Air fares

[Tony Wilding]

I have been looking for International Flight Fares to Cebu in the Philippines for a few months , every day the price changes, usually upwards, last week the cheapest was just over 1000 pounds, even though they say much less on the advert, when you try to book it doubles, some were 1400 last week for economy class,most through travel agents, so today i went to Cathay Pacific book on line website, many price variations there also, looked at departures in August, up untill the 27th it was over a 1000, but next day same flight , same departure and arrival time, same route London, Hong Kong to Cebu was just over 600 pounds, so thats my day to go, booked the ticket befor it changes again, has anyone flown with Cathay Pacific, ? a new one for me, last one was Virgin Atlantic, was not really impressed with them,Sri Lankan were better, i dont like flying, looked at the option of going by a container ship, is as dear as a cruise liner,

[Keith Moody]

Tony,
remember that all airlinesare trying to stay alive in this mad world where airlines like Ryan air are trying to give the lowest fares but charge other costs for anything else to do with your flight, I spent 16years with airlines and to my mind, Cathay Pacific was one of the best airlines I ever traveled on, it always had a good reputation for service, punctuality and good clean aircraft. this was a few years ago and like all the things in the world could have changed ( but i hope not).
the fares vary due to time of year when passenger loads change, ie.... holiday times etc.
I wish you a good trip and an enjoyable flight (even though it will be a long one ).
keith moody
R635978

[Tony Wilding]

thanks Keith, someone else gave good reports also, yes it will be my longest flight , ten hours was previous longest, so boring, as its a one way trip its not so bad, also never been there befor so quite exciting.

[Peter F Chard]

Cathay is part of the Swire Group ( China Navigation Coy, Swire Offshore etc ) and I have always found them to be very good, staff are polite and the service is good, cheers Peter in Auckland.

[Lou Barron]

Hi Tony I recommend Cathy Pacific my wife and i flew to the uk .Having flew with a few different air lines i would say they would be one of the better ones regards lou

[Peter F Chard]

This is nothing to do with air fares but just a recollection of my time at sea -- I was sailing with China Navigation, part of the Swire Group, and was changing ships and needed to get from HongKong to Singapore. I flew Cathay, also part of the Swire Group and found myself at the rear of the plane. I think I was the only passenger on the plane who was not a member of the Morman Tabernacle Choir who were touring the Far East. After take off the cabin staff brought around the drinks trolley and to the utter surprise of the cabin staff all offers of an alcoholic drink were refused but a soft drink was OK. By the time the steward had reached me at the back of the plane he was totally cheesed off that no one wanted one of his cocktails but brightened up when I said I would have a drink. Sir, he said, you have made my day, I will leave the trolley here for you to help yourself ! And he did, a trolley of beautifully made Dry Martinis. That was one of the best flights I have ever made !!! Cheers Peter in Auckland.

[happy daze john in oz]

Tony, Cathay is a good airline are is Emirates, Thai, Garuda (believe it or not) Singapore, but what ever you do don't try Quantas or BA. They think service is something you have done to your car. Gulf nad Ethiad also offer some of the best service around.
Tony, I assume you are taking a one way ticket. From my experience this is the hardest to get a good deal on, they want you to come back. Shop around on the net, you will get a better deal than through an agent, and you should be able to get something. I have found that it is sometimnes easier to get a one way if you leave it until about a month before you go.

[Captain Kong]

Hi,
Flown Cathay Pacific , excellent airline,
I was joining a tanker in Japan, there was the Captain Mate and me Third Mate.
We were sat in a row, in working class, The stewardess came to me and said `Excuse me Sir but that seat you are on is prebooked, would you mind moving? I said `Where to`, she says `to the First Class , if you dont mind,`
I said `Thanks`, The Captain says, ` I am the Captain, I will go to First Class. ` The Lady says , ` Sir you are Not Captain on board this plane, your seat is your seat.` He was furious. I got up and went . Fabulous treatment a pair of slippers to put on and free drinks with full silver service. He tried to give me a hard time for the next five months.
.
.
Tony sometimes it is cheaper to buy a return flight than a single, I tried several times last year to buy cheap singles to LA and come back from OZ single. I bought returns and saved a few hundred pounds. Try That.
A Single ticket to L.A. was £920 I got a return ticket for £440 with BA, just went one way.
.
.
Not happy with QUANTAS, just came back from Singapore on the Big Double Decker A380, inside so cramped and no space, very uncomforable seats and too close together, the woman in front of me let the back of her seat down and it hit me in the face knocking off my reading glasses. quite painful and she got a whole mouthful of seafaring language, ignorant bitch. No chance of getting out of those seats in an emergency. Never fly on a Double decker.

Cheers
Brian.

[Tony Wilding]

HI, thanks for all advice and experiences, as i am not a citizen of Philippines i have to have a return ticket, and the price is often dearer for a single, u can stay 30 days with no visa, or get a 59 day visa u can keep renewing out there up to one year, then u have to leave, people usually go to hong kong for 2 or 3 days then come back, but i can apply for permanent retirement visa there. just a one off visa, the problem with the Arab Airline is they go via Manila, so 3 flights from UK, London to Doha, Doha to Manila, Manila to Cebu, Korean Airlines the same, via Seoul and Manila then Cebu.takes 36 hours, Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific only 1 stop, either Singapore or Hong Kong and less than a 2 hour wait for connection to Cebu, only 16 hours total time, apparently Manila Airport is classed as the worlds worst international airport,, Cebu is a much nicer area, one of our members lives in Cebu , and we are in contact, regards, Tony W

[Captain Kong]

Last time I flew to Manila was on Philipine Airlines, Anne and I flew from London to Bankok then to Manila. In Manila we landed NEAR THE AIRPORT, we had circled Manila Bay dumping fuel from the wings, they could not get the wheels to come down, So the Pilot dumped all the fuel and then we couldnt make the airport and belly flopped into a field half a mile from the Airport with a BIG BANG. and then the plane just heeled over with a big list like the Costa ship. We got out and then the fire engines came and Ambulances and buses, and got us to the Airport. We had to wait for hours to get our luggage.
On the way back we left Manila for Bangkok and coming in to land there the Pilot was screaming into his radio,
"I cannot control my Plane, I cannot control my plane" over and over again. we hit the deck and the front wheels fell off and the plane was spinning around like a carousel. Lousy Planes. The Cabin Staff were he best I have ever flown with.
After leaving Bankok on another plane we had around Thirty German men, all drunk and shouting and screaming, They were abusing the Stewardesses, urinating in the allyways and in the seats, I got up after one was screaming abuse at the Ladies for more `Visky and coke`. I hit him and knocked him down, I stood on him and shouted at the rest of them to shut up or I would sort them all out. They shut up.
Ignorant drunken pigs, I hate Germans, The cabin Staff came to me afterwards and thanked me for sorting them out. We landed at Frankfurt and they all staggered off. the dirty filthy bast4rds, the plane stank.;