the flight back, I checked and got $1300 for 5 people return including baggage but no food.
$243 Return.. Bargain!
Anyone who is booking, do a bit of homework. The Taxi situation at MNL is terrible. There is a cartel in operation that offers ridiculously priced cabs and they block the real taxis that are super cheap and very good. If you do queue for a real taxi, it could take an hour or two because they let through so few real taxis. Easier to just arrange transfers (cost a little more than a taxi, but still less than the cartel).
Just use UBER… It's almost worldwide in every country! It's cheaper than Taxi and more Reliable especially in countries like Thailand, Malaysia and Philippine.
the route get tracked through gps so the driver won't drive you around
Not 'every' country, Uber constantly get in trouble with governments and taxi unions around the world.. It is undoubtedly an improvement in taxi services, but hey the big guys are losing money and they will do anything to stop that from happening.
I'll just leave this story here..nsw government raided Uber office
Going the long way isn't the only thing you have to worry about in Manila. Kidnappings, armed robberies and more happen relatively regularly. I'm not saying regular cabs are any better (I have heard too many stories and had too many experiences), but I would be just as cautious using Uber.
NEGOTIATE everything before hand. Though it helps if you have a Philippino with you as when they see a white person, they see a free cash dispensing ATM walking around, but you have to trick that ATM to give you the cash.
Just to add to your comment. I was in MNL last December and it took 5 hours waiting for me to get a taxi. Yup you heard right. 5 HOURS and I arrived just after 6.00pm! Truly ridiculous and this just seems to get worse every year. I refused to pay those ridiculous rates those cartel taxis charge. its extortion to the core. Mind you there is construction going on all round the airport but a 5 hour wait is excessive. Nowhere in the world have I ever had to wait for a taxi that long after arriving at my destination. Going back to the airport was another challenge as the taxis always want extra to go there and they say its because of the traffic. Too much dishonesty and fraud. The place is overpopulated as well, just too many people living in one area with little room for any type of infrastructural expansion. Don't get me wrong I do enjoy my trips there and visiting family but vising Manila is always dreadful.
took me 3 hours once. if i had of known could of walked for 20 minutes and got a cab on the street in 2 minutes
This flight will have you going from the airport smack bang on rush hour. Especially during rush hour it is worth while taking the airport taxi. A bit dearer, but still cheap, and absolutely no hassles.
only at the airport
Never had any troubles with taxis at Manila airport. Never waited more than 20 minutes either. Here's what I do. Go upstairs to Departures. Queue up with the locals, there's almost no white people in this line. Never ever get a yellow (Airport) taxi. Only use white taxis. Insist on using the meter. If haggling gets difficult just say "meter plus 50". 50 Pesos that is.
Geee
I got one of those flights when it was on special for $143 return!
I wish I come back and say hello to fellow OZBargainers safe and sound, air travel is getting scary nowadays!
Thanks OP
Air travel is still by far safer than road travel :)
Just more people die or disappear at once.
fixed. It worked fine before but somehow changed overnight :-/
Its ok for Sydney people but i have to connect from Brisbane and at $143 return it was ok for me but now its no cheaper than flying from gold coast via KL or Singapore. with Scoot or AirAsia.
Had the three middle seats all to my self as did most others on both legs so leg room wont be much of an issue if you get lucky. No dancing flight attendants but they did play a guessing game to win what I thought was a flight voucher but was instead some ugly orange laundry type bag. Nice touch though I guess. I second what they say about the taxis above as well. Get the official yellow taxis or get the free shuttle to the casino and try you luck getting a taxi from there. Might take less time as I had to wait over two hours in line for one at the airport.
Really the staff dance for passenger…
$149!! Wow.
I reckon whoever buys this will be pedalling the turbines. :)
I recently did a PR flight from Manila to Hong Kong on an all-economy A330. Im not sure how the seat count is compared with Cebu but PR was 3-3-3 in economy (I believe most other airlines do 2-4-2) and it was very, very cramped. Even though the flight was only about 3 hours it was very uncomfortable. Im not that broad but I cannot imagine doing a long flight in such a narrow seat - my shoulders were literally touching my neighbours the entire time. I arrived into Hong Kong grumpy and sore.
Flew on a Qantas A330 from Singapore to Sydney recently, it had the 2-4-2 config. Very surprised at how cramped it was compared to low cost carriers, since I rarely fly 'full service' airlines.
I guess no more sales for June? wanted to go on June 16th, might have to just go via Bali as I live in Cairns anyway.
Just FYI for those interested, that's typhoon season.
It's always typhoon season there. It was just typhoon season like around Christmas.
Hmm the seating PLACEMENT is cramped but when I flew this flight in Sep last year there was so many empty rows that you could go to the back and pick a row to yourself to lie down. Mind you I flew on the 2nd flight since launching the SYD-MNL route so perhaps it wasn't as popular as it is now.
I paid $1860~ return last year on a promo with Quantas for 2 adults and a child under 2 that cost like $60~. Last time when it was $99 I calculated all of us with food and luggage would have been $670 total now paying for a child over 2 :( Can't go this year, hope they still have these deals for next year.
Flown with them to Manila. Great trip.
Hi, I have booked a ticket for 28th Jan but am wondering if I should make any contingency plans in event of cancellation or delays. Has anyone had the experience of the flight from Sydney to Manila being cancelled or delayed for more than 2 hours?
I tried to get an idea from the departure and arrival information at the respective airport but it shows something really strange. For example, Sydney airport listed it as "closed" instead of departed even 12 hours later. Manila airport listed it as "scheduled" but not arrived even 12 hours later. It's like the flight is a ghost :-(
"officially the most cramped flight in the world"
Flew with them a couple of months ago. Paid extra for better seats and the flight to Manila was fine. Coming back though there was a guy next to me who was so big he couldn't fit in the seat even if he tried. His arms flowed into the seats on either side of him. So it's already narrow and this guy is taking up part of my space.
Aren't they supposed to screen for this and make these people buy an extra seat or something?
Wasn't it like $180 return last time?