[chowchow]

I switched to AIr Philippines in my domestic flight to Oriental Negros. Hanep. I have not known these new names 11 yrs ago (that includes Cebu Pacific). Iba na ang panahon. What an improvement which is good . All i know is Philippines AIrlines . Mabuhay and Happy Holidays!

[isuzu]

Originally Posted by CatsMeow

Just pronounce it the French way, as it is pronounced in Canada where they are made: "bombardiey" (am I right Isuzu?). That goes for Sea-Doos and their most famous product (got to the North Pole!) Ski-Doos. Sabagay the "bomba" is still there...

On the subject of flight delays, I was supposed to take Cebu Pacific to Manila about two years ago, and it got delayed THREE HOURS. I had to watch the PAL and AirPhil planes take off for Manila on time while me and my fellow passengers fidgeted at the departure lobby.

Oui, Monsieur! I heard that PAL got Q300s. The Q400s have a bad record with SAS. They permanently grounded their fleet of Q400s after those airplanes had three landing gear failures in two months.

[isuzu]

Originally Posted by batangueno

There was a time when i was going to shanghai via PAL. Unusually all pretty stewardesses and they were all very courteous and nice. Moments later Lucio Tan walks in and sits at the front row seat. Kaya naman pala eh.

I heard that Lucio Tan flies economy class. Is this true?

[isuzu]

Originally Posted by Sweater

I flew PAL once .From Narita ,Japan to Manila.All I can say is their service was not bad, compare to other carriers.Especialy on take-offs and touch downs ,you wont feel a thing just like other airlines do.Its a shame PAL doesnt fly to Newark,NJ just like before.

Smooth landings are a two-edged sword. You might feel comfortable with a "smooth" landing, but I rather would like a more positive landing.

When a pilot sets the aircraft for a smooth landing and there's s sudden shift in wind, the aircraft might "float" due to the increased ground effect created by the wings and the ground. This can be dangerous since the wind could carry the aircraft out of the runway. And when the aircraft is in a curve (airspeed) that prevents it from aborting a takeoff, this could prove disastrous.

On the other hand, a positive landing just "drops" the airplane on the runway, hence, a positive engagement of the airplane's landing gears to the ground.

[antediluvianist]

"I should add...> I was most concerned with flight safety in terms of aircraft maintenance. "

In the early 80s I did a financial study of PAL (that was before Lucio.)

PAL was actually bankrupt then - the liabilities were greater than the assets - and it had negative working capital, and it was taking a beating on the dollar loans it had outstanding. Also, profit from operations was negative (PAL was operating at a loss, which loss just got worse when all the financial charges from the big debt were added in) , especially when Ferdie and Imelda took his-and-hers airplanes on their trips, official or for Christmas shopping..

The result was that PAL, in those days, couldn't keep enough spare parts in stock - it didn't have enough money to maintain adequate inventory, and well, maintenance expenses must have been cut to the bone too. Not advisable to fly on an airline in financial trouble because bad finances have implications on operations, especially safety thereof. Not enough spares, maintenance, etc.

[MozambiqueDrill]

Originally Posted by antediluvianist

"I should add...> I was most concerned with flight safety in terms of aircraft maintenance. "

In the early 80s I did a financial study of PAL (that was before Lucio.)

PAL was actually bankrupt then - the liabilities were greater than the assets - and it had negative working capital, and it was taking a beating on the dollar loans it had outstanding. Also, profit from operations was negative (PAL was operating at a loss, which loss just got worse when all the financial charges from the big debt were added in) , especially when Ferdie and Imelda took his-and-hers airplanes on their trips, official or for Christmas shopping..

The result was that PAL, in those days, couldn't keep enough spare parts in stock - it didn't have enough money to maintain adequate inventory, and well, maintenance expenses must have been cut to the bone too. Not advisable to fly on an airline in financial trouble because bad finances have implications on operations, especially safety thereof. Not enough spares, maintenance, etc.

Just watch the news and it seems that many of the major U.S. airlines are having financial troubles, but we don't see them dropping out of the sky (due to maintenence). I feel confident that PAL keeps up with their aircraft, well, at least I'm telling myself such.

[Wp.22]

on the other side maybe PAL is alway late in arriaval or departure is that they making sure that in between flights that the plane is being maintained.

[maskytrading]

Flew PAL Domestic last month...still the same warm, courteous crew always.
Flew Cebu Pacific twice local also, the month before that...better and NIB(A319 and A320s just like PALs') planes with the airconditioning billowing cold smoke like the discos fog machines...very very pretty FAs

Have flown Air France, Sabena Air, SwissAir, KLM, Cathay and PAL to name a few...PAL beats them all hands down as far as service, hospitality, beautiful FAs.

Cathay has the rudest and high-strung FAs...always in a hurry to tidy up the cabin much like the waiters/waitresses in HK restaurants.

Air France FAs will engage you in "bolachingan" Eng. trans. "sweet talking" at the pantry if the flight has few passengers...like the flight I once took several years ago

KLM and Local Mainland China Airlines have very young FAs like 20-21 but tall

If you fly First Class, you will have the "old" FAs serving you. Go figure

[horge]

Originally Posted by maskytrading

Cathay has the rudest and high-strung FAs...

Try flying NorthWest domestic.

[antediluvianist]

+1 re NorthWest crew. And, isn't there a rule prohibiting great-grandmothers and whales being stewardesses?

[antediluvianist]

"I feel confident that PAL keeps up with their aircraft, well, at least I'm telling myself such."

PAL now, yes. PAL was restored to profitability when Marcos was kicked out and Dante Santos took over. Recently, PAL's oil-related expenses have been so high as to hurt PAL's profitability, but PAL has been mainly profitable during the Lucio Tan years. (When Tan took over, much of PAL's debt was bought and retired at a deep discount - many of the holders of PAL debt were happy to get paid off even at a discount.)

But in the early 80s oh yeah inventories were short. My comment about bad finances affecting safety of operations was meant to apply to local airlines.

[atmarcella]

kung panahon mo na...panahon mo na.

[binoy]

Originally Posted by antediluvianist

+1 re NorthWest crew. And, isn't there a rule prohibiting great-grandmothers and whales being stewardesses?

Flying from detroit to jersey via northwest, everybody got salted peanuts..

Got the same nuts flying back to detroit.. hahahahhaha ..

Ingay nung plane.. sakit sa tenga..

Ron harper (nba player) was a few seats infront (economy class). Kakaawa yung mama kasi nakatupi yung tuhod nya... hahahahhaha

[isuzu]

=antediluvianist;9311710 The result was that PAL, in those days, couldn't keep enough spare parts in stock - it didn't have enough money to maintain adequate inventory, and well, maintenance expenses must have been cut to the bone too. Not advisable to fly on an airline in financial trouble because bad finances have implications on operations, especially safety thereof. Not enough spares, maintenance, etc.

The last things that an airline would squeeze is maintenance and fuel. The mechanic(s) inspecting and maintaining the plane would not sign the release of the aircraft if the aircraft is not airworthy. That's the reason why flights were delayed by hours in the 80's. PAL had no spare aircraft for domestic routes, and when one aircraft is grounded, all the schedules were messed up. PAL even flew in PAL's lone 727 which was used in the Manila-Hongkong flights in 1983 to Bacolod (even before the runway was extended) during the Christmas rush. How the pilot did it, one could only guess. A friend of mine who was at the aeroclub facing RWY 22 told me that it was a perfect spot landing. It took off from Bacolod with a reduced load, of course.

What I've heard in the 90's when Grandair was operating is that there was a bunch of crooks at PAL's maintenance who would provide spare parts to Grandair. What made it suspicious is that Grandair had the same aircraft that PAL was operating at that time (B737s and A300s), and it had no major maintenance facility in the country. Lucio Tan's men discovered the racket, and this was one of the contributing factors of selling PAL's maintenance facility to Lufthansa Teknik.

[charlie-xray]

I beg to disagree.

PAL's service here in the middle is beyond crappy and it sucks. No wonder they left their service here, because they have no more clientele, who'd want to fly an airline who's at most 10hours delayed, crappy food, masusungit na stewardess and matatanda.

I will fly Cathay, BAE and Emirates any day but not PAL.

[horge]

Originally Posted by binoy

Flying from detroit to jersey via northwest, everybody got salted peanuts..
Got the same nuts flying back to detroit.. hahahahhaha ..

Hah.
Flying Chicago-Honolulu back in '05, there was no airconditioning on the
9 hour incarceration. The flight attendants only showed up for the
safety demo, and later, to ask us if we wanted a drink/sandwich: if we said
yes, we were suddenly handed a bill for USD 4, all for a thin half-sandwich
and a warm can of juice. I hope things have improved, but with the rising cost
of aviation fuel... dunno.

[charlie-xray]

They went from bad to worse Sir Horge.

[horge]

You mean they've stopped pressurizing the cabin??

[charlie-xray]

No airconditioning is substituted with opening of the side windows. Hahahaha (no smileys pa rin)

Their FA's on thier middle east flight to and from Manila are relics to be considered, hindi bale sana if they're not nice to look if they'd serve you well. But the thing is, how an eyesore they are plus their service sucks bigtime juice or sodas are being counted you ask for a 2nd round of beer you'd get a stare like "are you dreamin"

[bulm540]

Originally Posted by charlie-xray

I beg to disagree.

PAL's service here in the middle is beyond crappy and it sucks. No wonder they left their service here, because they have no more clientele, who'd want to fly an airline who's at most 10hours delayed, crappy food, masusungit na stewardess and matatanda.

I will fly Cathay, BAE and Emirates any day but not PAL.

I thought you were talking about jetblue, 18 to 24 hours delayed last christmas.

[antediluvianist]

"The last things that an airline would squeeze is maintenance and fuel."

Fuel no, but maintenance and spare parts? Airlines SHOULD not, but Alaska Airlines, ValueJet and others illegally scrimped on maintenance and procedures , per official crash reports. From what PAL persons in the days before Lucio Tan told us external auditors, they did then too. Various aircraft in the Philippine Air Force malfunction frequently too, per the pilots. Lack of money has effects.

Anyway, equipment-wise PAL is a lot better since THOSE DAYS.

If you're in business class or better, most airlines will do, although if I have a choice, when flying in Asia I always take Singapore Airlines. SQ stewardesses are terribly overhyped - all that "Singapore Girl" nonsense can only fool westerners who buy into the exotic image in SQ advertisements, but we Asians know that Singaporeans are, relative to the women of several other Asian countries including the Philippines, relatively emotionless and cold. They get lots of training and a push-up bra, but many other Asian women are more warm by nature and upbringing. Still, SQ is reliable and has a relatively better safety and punctuality record than most, though has had crashes too. I value the reliability and safety over the robot girls.

[maskytrading]

We all like beautiful and very young FAs in their early twenties serving us while inflight...however, in case of emergencies it's the elderly FAs (late 30s up) who know what to do...The youngest of FAs start up with domestic routes, where they log flying hours and experience before being assigned to international flights...it's the same with pilots...But I haven't heard from the women passengers complain why the pilots of 747s are in their late 40s to early 50s...

[isuzu]

Originally Posted by maskytrading

We all like beautiful and very young FAs in their early twenties serving us while inflight...however, in case of emergencies it's the elderly FAs (late 30s up) who know what to do...The youngest of FAs start up with domestic routes, where they log flying hours and experience before being assigned to international flights...it's the same with pilots...But I haven't heard from the women passengers complain why the pilots of 747s are in their late 40s to early 50s...

That is so true! In the early 90's a PAL B737-300 tried (maybe forced) to land in Bacolod using RWY 22 in blinding rain. The Bacolod runway when landing RWY 22 is initially wide, and narrows halfway (ATO was supposed to complete the runway widening, but scrapped it when plans for a new airport, now in Silay was conceived). The runway lights were positioned away from the runway to make way for the supposed widening.

The left main landing gear of the plane hit the already soaked ground and the plane skidded. It was an off-duty flight attendant from an international airline who was coming home for the holidays who was first to react and opened the emergency exit nearest to him. The young F/As, sadly froze.

[isuzu]

Originally Posted by charlie-xray

No airconditioning is substituted with opening of the side windows. Hahahaha (no smileys pa rin)

Their FA's on thier middle east flight to and from Manila are relics to be considered, hindi bale sana if they're not nice to look if they'd serve you well. But the thing is, how an eyesore they are plus their service sucks bigtime juice or sodas are being counted you ask for a 2nd round of beer you'd get a stare like "are you dreamin"

Cabin pressure, altitude and air quality ages their skin faster. Comes with their profession.

At high altitudes, 1 drink equals 3 on the ground. That's why they try to regulate the intake of alcohol. One thing they would avoid is to have a flight diverted because a passenger got sick because of intake of alcohol. That's a big expense and a big fine on their part.

Whenever I fly international, I stop taking caffeine and alcohol for at least 48 hours. I start my hydration process at least three days before the flight. I drink lots of water and juice (not even soda) on board. Minimizes stress and jet lag.

[charlie-xray]

Hahaha, I'd rather get stranded in an island with beautiful and very young FA's in their early twenties as they'd be much stronger in looking for food and drinkable water, and could bear more offsprings quickly and might deliver babies normally as they are younger so a remote island scenario is doable, I just can't imagine doing a C-section on a remote island hahaha j/k.

Originally Posted by maskytrading

We all like beautiful and very young FAs in their early twenties serving us while inflight...however, in case of emergencies it's the elderly FAs (late 30s up) who know what to do...The youngest of FAs start up with domestic routes, where they log flying hours and experience before being assigned to international flights...it's the same with pilots...But I haven't heard from the women passengers complain why the pilots of 747s are in their late 40s to early 50s...