Last February, my friends and I flew to the vibrant city of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam, for a quick 3-day, 3-night trip. We immersed ourselves in the city’s history at the War Remnants Museum, shopped at Ben Thanh Market, hopped between coffee shops, and savored healthy local cuisine at various restaurants. Like all good things, our trip eventually came to an end.
For this journey, we flew with the country’s flag carrier, Philippine Airlines. Previously, I shared how our Manila to Ho Chi Minh City flight went and I thought it was a good one. Today, I would like to tell you how we unexpectedly ended up flying the airline’s regional widebody service due to a last-minute equipment swap. Read on to find out what it was like to fly Philippine Airlines’ Airbus A330 on a short-haul flight back to Manila.
Last year (August 2024), I flew to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) for five days and five nights. I wrote about this trip, sharing details about our accommodation, itinerary, and day tours. I also listed the cafes and restaurants we visited during the trip. I hope you’ll check out the trip blog here.
Philippine Airlines
Philippine Airlines, commonly known as PAL, is the Philippines’ flag carrier. The airline began operations in 1941 and is currently the region’s oldest commercial airline. It is part of the Lucio Tan Group of Companies and is also partly owned by ANA Holdings, the parent company of All Nippon Airways.
Philippine Airlines operates a fleet of nearly 50 Airbus, Boeing, and De Havilland aircraft, serving over 70 domestic and international destinations across Asia, Australia, North America, and the Middle East. The airline has a wholly owned subsidiary, PAL Express, which operates its domestic regional routes. PAL flies out of its hubs in Manila, Cebu, Clark, and Davao.
PAL is the country’s largest full-service airline, offering a premium experience to its passengers. It provides business class, premium economy, and economy class on most of its routes. Although it is not a member of any airline alliance, it has codeshare agreements with major carriers such as All Nippon Airways, Cathay Pacific, Turkish Airlines, Gulf Air, and many others.
The airline also offers a lifestyle and loyalty program called Mabuhay Miles. It is the only Philippine-based carrier to receive a 4-star rating from the world-renowned air transport rating organization Skytrax. Philippine Airlines is known for its warm and heartfelt hospitality, which is uniquely rooted in Filipino culture.
In October 2024, I flew with Philippine Airlines’ Domestic Comfort Class from Manila to Daraga (Legazpi) via Cebu. It is the airline’s domestic premium economy product. Curious about the comfort class experience? Check out these flight reports: PHILIPPINE AIRLINES PR 2853 – Manila to Cebu – First PAL Domestic Comfort Class Experience – Was the Last-Minute Booking Worth It? [October 2024] & PHILIPPINE AIRLINES PR 2927 – Cebu to Daraga (Legazpi) – Domestic Comfort Class Experience on a Turboprop Aircraft [October 2024].
Airfare & Inclusions
In September 2024, I came across a promotional fare to Saigon offered by Philippine Airlines. I told my friends about it and before I knew it, we all had tickets. We got our return tickets for $149.80 or ₱8,478.14, including foreign transaction and service fees.
The ticket included 7 kilograms of carry-on allowance, 30 kilograms of checked baggage, complimentary middle and window seat selection, wireless inflight entertainment, inflight meals on every flight, and the friendly service from the PAL crew.
Although the ticket was still more expensive compared to a ₱1 base fare ticket from rival Cebu Pacific Air, it was affordable for an airline like Philippine Airlines. It may not have been a cheap ticket, but it was definitely reasonable given what was included.
Do you want to know the difference between a full-service & a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.
Travel Requirements
Philippine passport holders only need to present a valid passport and their eTravel QR code when entering the country. Non-Philippine passport holders may be asked to show additional documents, such as a valid visa or proof of onward travel. Entry requirements vary depending on nationality, so it is always a good idea to check with the relevant authorities for the latest information before your trip.
Before The Flight
A week before our flight, Philippine Airlines sent an email offering two optional upgrades: myPAL Upgrade and myPAL Seat Select Neighbor-Free. The first allowed us to bid for a business class seat starting at a minimum amount, while the second let us block the neighboring seat for a fixed fee. The airline sent another business class bidding invitation four days before departure.
Then, 24 hours before the flight, the airline sent another email advising that online check-in was now available. The message also included important requirements and airport reminders for the flight. That was when I found out there was a last-minute equipment swap. Our aircraft was changed from an Airbus A321 to an Airbus A330 widebody. I immediately filled out all the necessary details, chose a new window seat, and checked in for the flight back to Manila, Philippines.
About two hours before departure, Philippine Airlines sent a final email advising that the flight might not have personal entertainment screens. Instead, wireless inflight entertainment would be available onboard, along with instructions on how to use the system.
A massive thank you to Philippine Airlines for keeping passengers well informed about the details of the upcoming flight.
Aircraft & Flight Information
This Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) to Manila flight on Philippine Airlines was originally scheduled to be operated by an Airbus A321-231 aircraft. Just days before the flight, the airline swapped it for an Airbus A330-343E widebody. This 11.4-year-old aircraft is registered as RP-C8783.
Delivered to the airline in November 2013, the Airbus A330 features 18 lie-flat business class seats arranged in a 1-2-1 layout, 24 premium economy recliner seats in a 2-3-2 configuration, and 267 regular economy seats also in a 2-4-2 setup.
Flight PR 592 took off from Tan Son Nhat International Airport at 9:38 a.m. local time, cruised at an altitude of 33,000 feet, and landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 12:58 p.m. local time. There is a one-hour time difference between Ho Chi Minh City and Manila, with Manila being an hour ahead. The entire flight lasted 2 hours and 20 minutes. This flight is a codeshare with Vietnam Airlines.
In case you missed it, I flew with Vietnam Airlines last January 2023 from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City on the Airbus A350 business class. I wrote about this trip and I hope you can check it out here.
Airport & Ground Experience
Philippine Airlines operates out of Terminal 2, the international terminal at Tan Son Nhat International Airport.
CHECK-IN & BAG DROP
My friends and I arrived at the airport a few minutes after 6:30 a.m. Philippine Airlines has separate lines for business class passengers and status holders, economy passengers who checked in online, and regular economy class passengers.
We lined up for bag drop at 6:37 a.m. and finished by 7:14 a.m. The online check-in line moved slower than expected. After getting our boarding passes, we cleared immigration and security. The entire check-in process took 37 minutes.
ROSE BUSINESS LOUNGE
After clearing immigration and security, I stopped by the Rose Business Lounge for breakfast. I used my RCBC JCB Platinum LoungeKey entitlement to access the lounge.
The lounge offered a good selection of food and drinks, including some local dishes. It was quite crowded during my visit, but I still managed to find a seat.
BOARDING
The boarding process began at 8:49 a.m., starting with business class passengers, status holders, and priority passengers. Regular economy class passengers were then called to board by row.
By 9:12 a.m., the cabin crew had closed the aircraft doors, completing the entire boarding process in just 23 minutes. The plane pushed back at 9:23 a.m. and started taxiing to the runway for takeoff.
Inflight Hard & Soft Product
SEAT FEATURES
This Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) to Manila flight on Philippine Airlines was operated by an 11.4-year-old Airbus A330-343E aircraft. The cabin features 18 lie-flat business class seats in a 1-2-1 layout, 24 premium economy recliner seats arranged 2-3-2, and 267 regular economy seats also in a 2-4-2 configuration.
According to the airline’s website, each business class seat offers a pitch of 44 inches, a width of up to 24 inches, and reclines fully flat into a bed. Premium economy seats provide a pitch of 34 inches, a width of 19.5 inches, and an 8-inch recline. Regular economy seats have a pitch of 32 inches, a width of 18 inches, and a 6-inch recline.
All seats are equipped with personal entertainment screens. Business class seats feature 18.5-inch screens, premium economy seats have 13.3-inch screens, and economy seats come with 10.1-inch screens. Business and premium economy seats include USB ports and AC/DC power outlets, while economy seats have USB ports only.
Every economy seat also has an adjustable headrest, a headset, a tray table, a seatback pocket containing the safety card, an individual reading light, and a cabin crew call button. This aircraft does not have individual air vents. Before takeoff, the cabin crew offered blankets to passengers upon request.
I was seated in 57K for this short flight back to Manila. I found the seat spacious and comfortable. With the personal entertainment screen, I am confident I could easily handle a medium to long-haul flight in this seat.
INFLIGHT MEAL SERVICE
Philippine Airlines provides inflight meals on its international routes. On our flight to Manila, passengers were given a choice between two main dishes: beef curry with rice or fish with rice. The meal also included a small pack of dried mangoes, a bottle of water, and a beverage of choice. Meals were served individually rather than on trays and came with wooden cutlery and a napkin. After the meal, the cabin crew made another pass through the cabin, offering coffee, tea, or water to those interested.
I chose the beef option and paired it with a glass of apple juice. The meal was decent, though nothing extraordinary. Like the meal on our Manila to Saigon flight, the main dish was not quite to my liking. I have tried better inflight meals on Philippine Airlines, but I’m still grateful that the airline served a meal on this two-hour flight back to Manila.
INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT
All seats on this aircraft are equipped with personal entertainment screens. Economy class seats feature a 10.1-inch screen installed in front of every seat. At the time of the flight, Philippine Airlines’ entertainment system offered 79 movies, 110 music albums, and 128 television show episodes.
This selection is more than enough for a short hop back to Manila. While the options may not be as extensive as those on Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, or Emirates, they are certainly sufficient for a medium to long-haul flight with Philippine Airlines. The screen was a touchscreen and responded well to input.
One thing to note: the inflight map, which is my favorite feature on any personal entertainment system, was not functional during this flight. How unfortunate.
INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY
At the time of the flight, Philippine Airlines did not offer inflight connectivity on this route to Manila.
LAVATORY
My seatmate was asleep for most of the flight, which allowed me to leave my seat and visit the lavatory.
Cabin Crew Service
The cabin crew service on this flight was adequate, though nothing particularly remarkable or outstanding. The crew did their job well, ensuring that all passengers followed inflight safety protocols and procedures.
Disembarkation
The aircraft touched down at Ninoy Aquino International Airport ahead of schedule, landing at 12:58 p.m. local time. It then taxied to NAIA Terminal 1 for disembarkation.
The cabin crew announced an orderly disembarkation by row for economy class passengers, but some passengers did not follow this. Most stood up as soon as the seat belt sign was turned off.
Immigration, baggage claim, and customs took around 30 minutes from the time we stepped off the aircraft.
Flight Experience
It was an exciting flight with Philippine Airlines, from the reasonable airfare to the last-minute equipment swap to an Airbus A330 widebody aircraft. Allow me to summarize my flight experience with our country’s flag carrier. The flight had its standouts as well as its misses.
Let us start with the standouts. First, the return airfare was affordable compared to the usual Philippine Airlines fares. It was also reasonable considering it included 30 kilograms of checked luggage, personal entertainment screens, and a hot meal service.
Second, Philippine Airlines was proactive in sending multiple emails to inform passengers about upgrade offers and flight requirements. The airline even sent an email advising that our flight might not feature personal entertainment screens even though it ultimately did.
Third, the last-minute equipment swap worked in my favor, allowing me to experience flying on a widebody aircraft on a regional route. It was a true full-service PAL experience and definitely more enjoyable than flying on a single-aisle plane.
Fourth, props to the airline for serving a hot meal on this roughly two-hour flight back to Manila. Lastly, the personal entertainment screens made a significant difference in the overall flight experience.
Now for the misses. The check-in process took longer than expected, 37 minutes compared to the quick check-in on our Manila to Ho Chi Minh City flight. Second, the cabin did not feature individual air vents. This is a personal preference, but I like having control over the airflow at my seat.
Third, the main beef meal was just okay, nothing special and not quite to my liking. I have had better meals on Philippine Airlines before. Lastly, my favorite inflight entertainment feature, the inflight map, did not work throughout the flight. The aviation geek in me was disappointed not being able to track our journey back to the Philippines.
Despite these misses, I thoroughly enjoyed this flight with Philippine Airlines and will certainly fly with them again in the future. I hope to try their Airbus A350 aircraft next time.
Allow me to provide a summary of this PR 592 flight from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) to Manila.
Airline: Philippine Airlines
Flight Date: 25 February 2025
Flight Number: PR 591
Route: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam (SGN) to Manila, Philippines (MNL)
Duration: 2 hours and 20 minutes
Seat Number: Seat 57K (Window)
Aircraft: Airbus A330-343E
Aircraft Registration: RP-C8783
Engines: 2 x Rolls Royce Trent 772B-60 Engines
Age: 11.4-years-old
Delivered: November 2013
That wraps up my experience flying Philippine Airlines on PR 592 from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) back to Manila.
If you have recently flown with PAL, I would love to hear about your journey! Feel free to drop your thoughts in the comments below. For any questions about the airline or this route, you can leave a comment or get in touch via email at contact@thewkndtravel.com. I am always happy to connect and help however I can!
I hope you will check out my previous flight reports with Singapore Airlines, as well as other airlines like Emirates, EVA Air, Qantas, Air France, Vietnam Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air, and Cathay Pacific. I also hope you look forward to more flight reports in the future.
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PS. Photos were taken using my Google Pixel 8 Pro.