Moving to Philippines-Planning a Flight
August 29, 2009
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Posted by dmihalia
Not much really going on right now with the building of our houses in the Philippines although I see alot of money getting sent there. I’m waiting for pictures and will update this site when they arrive. From the comments and email I receive many readers here are as eager to see the pics as I am so I try to get them uploaded quickly.
We have been in the planning stages of booking a flight to the Philippines and I have noticed one thing different than previous times. It seems that airlines are now including many more stopovers on flights between the U.S. and the Philippines. I believe that it is because of the economy and lack of business that this is being done. Many flights, depending on the airline that you fly, are making stops in Hong Kong, Korea, and even Shanghi. The standard flight I took for years basically stopped in Detroit, then Japan and then to the Philippines but this flight has all but disappeared. Now it’s not unusual to have more than one stopover before you even leave the U.S. places like LAX or Dallas Ft-Worth are showing up quite frequently. I don’t mind stopovers but from my experience in the aviation industry stopovers seem to bring on more mechanical problems which then cause delays.
The change in flights/stopovers may just be something I never noticed before so if I’m off base on this please comment and set me straight. I’d like to know also if anyone else that frequently flies has noticed the change. The comment box is open! Salamat Po P.S. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE
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Categories: Philippines General
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Can’t say that I have noticed what you claim. Philippine Airlines is the only airlines (that I know) that is allowed direct flight from USA. Airlines from other countries have almost always stopped in their home-based countries, then offered continuing service to the Philippines. I agree, it looks like with H1N1 and economy, flights are quite low in price. Looking at taking a trip this November with R/T in the $500 range.
Hi Lloyd
My normal flight was Northwest from Detroit to Japan and then either switched over to JAL or PAL for flight to NAIA. It was pretty much a direct flight. Now that direct of a flight doesn’t show up on airlines websites.
@ Lloyd, both Northwest (now Delta) and Continental airlines have direct flight authority from the US. (of course, all Philippine-owned airlines do).
Most stopovers are not a function of laws or flight agreements, but of physics. If you carry enough fuel to fly non-stop (as a 747 and many other airliners can), you can not then carry as many passengers per flight. It all revolves around weight, really, which is why airlines are so persnickety regarding baggage weights.
PAL tries to fly non-stop from LAX ot MNL but the westbound flights (almost always a headwind and thus less miles per gallon) almost always stop a Guam for fuel (this is called a “technical stop” and may not even show on the schedule, passengers can’t emplane or depnae at Guam). PAL alos has many flights the transit through Honnolulu too .. fuel is the reason.
Delta (Northwest) uses Tokyo as a mini-hub. Flight there to and from Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore and many other Asian cites, so it makes sense for them to have separate flights Tokyo to Manila. Many other airlines ‘hub’ out of Tapai or Hong Kong. So actual nonstop flights to the Philippines virtually don’t exist.
Extra stop-overs in the states are often profit-related, Example, Northwest often can’t fill their flights to LAX, so if you search for the cheapest flights, they will try to book you that way to balance out load factors. (be very careful of 20 hour layovers there … ouch)
It’s a complex game. There is seldom ever a single reason foranything.
do i have to buy a round trip ticket when i am moving to the philippines??? or can i just buy an one way ticket???