Airlines In The Philippines III

[JNC03]

737max is gaining orders again in South East Asia this time additional orders from Malaysia Airlines

[JNC03]

Jetstar to launch Cebu and Manila flights from Australia. The flights will commence on November 27, 2025, flights will be Perth-Manila and Brisbane-Cebu.

The flights will be operated by their 232 seater Airbus A321LR. Qantas is using its subsidiary to mount flights using A321neo as the airline still beefs up its A321XLR fleet, it is expected that Qantas will replace those flights.

Manila will have all three Jetstar carriers operating in NAIA
- Australia
- Singapore
- Japan

[filipinoavgeek]

Speaking of Cebu, as expected, PR is suspending CEB-BKK, presumably to make room for CEB-SGN. Cebu remains connected to Bangkok through 5J's CEB-DMK service.

[Arianespace]

JNC03 wrote

Jetstar to launch Cebu and Manila flights from Australia. The flights will commence on November 27, 2025, flights will be Perth-Manila and Brisbane-Cebu.

The flights will be operated by their 232 seater Airbus A321LR. Qantas is using its subsidiary to mount flights using A321neo as the airline still beefs up its A321XLR fleet, it is expected that Qantas will replace those flights.

Manila will have all three Jetstar carriers operating in NAIA
- Australia
- Singapore
- Japan

Interesting. Perth was floated around when they launched Brisbane in October last year as the next route to be open. Surprise to see Cebu in addition. Also surprise there is still no DRW. This from a country were western avgeeks from down under says Qantas won't survive for long in the Philippines because of our cheapness, and would eventually be taken over by its LCC subsidiary Jetstar. Never happen. In fact, they grew it. I would say, the kangaroo has fought back. Just one caveat, the XLR fleet doesn't have the leg to fly PER at 232 seats. That is the reason CEB did not take one.

[Arianespace]

filipinoavgeek wrote

Speaking of Cebu, as expected, PR is suspending CEB-BKK, presumably to make room for CEB-SGN. Cebu remains connected to Bangkok through 5J's CEB-DMK service.

The analysis is correct. PR is suspending one to make room for another. There is no difference in the domestic front. Lose Pagadian to fly Cauayan.

[filipinoavgeek]

From experience, I've noticed that A.net and other avgeek forums, or even organizations like CAPA, seem to look down on us, claiming we're "price sensitive" or that premium demand can't exist. MNL having "trash yields" is a recurring theme on A.net, which is why some were actually surprised to see that UA's SFO-MNL flights actually had pretty high yields. Come to think about it, these sites seem to look down on Southeast Asia as a whole outside of Singapore: even KUL and BKK often get similar complaints.

[fd20]

That is indeed a recurring theme on A.net. And when you dig deeper, you find out that many of these people have never been to the Philippines, or haven't been here since like 2002 or something (and they've only visited a couple of times to see their "exotic" wife's family). Lol.

One thing I've learned over the years is to just tune out these remarks from these "experts" (note the quotation marks). If every business leader would follow these people's advice, then no airline would ever exist in the Philippines and the only way to get in and out of the country is by boat.

[AB350]

I think PAL should return to having the A320 as its smallest aircraft type in a two-class layou with 8~12 business class seats in a standard 2~2 layout, with 144~150 economy class seats in a 3~3 layout for a total capacity of 156 to 158 pax, while GAP 20N being configured in an all-economy layout with 186 seats (-2 less than 5J), with in-seat power such as 110V AC Power, USB Type-A & C, along with wireless/streaming IFE.

[filipinoavgeek]

There was also a recent news article saying that premium demand from the Philippines was growing. Obviously it will never be as big as other wealthier nations like Singapore, Japan, or the US, but it's there and it's growing. Some in the middle class are becoming more comfortable trying out more premium seats like Premium Economy or even Business Class. Yet I haven't heard much of a peep from A.net about it.

[justhorace]

They probably don't remember that time not too long ago when Qantas axed nearly all its Asia services except Manila

[Arianespace]

It was at this time when they started saying those statements, circa 2001, a time when all EU carriers left MNL, and another one in 2007 when the LCCs were flourishing. Not to nitpick, I've been to London, New York, Tokyo and Paris, and their hotels are  identically expensive as ours. If you try Okada, it even surpasses the most expensive suite in Manhattan. What does that tell you? Gone are the days when first world meet third world prices.

[Evodesire]

filipinoavgeek wrote

From experience, I've noticed that A.net and other avgeek forums, or even organizations like CAPA, seem to look down on us, claiming we're "price sensitive" or that premium demand can't exist. MNL having "trash yields" is a recurring theme on A.net, which is why some were actually surprised to see that UA's SFO-MNL flights actually had pretty high yields. Come to think about it, these sites seem to look down on Southeast Asia as a whole outside of Singapore: even KUL and BKK often get similar complaints.

Thats because they are all sick of PAL's expensive but mediocre inflight amenities. Add the cancellations due to lack of aircraft.

[Evodesire]

Arianespace wrote

filipinoavgeek wrote

Speaking of Cebu, as expected, PR is suspending CEB-BKK, presumably to make room for CEB-SGN. Cebu remains connected to Bangkok through 5J's CEB-DMK service.

The analysis is correct. PR is suspending one to make room for another. There is no difference in the domestic front. Lose Pagadian to fly Cauayan.

Something that does not exist for Cebu Pacific with a lot of planes in its arsenal. PAL's problems will persist Unless they gets their acts straight and orders more planes.

[filipinoavgeek]

I'm getting so sick and tired of this cliche on A.net and elsewhere that Southeast Asia is "low-yielding" and everyone is price-sensitive. It feels so patronizing, orientalist, or even racist to me. The claim may be partially true but it isn't the full story. Heck, people have brought up multiple times that Indonesia is SQ's biggest market and they get a lot of premium demand from there. Garuda's First Class product may have failed (hence why they're only limited to a few planes now and rumors are those are only kept for Presidential reasons), but it wasn't just for prestige reasons. Heck, if Southeast Asia was as low-yielding as they claim, how is PR still able to serve LAX/SFO/SEA/JFK/YVR/YYZ healthily despite strong competition from one-stop carriers? Or why is United's SFO-MNL flight one of their best performing transpacific flights, and how Air Canada is launching YVR-MNL soon?