Tag: Economy Class

Flight Report: PEACH AVIATION MM 158 – Fukuoka to Osaka Kansai – Future-Proof & Efficient Japanese Domestic Low-Cost Flight [April 2023]

In April 2023, I flew to my favorite country, Japan, for the first time since the pandemic. I thought I was just in time for the cherry blossom season, but Sakura started early this year. I saw a ₱1 base fare ticket to Fukuoka from Osaka a few months ago and decided to grab this low fare to visit Japan again.

Upon arrival in Fukuoka, I stayed only for a night and decided to fly to Osaka the next day and base there for the remaining 6 days. Between these 2 cities, I flew with one of Japan’s biggest low-cost airlines – Peach Aviation. This Peach Aviation flight MM 158 from Fukuoka to Osaka Kansai is today’s flight report feature. Read on below as I share details about this future-proof and efficient Japanese domestic flight.

In case you missed it, I post reviews & features of my flights since June 2019. I’ve covered airlines such as EVA Air, Indonesia Air Asia, Singapore Airlines, Emirates & Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

Peach Aviation

Peach Aviation Limited, operating as Peach, is a Japanese low-cost airline based in Osaka, Japan. The airline was founded by All Nippon Airways and Hong Kong-based private equity firm First Eastern Investment Group on 10 February 2011. The airline was initially named A&F Aviation and rebranded to Peach on 24 May 2011.

The airline had its first domestic commercial flight to Sapporo and Fukuoka on 1 March 2012. It also marked the first flight by a Japanese low-cost airline in the country. It flew its first international route from Osaka Kansai International Airport to Seoul Incheon International Airport back on 8 May 2012. The airline has launched several domestic and international routes through the years and has become one of the biggest low-cost carriers in the country. In 2018, All Nippon Airways, its parent company, announced the merger of Peach and another low-cost carrier, Vanilla Air, with Peach as the surviving entity.

Today, Peach flies to 37 destinations within Japan, South Korea, China, Hong Kong, and Thailand. It has bases in Osaka, Naha (in Okinawa), Tokyo Narita, and Sendai. The airline operates an all-Airbus A320 fleet. It expects deliveries of Airbus A320neos and Airbus A321LR (long-range) aircraft in the next few years. On 24 April 2023, the airline celebrated an important milestone as it flew its 50millionth passenger since it started its operations.

Peach sports a unique livery consisting of pink, purple, and white color schemes. As far as I am aware, the airline does not have a loyalty program. It has a monetary token called Peach Points where these points can be used to pay for Peach flights, add-ons, and government taxes.

Peach is a low-cost airline. The airline offers basic airline fares at low and affordable prices. Any other add-ons and services availed of such as check-in baggage allowance, seat selection, and inflight meals are paid on top of the basic fare.

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.

Airfare

I booked my one-way ticket 2 months before the intended flight date and paid ¥8,260. I availed of the airline’s Simple Peach basic fare and bought a 20-kilogram check-in baggage allowance as an add-on. My local credit card issuer charged me ₱3,559.50, including the foreign currency transaction conversion fees.

I believe the total fare price is reasonable considering it was for a flight during the peak Sakura season and it was booked 2 months before the flight.

Travel Requirements

The airline staff only requested a valid identification card during counter check-in. They specifically asked for my Philippine passport during check-in. Apart from the confirmed airline ticket and valid ID, the airline staff did not require any other requirements to board this flight.

Before The Flight

3 days before the flight, Peach Aviation sent a flight email reminder. They sent a pre-flight preparation checklist and tons of information about check-in and bag drop procedures. They also offered more add-ons such as additional baggage allowance and seat selection.

At the time of the flight, check-in procedures are only done at the airport at least 1.5 hours before the flight. Recently, the airline has introduced flight check-in procedures through its official mobile application.

Aircraft & Flight Information

This Fukuoka to Osaka Peach flight MM158 utilized a 7.4-year-old (at the time of the flight) Airbus A320-214 aircraft. This plane, delivered to the airline in November 2015, is registered under JA817P. It has 180 seats in an all-economy class 3 x 3 configuration.

The flight took off from Fukuoka International Airport at 6:13 p.m. and touched down at Kansai International Airport in Osaka at exactly 7:00 p.m. The flight only took 47 minutes and arrived 5 minutes ahead of schedule.

Ground & Airport Experience

Domestic flights out of Fukuoka International Airport depart from the Domestic Terminal. This is the airport terminal connected to the Kūkō Line of the Fukuoka City subway system.

CHECK-IN

Check-in for domestic Peach flights opens 90 minutes before the scheduled time of departure. Passengers first check-in through the check-in kiosks, line at the counters for document check, and drop bags for weight and security checks at the bag-drop counter. Seats are assigned automatically unless availed of for an additional fee.

This unique check-in process took me less than 5 minutes to finish. Add to that, the ground staff at the document check and bag-drop counters were nice and accommodating. It was an easy, quick, and efficient check-in process. Well done, Peach!

PRE-DEPARTURE

After check-in, I lined up and took some time to pass through security. I walked to our assigned gate, Gate 2, and noticed that the noticeboards included the expected flight delays in the smallest timeframe (10 to 15 minutes).

The Gate 2 pre-departure area had enough seats for all the people in our flight. It even had workstations for those who wanted to do some work while waiting or those who needed to go into a meeting before catching a flight.

BOARDING

The ground staff announced the pre-boarding reminders at 5:30 p.m. They started boarding passengers at 5:35 p.m., 20 minutes before the scheduled departure.

Passengers assigned to seats A and F in rows 16 and above boarded the plane first. They were followed by all passengers seated between rows 16 and above. Next, passengers assigned to seats A and F in rows 1 to 15 boarded the plane. They were followed by the rest of the passengers. One quick note – all boarding announcements were made in Japanese and not in English.

The crew closed the cabin doors at 5:55 p.m. The boarding process was finished in 20 minutes. It was quick, orderly, and efficient. The plane pushed back at exactly 6:00 p.m.

Inflight Hard & Soft Product

SEAT FEATURES

This Fukuoka to Osaka Peach flight was operated by an all-economy-class Airbus A320-200 aircraft. The plane has 180 economy seats configured in a 3 x 3 arrangement split in the middle by a single aisle. According to SeatGuru, all seats (excluding the exit row seats) have a seat width of 17 inches and a seat pitch of 29 inches.

I got an aisle seat (4C) for this quick flight to Osaka. Each seat features an industry-standard leg room, a foldable tray table and a seat pocket with the aircraft safety card, air sickness bag, inflight magazines (both in English and Japanese) and an inflight digital service information sheet. Each passenger also has access to individual air vents and individual reading lights.

INFLIGHT SNACKS

Peach does not offer complimentary snacks or meals onboard. Passengers can purchase snacks, meals, or drinks onboard through the inflight digital service. Unlike other low-cost carriers, the Peach cabin crew does not go around the plane and offer snacks to the passengers. They only go to the passengers once food orders made through the inflight portal are served.

They offer a wide range of snack and drink options at reasonable prices. I did not avail of any food or drink service during this flight.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Like most low-cost airlines, Peach Aviation planes do not feature personal entertainment screens. They provide inflight magazines both in English and Japanese.

The airline also has an inflight portal where passengers can browse through various entertainment contents such as airline original videos and other variety shows. The portal’s shop offers souvenirs for those who want to buy some and transportation tickets for those who want to take the bus from Kansai Airport to Umeda. The portal also features a moving inflight map that shows real-time details about the flight.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

Peach did not offer in-flight Wi-Fi on this short flight to Osaka. Passengers can connect to the onboard connection only to access the inflight portal and not to use the internet or messaging applications.

LAVATORY

I did not get the chance to visit the lavatory because the flight was a little under an hour.

Cabin Crew Service

Unfortunately, I did not have a direct interaction with the cabin crew on this flight. I saw them only during boarding, before take-off and landing and during disembarkation. At least, they made sure that everyone followed the protocols during these times. Overall, the cabin service lack personal touch from the crew.

Disembarkation & Baggage Claim

The aircraft touched down at Kansai International Airport at exactly 7:00 p.m. and taxied to Terminal 2. We got off the plane through the tarmac and walked quite a distance to the baggage claim area. We got our bags after a few minutes and headed to the free shuttle bus to Terminal 1 / Kansai Airport train station.

The arrival experience was almost like our Jetstar flight from Sapporo to Tokyo Narita back in February 2018.

Flight Experience

I had a fun, interesting and unique flying experience with Peach Aviation. I believe some of the Japanese way of doing things are different from what we are used to, but they totally make sense. I found their systems quick, efficient and future-proof.

This flight had some notable points. First, the check-in process was unique but quick and very efficient. The whole process took me less than 5 minutes and that included checking in via the kiosk, having my documents checked with the ground staff and surrendering my check-in luggage for a weight and security check.

Second, Fukuoka Airport announced every possible delay on their flight noticeboards. They announced the expected 5-minute delay. Impressive! Third, the boarding process was, again, unique but made everything run smoothly and quickly. I noticed that it is only in Japan that they board A and F passengers before anyone else. This specific process works and makes boarding faster.

Fourth, Peach Aviation’s inflight portal is something else. It is future-proof and a nice additional feature for a low-cost airline. Another airline that comes to mind is Scoot, with its ScootHub. I hope the other low-cost airlines in the region develop their own inflight portal. I seriously think this portal makes the inflight experience a lot better.

Lastly, the fare I paid for this flight (¥8,260 / ₱3,559.50) was worth every single penny. The airline offered an affordable fare during the peak season and delivered an excellent flying experience.

Moving to the other side, I personally think the airline can improve some parts of the flight. First, they can add more contents and options to the inflight portal. Currently, the entertainment options are limited to airline-related videos and some variety shows. It would be nice to have full movies or television series in the options.

Second, I hope the airline can also incorporate English announcements both during boarding and during the flight. They can continue making the announcements in Japanese, but I hope they can also add some English parts for the important ones. Lastly, I personally felt the lack of cabin crew touch on the flight. I may be saying this as someone who is used to the Southeast Asian kind of inflight hospitality. The cabin crew service still affects the overall flying experience.

Nevertheless, it was still an excellent flight with Peach Aviation. Will I fly them again in the future? Definitely. It would be interesting to see if other Japan-based airlines follow the same processes. I wonder if All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan Airlines (JAL), Air Do, Jetstar Japan and other local airlines do the same thing. I hope I can fly all of them in the future.

To my fellow aviation geeks, here are some additional information about this domestic flight to Osaka:

Airline: Peach Aviation
Flight Date: 14 April 2023
Flight Number: MM 158
Route: Fukuoka, Japan (FUK) to Kansai Airport, Osaka, Japan (KIX)
Duration: 47 minutes
Seat Numebr: 4C (aisle seat)
Aircraft: Airbus A320-214
Aircraft Registration: JA817P
Engines: 2 x CFM International CFM56 Engines
Age (at the time of the flight): 7.4 years old
Delivered: November 2015

This sums up my first-ever flight with Peach! Have you flown Peach in the past? How was your experience? Will you fly Peach soon & or by any chance have questions about anything mentioned above? Feel free to share your experiences or post your questions in the comments section below. You may also send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in today’s Peach flight report. I hope you can also check out these flight reports as well as my previous flight reports with Cebu Pacific Air, Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Vietnam Airlines and Air France. All other previous flight reports can be found under the Flight Reports category. Feel free to check them out. Please look forward to more flight reports in the future.

Before you go, I hope you can like and follow my social media pages – Facebook and Instagram. This will help me increase my reach; it will also keep you up-to-date with the latest blog posts and flight reports on this website. Thank you and see you in the next flight report!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Flight Report: EMIRATES EK 332 – Dubai to Manila – Underwhelming Inflight Meals on a Busy & Full Flight Back to Manila [December 2022]

Late last year, my friends and I went on a 3.5-week holiday around France, Italy and Spain. We visited and went around the cities of Paris, Rome, Florence, Milan and Barcelona. We took different flights to and from Europe.

I flew with Emirates from Manila to Dubai and Dubai to Paris to Europe and Barcelona to Dubai and Dubai to Manila (this flight) back to the Philippines. I have shared with you in the past on how the first 3 flights went in previous flight reports.

To complete the flights on this trip, allow me to share with you details about the last sector – Emirates Flight EK 332 from Dubai, United Arab Emirates to Manila, Philippines. Read on below to know why I believe this flight was the only underwhelming flight among all 4 sectors I took with the airline last year.

Emirates

Emirates commenced operations in 1985 from its home hub in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. 37 years after, the airline is now one of the world’s biggest airlines. The airline is a subsidiary of the state-owned The Emirates Group. Most, if not all, of its flights depart & arrive from the massive Dubai International Airport Terminal 3.

In case you missed it, I post reviews & features of my flights since June 2019. I’ve covered airlines such as EVA Air, Indonesia Air Asia, Singapore Airlines & Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

The airline flies to over 80 countries & 150 destinations in the 6 habitable continents. It has a fleet of over 250 wide body aircraft with 200 more on order. The airline currently operates only Boeing 777 & Airbus A380 aircraft in their fleet; it is also the largest operator of both aircraft types. It makes use of Dubai’s strategic location in connecting people from all over the world.

Apart from its commercial division, the airline also has its cargo & corporate subsidiaries. Its cargo division is called Emirates SkyCargo, while its corporate & private subsidiary is called Emirates Executive.  Emirates’ frequent flyer program is called Emirates Skywards. The airline is not part of an airline alliance but has codeshare & partnership agreements with airlines like flydubai, Qantas, United, Air Canada & a lot more.

Emirates is a full-service airline. This means that the airline offers services & amenities such as inflight meals & snacks & personal entertainment screens on every flight. All Emirates tickets also include check-in baggage allowance depending on the booking / ticket class where the passengers are booked.

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.

Airfare

I booked my Emirates ticket in January 2020 before all borders closed due to the pandemic. Back then, my ticket was from Hong Kong to Munich, Germany via Dubai & back to Hong Kong via Dubai from Budapest, Hungary. I wasn’t able to use this 2020 ticket, but I was so pleased that Emirates offered the most flexible airline ticket option.

Basically, they extended the ticket validity for 3 years & allowed passengers to rebook the ticket when they are ready to fly as long as there are seats available. The flights tickets should be used within the validity period. On top of this, they also allowed the passengers to change the airports of origin & destination as long as the airports are within the same Emirates region. Emirates also waived all fare difference, rebooking & change fees.

Fast forward to 2022, my friends & I decided to fly to Europe for a 3.5-week holiday. After getting my tourist visa from VIA Italy, I called the Emirates hotline & requested for my ticket to be issued. I changed the airport of origin from Hong Kong to Manila (both in the Far East) & the airport of destination from Munich to Paris (both in Europe). My return flights were also changed from Budapest to Barcelona (both in Europe) & then back to Manila. I got my new ticket in less than 2 minutes after the Emirates agent confirmed my preferred flight schedules & details. The best thing was this new ticket didn’t cost me anything – no additional fees, change fees or airport taxes or whatever. It even included a 20-25 kilograms check-in baggage allowance from previously 15 kilograms.

Believe it or not, I only paid HK$4,039 or ₱27,072.73 for this return ticket. This ticket includes inflight meals, personal entertainment screens & even baggage allowance both ways. Compared to the usual tickets to Europe, this one didn’t cost much. Thank you, Emirates, for this flexible ticket. I know I’ve booked tons of cheap tickets in the past, but I believe this was probably the best-valued to date.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

At the time of the flight, the Philippine government still required proof of vaccination or negative test result (for those unvaccinated) for all incoming international passengers. On top of this, they also required the E-Travel QR Code which can be obtained from the E-Travel website.

As of July 2023, the government has removed all pandemic-related entry requirements. They retained the E-Travel QR code requirement to replace the previously required physical arrival forms.

Before The Flight

Emirates sent an e-mail and mobile application check-in reminder 48 hours before my scheduled flight to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The airline offers free standard seat selection during web or mobile check-in.

I already had my seats pre-booked at the time of getting this ticket so I did not bother checking or changing them during web check-in. I checked in for the flights to Manila immediately I received the check-in reminder. Take note that you will need your passport information and other necessary details to complete this early check-in.

Aircraft & Flight Information

This Dubai to Manila Emirates flight was operated by a 10.6-year-old Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. This plane, delivered to Emirates back in May 2012 has 3 cabin classes – first class, business class and economy class. The first class section has 8 enclosed private suites. The business class cabin has 42 lie-flat seats on a 2-3-2 configuration while the economy class area has 310 seats arranged in a 3-4-3 layout.

The flight took off from Dubai International Airport at 4:17am, flew around 6,900 kilometers, cruised an altitude of 35,000 to 37,000 feet and landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila at 3:47pm. The whole flight took 7 hours and 30 minutes.

Ground & Airport Experience

Emirates fly out of Dubai International Airport Terminal 3.

CHECK-IN

I completed the check-in process for this flight in Barcelona, Spain when I checked in for the first flight to Dubai. I was only in Dubai for a quick 3-hour transit or layover. If you want to know how my Barcelona Airport check-in process went, feel free to check out my previous flight report about EK 256 flight from Barcelona to Dubai.

DUBAI TRANSIT & MARHABA LOUNGE EXPERIENCE

Upon disembarkation from my Barcelona to Dubai flight, I immediately went to the Connections Area, went through security check, took the airport train to Terminal 3 Concourse C and located the assigned boarding gate for this Emirates flight to Manila.

After checking out the gate, I went to the Concourse C Marhaba Lounge to get some rest and have some snack. My newly-acquired (that time) Security Bank Platinum Credit Card (not sponsored) came with 2 complimentary airport lounge access per year at any LoungeKey-affiliated lounge around the world. This is on top of the unlimited Marhaba Lounge access I have in NAIA Terminals 1 and 3 here in the Philippines. I used the 1st complimentary access during my Dubai Layover on the way to Paris; I used the 2nd free access during this layover on the way back to Manila.

Terminal 3 Concourse C’s Marhaba Lounge has almost the same size as that of Concourse A’s. The lounge was packed with people when I arrived a few minutes after midnight. Most of the lounge guests left after 2:00 am. The lounge served a wide range of food options; they have salad, bread, mains, desserts and fruits. They also have coffee, tea, juices, beers and some cocktails free of charge. The lounge had clean and well-maintained amenities. I left the Marhaba Lounge full, relaxed and ready for my 7.5-hour flight back home.

PRE-DEPARTURE

While at the lounge, Emirates notified me via the mobile application of the assigned boarding gate for my flight to Manila. The notification also included what time boarding will start and what time the doors will close. After about an hour, I got another notification advising that boarding is about to commence at our assigned gate. I finished my food, packed my stuff, left the lounge and walked to Gate C5.

Upon arrival at Gate C5, I saw a big bunch of people waiting to go inside the pre-departure area. Apparently, our flight was assigned to a smaller boarding gate which could barely accommodate a full Boeing 777 flight. I stayed outside the boarding gate and waited for our turn to board.

BOARDING

Boarding commenced at 3:10am. First class, business class and Skywards status holders boarded the plane first. Economy class passengers flocked the boarding area and started lining up even if their boarding class and zone has not been called.

Economy class passengers seated at the rear part of the plane boarded the plane next. They were followed by those seated in the middle economy section. Our boarding group, seated in the front economy section, boarded the plane last. The cabin crew gave out masks and hand sanitizers to all passengers once everyone was seated. The aircraft doors closed at 3:54am – 4 minutes behind schedule.

The boarding process was chaotic and disorganized. The ground staff were not able to control the influx of passengers wanting to enter the pre-departure area and wanting to board the plane first.

INFLIGHT HARD & SOFT PRODUCT

SEAT FEATURES

This Dubai to Manila Emirates flight was operated by 3-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. The first class section has 8 seats in fully-enclosed suites. According to SeatMaps, the first class seats on this plane has a seat pitch of 86 inches, a seat width of 23 inches and a 180 degree recline. The business class section has 42 lie-flat seats with 60 inches of seat pitch and 20.5 inches of seat width. The economy class has 310 seats on 3 (front, middle and rear) cabins. Each economy class seat has a pitch of 32 to 33 inches, a width of 17 inches and recline of 6 inches.

Economy class seats feature a touch-screen personal entertainment screen, a big tray table, a cup holder, a coat hook, a USB charging port, a seat pocket with Duty Free magazines and aircraft safety card, shared universal power outlets (2 in a row of 3 seats), a pillow, a blanket, a pair of headphones and an adjustable headrest. Every economy class passenger also has access to spacious overhead cabins, individual reading lights and air vents.

I got aisle seat 18C in the front economy class cabin for this 7.5-hour journey to Manila, Philippines. I found the seat features to be complete and comfortable for a long-haul flight like this.

INFLIGHT MEALS

Emirates provides complimentary meals on all their flights. Passengers can access the inflight menu from the airline’s website as early as a week before the flight. They also have the option for passengers to request for or book special meals up to 24 hours before the scheduled flight. The airline does not provide physical menus; instead, they ask passengers to access and browse the menus through their on-board portal.

The crew served a breakfast meal and a light meal on this 7.5-hour flight. 40 minutes after leaving Dubai, they started the breakfast service. They offered 2 breakfast options – scrambled eggs with creamed spinach, turkey rashers and rosti and dori yakisoba with vegetables and soy sauce. The meal came with fresh fruits, croissant with butter and jam, a granola bar and coconut mouse for dessert. It also came with a small glass of water and a drink of choice – coffee, tea, juice, soda, wine or alcoholic beverage. I went for the dori yakisoba and paired it with a glass of apple juice. After meal service, the crew went around for another round of drinks.

2 hours and 20 minutes before landing, the crew went around to distribute the light meals. They only had one option for the meal – chicken adobo with vegetables and rice. It came with a chocolate mousse for dessert, a small glass of water and a drink of choice – same options as above. The crew went for another round of coffee and tea after all meals were served.

Emirates made sure that passengers are well-fed on this 7.5-hour flight. In my opinion, both meals were underwhelming. The food portions were great but the food taste was not to my liking. I found the dory yakisoba too salty and the coconut mousse too sweet. The chicken adobo was alright but it was nothing compared to the superb breakfast tapa served in my Manila to Dubai Emirates flight. The meals on this flight were the least favorite ones of all the meals I took on 4 flights to and from Europe.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Emirates is known for its excellent inflight entertainment system called ICE. The entertainment system offers thousands of options ranging from movies, television shows and series, documentaries, songs and even games which you can play together with your seat neighbor. It even has region-specific movies and television shows. ICE also offers live television coverage of news channels like BBC World News, CNN International, Sports 24 and Sky News Arabia.

ICE also offers access to 2 aircraft cameras installed in the front of and under this Boeing aircraft. It also shows the complete flight and aircraft details and even has 2 kinds of moving flight maps. The airline indeed offers the best entertainment system in the skies – a system every airline in the world should copy.

The entertainment system on seat 16C worked well throughout the flight. I slept most of the flight and was not able to use it apart from the flight map shown in the screen. I noticed that the entertainment system on this aircraft was modern compared to the ones on my Manila to Dubai and Barcelona to Dubai flights but a bit outdated compared to the Airbus A380 inflight system on my Dubai to Paris flight.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

Emirates offers paid inflight wi-fi connectivity on their flights. Rates range from $2.99 – $19.99 depending on the type of use the passengers need. The cheapest onboard internet plan costs $3.99 & is only limited to messaging applications such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, etc.

I did not try this service during this flight; I did not use it because I was mostly asleep in the flight. I think it would be nice if the airline offered complimentary but limited connectivity / data allowance at least for Emirates Skywards members like how Singapore Airlines offers to their Krisflyer members.

LAVATORY

The middle section lavatories on this flight were alright; they were not dirty but also not super clean. The lavatories had the right size; it also had the usual moisturizing lotion, perfume and loads of toilet paper. I did not find dental kits inside; I believe it would have been nicer if they provided some.

Cabin Crew Service

The cabin crew service on this flight felt normal and relaxed. The crew did not rush in distributing meals and giving away the second drink service. They catered to the needs of the passengers, helped them during boarding and served the passengers with their best smiles.

Disembarkation & Baggage Claim

Disembarkation was quick and organized. The first class and business class passengers left the plane first. Economy class passengers followed. I was seated in the forward economy section so I was one of the first economy class passengers to leave the plane.

I passed by immigration quickly and headed to the baggage claim area. I waited for an hour before I got my luggage. I do not know what happened but I heard that Emirates conducted an additional security check before releasing all the checked bags to the passengers.

Flight Experience

This pretty much sums up my flight with Emirates on their Boeing 777-300ER service from Dubai to Manila. It was not the excellent and ideal Emirates economy class flight experience but it was still a good one.

Some details of the flight stood out to me. First, the cost of this return flight to and from Europe is incomparable. This pandemic ticket, which had the best pandemic flexibility terms, only cost me HK$ 4,039 or ₱27,072.73 for all 4 sectors. It included a generous 25-kilogram baggage allowance, inflight meals and entertainment. This ticket was definitely a steal. It will take some time before we see Europe-bound tickets go low as this one.

Second, Emirates knows how to spoil their passengers. The seats onboard their planes are clean and comfortable. They have everything a passenger needs in a long-haul flight. The entertainment system is modern and has thousands of options to choose from. It is surely one of the best in the world right now. Third, the airline provides real-time flight updates through their mobile application. They notify passengers once the bags are checked in for flights, once boarding gates are assigned and every time boarding starts for flights.

Fourth, the cabin crew service on this flight was warmer and more relaxed. The service did not feel rushed like my experience on the outward flight to Dubai on EK 335. Lastly, Emirates hard and soft product is consistent even with different aircraft types. The seats types, entertainment system, lavatories and even onboard offerings are almost the same in all the aircraft types I flew with them – Boeing 777-300ER, Boeing 777-200LR and the Airbus A380-800.

Moving to the flight disappointments, this Emirates flight was probably the least favorite all 4 I took with them last year. First, the boarding process was chaotic. The ground staff announced boarding by class and groups but they were unable to control the crowd of passengers in the pre-boarding gate. The waiting area was hot, suffocating and was a mess. Everything came back to normal after most of the passengers have boarded the plane.

Second, the meals served on this flight were underwhelming. The meal portions were great but the taste was not to my liking. The dory yakisoba was salty, the coconut mousse was too sweet while the chicken adobo was alright. A friend who flew with Emirates to Manila weeks before my flight agreed with the underwhelming meals on the DXB to MNL flights.

Third, Emirates did not offer complimentary Wi-Fi access to their passengers. Maybe the airline can offer limited access to Skywards members like how Singapore Airlines offered it to their Krisflyer members. Just a few months ago, Singapore Airlines started offering unlimited complimentary internet access to all Krisflyer members onboard their flights. I hope Emirates provide the same perk in the future.

Despite all of these let downs, I still had a good flight with Emirates on their EK 332 service from Dubai to Manila. Will I fly them again? For sure! I will grab every opportunity to fly with them in the next few years. I cannot wait for the next one!

Allow me to share with you some details of this flight:

Airline: Emirates
Flight Date: 8 December 2022
Flight Number: EK 332
Route: Dubai, United Arab Emirates (DXB) to Manila, Philippines (MNL)
Duration: 7 hours & 30 minutes
Seat Numebr: 18C (aisle seat)
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER
Aircraft Registration: A6-EGP
Engines: 2 x GE GE90-115B Engines
Age (at the time of the flight): 10.6 years old
Delivered: May 2012

And that’s 4 out of 4 flights with Emirates in 2022. Have you flown Emirates in the past? How was your experience? Will you fly Emirates soon & or by any chance have questions about anything mentioned above? Feel free to share your experiences or post your questions in the comments section below. You may also send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in today’s Emirates flight report. In case you missed it, I also flew with Emirates on their Manila to Dubai, Dubai to Paris CDG and Barcelona to Dubai routes. I hope you can also check out these flight reports as well as my previous flight reports with Singapore Airlines, Vietnam Airlines and Air France. All other previous flight reports can be found under the Flight Reports category. Feel free to check them out. Please look forward to more flight reports in the future.

Before you go, I hope you can like and follow my social media pages – Facebook and Instagram. This will help me increase my reach; it will also keep you up-to-date with the latest blog posts and flight reports on this website. Thank you and see you in the next flight report!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Flight Report: EMIRATES EK 256 – Barcelona to Dubai – Impressive Intercontinental Flight on a Rare Long-Range Aircraft [December 2022]

After spending 3.5 weeks around France, Italy and Spain, my time in Europe came to an end. I eventually left the continent and flew back to my home country – the Philippines. My journey back to Manila started at Barcelona El Prat (BCN) Airport, Spain where I took an Emirates flight to Dubai, United Arab Emirates – Flight EK 256.

This BCN to DXB flight is the subject of today’s flight report. Join me as I share with you the details of this impressive intercontinental Emirates flight on a rare long-range aircraft.

Emirates

Emirates commenced operations in 1985 from its home hub in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. 37 years after, the airline is now one of the world’s biggest airlines. The airline is a subsidiary of the state-owned The Emirates Group. Most, if not all, of its flights depart & arrive from the massive Dubai International Airport Terminal 3.

In case you missed it, I post reviews & features of my flights since June 2019. I’ve covered airlines such as EVA Air, Indonesia Air Asia, Singapore Airlines & Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

The airline flies to over 80 countries & 150 destinations in the 6 habitable continents. It has a fleet of over 250 wide body aircraft with 200 more on order. The airline currently operates only Boeing 777 & Airbus A380 aircraft in their fleet; it is also the largest operator of both aircraft types. It makes use of Dubai’s strategic location in connecting people from all over the world.

Apart from its commercial division, the airline also has its cargo & corporate subsidiaries. Its cargo division is called Emirates SkyCargo, while its corporate & private subsidiary is called Emirates Executive.  Emirates’ frequent flyer program is called Emirates Skywards. The airline is not part of an airline alliance but has codeshare & partnership agreements with airlines like flydubai, Qantas, United, Air Canada & a lot more.

Emirates is a full-service airline. This means that the airline offers services & amenities such as inflight meals & snacks & personal entertainment screens on every flight. All Emirates tickets also include check-in baggage allowance depending on the booking / ticket class where the passengers are booked.

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.

AIRFARE

I booked this Emirates ticket back in January 2020 with an original departure from Hong Kong to Munich, Germany and back to Hong Kong from Budapest, Hungary. The pandemic happened and it has restricted me from using this ticket on its initial schedule. This ticket from and back to Hong Kong back then cost me HK$ 4,039 or ₱27,072.73 in Philippine peso.

Luckily, Emirates offered the most flexible options for passengers who booked their tickets in 2020. The airline offered a ‘keep the ticket’ option, extended the validity of the ticket to 3 years from the time of booking (in my case up to 3 February 2023) and offered a ‘book when ready’ scheme where the passenger can just call the airline when he/she is ready to use the ticket and fly. On top of that, the airline also allowed passengers to change the airports of origin and destination as long as both airports are within the same region – in my case, Far East Region and Europe. All these options were offered free of charge – no additional cancellation, fare difference and change fees charged.

Fast forward to 2022, my college friends and I planned to fly to Europe for 3.5 weeks. Borders have been opened and pandemic-related requirements have been removed; traveling to another country was easier compared to how it was in 2020 and early 2021. After getting my visa from the Italian Embassy through VIA Italy, I called the Emirates hotline and requested for my ticket to be issued. I changed the airport of origin from Hong Kong to Manila (both in the Far East) and the airport of destination from Munich to Paris (both in Europe). My return flights were changed from Budapest to Barcelona (both in Europe) and then back to Manila. The ticket got issued in less than 2 minutes after the Emirates agent confirmed my preferred flight schedules and details. It even included a 20-25 kilograms check-in baggage allowance from previously 15 kilograms.

A massive thank you to Emirates for providing such generous options for pre-pandemic booked tickets. I never imagined I could fly to Europe and back to Manila for such an affordable flight ticket. I do not think that will ever happen again in the foreseeable future.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

At the time of the flight, it was only the Philippines that required pandemic-related requirements upon entry into the country. The E-travel QR code was required for all incoming passengers. At that time, the E-travel page still asked for the passenger’s vaccination status. This pandemic-specific requirement has recently been removed. The E-travel QR code is still required but only with the usual details. Additionally, my transit country, United Arab Emirates, did not require anything during this flight to Manila via Dubai DXB.

Before The Flight

Emirates sent an e-mail and mobile application check-in reminder 48 hours before my scheduled flight to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The airline offers free standard seat selection during web or mobile check-in.

I already had my seats pre-booked at the time of getting this ticket so I did not bother checking or changing them during web check-in. I checked in for the flights to Manila immediately I received the check-in reminder. Take note that you will need your passport information and other necessary details to complete this early check-in.

Aircraft & Flight Information

This Barcelona to Dubai Emirates flight was operated by a 13.9-year-old rare Boeing 777-200LR (long range) aircraft. The aircraft, delivered to Emirates in January 2009, has 2 cabin classes. The business class section has 38 lie-flat seats on a 2-2-2 configuration while the economy class section has 264 regular seats on a 3-4-3 arrangement.

The flight took off from Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport at 3:24pm local time. It travelled 3,333 miles and cruised an altitude of 39,000 feet to Dubai. The flight touched down at Dubai International Airport 12:10am local time ahead of the 12:40am schedule. The flight only took 5 hours and 46 minutes.

This daily Emirates service EK 256 flight originates from Mexico City (MEX) on the same flight number. The flight leaves Mexico (MEX) at night, takes a 12-hour flight to Barcelona (BCN), makes a 1 hour and 45 minute-stop to refuel, unload and pick-up passengers and continues another 6-hour flight to its destination – Dubai (DXB). Its counterpart EK 255 departs Dubai daily, lands in Barcelona to refuel, unload and pick-up passengers and takes another 12-hour flight to Mexico City. The long flight duration is one of the reasons why Emirates always assigns its Boeing 777-200LR aircraft on this route.

Ground & Airport Experience

Emirates flights depart from Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport Terminal 1.

CHECK-IN

Emirates check-in counters are in the far-left section of the terminal. Its check-in counters are classified according to flight classes. First class, business class and Skywards status passengers have dedicated check-in lanes while economy class passengers are divided into 3 check-in lanes – regular check-in, online check-in and those needing special assistance. Economy class passengers who have completed online check-in have a separate and faster queue.

I arrived in the airport exactly 3 hours before the flight and went straight to check-in. The check-in counters did not have people checking in – no queues! I completed online check-in before going to the airport and went to the online check-in counter. The ground staff, who happened to be a Filipina, checked my E-Travel QR code and vaccination details and checked me in for the flight. The whole process took less than 5 minutes.

PRE-DEPARTURE

After check-in, I passed by final security check and immigration. I also dropped by Duty Free and spent all my remaining Euro cash before leaving Spain. I walked to our assigned gate – Gate 18 – and waited for the boarding announcement.

BOARDING

Boarding by groups commenced at 2:39pm. Business class passengers and Skywards status holders were asked to board the plane first. Passengers with special assistance boarded the plane next. Economy class passengers boarded the plane by group. Our group, the forward economy class passengers, boarded the plane last.

The whole boarding process only took 23 minutes; the aircraft doors closed at 3:02pm. The aircraft pushed back after 7 minutes at 3:09pm.

Inflight Hard & Soft Product

SEAT FEATURES

This Barcelona to Dubai Emirates flight was operated by a rare 2-class Boeing 777-200LR aircraft. The aircraft has 38 lie-flat business class seats arranged in a 2-2-2 configuration and 264 regular economy class seats in a 3-4-3 configuration. According to SeatMaps, each business class seat has a seat pitch of 72 inches and a seat width of 22.5 inches. The seat can be converted into a lie flat bed during cruising altitude. On the other hand, each economy class seat has a seat pitch of 32 to 33 inches and a seat width of 17 inches.

Economy class seats on this aircraft feature a touch-screen personal entertainment screen with remote, a foldable table, a cup holder, a coat hook, a USB charging port, a seat pocket with Duty Free magazines and aircraft safety card, a universal power outlet, a pillow, a blanket, a pair of headphones and an adjustable headrest. Every economy class passenger also has access to spacious overhead cabins, individual reading lights and air vents. The seats are almost identical with the Boeing 777-300ER we flew to Dubai from Manila last November 2022.

This Emirates economy class seat is very comfortable for a mid to long-haul route. The airline knows what the passengers want and need for such flights.

INFLIGHT MEALS

Emirates provides complimentary meals on all their flights. Passengers can access the inflight menu from the airline’s website as early as a week before the flight. They also have the option for passengers to request for or book special meals up to 24 hours before the scheduled flight. The airline does not provide physical menus; instead, they ask passengers to access and browse the menus through their on-board portal.

Emirates offered 2 meals on this 6-hour flight to Barcelona. The lunch service started an hour after take-off. The lunch meal had 2 choices – beef meatballs with roasted potatoes and chicken and mushroom pasta. The mains came with quinoa salad as appetizer, chocolate mousse as dessert, cheese and cracker, bread roll with butter, chocolate chip cookie and a small chocolate bar. It also came with water and a drink of choice. I went for the beef option and got orange juice as my drink. After the meal service, the crew went around for a second round of drink service.

1 hour and 45 minutes before landing, the crew handed out warm gouda pastry, a slice of lemon cake and a drink of choice for snack. The crew also offered another round of drinks after giving out the snacks. Emirates made sure that passengers are well-fed and satisfied meals-wise on this intercontinental journey.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Emirates is known for its excellent inflight entertainment system called ICE. The entertainment system offers thousands of options ranging from movies, television shows and series, documentaries, songs and even games which you can play together with your seat neighbor. It even has region-specific movies and television shows. ICE also offers live television coverage of news channels like BBC World News, CNN International, Sports 24 and Sky News Arabia.

ICE also offers access to 2 aircraft cameras installed in the front of and under this Boeing aircraft. It also shows the complete flight and aircraft details and even has 2 kinds of moving flight maps. The airline indeed offers the best entertainment system in the skies – a system every airline in the world should copy.

No doubt, Emirates’ entertainment system is one of the best in the world. Passengers will never get bored and will never run out of choices during the flight. I encountered a minor issue with the entertainment system in Seat 16A. I found it too slow to load and unresponsive at times. I will give it a pass considering how old the aircraft is.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

Emirates offers paid inflight wi-fi connectivity on their flights. Rates range from $2.99 – $19.99 depending on the type of use the passengers need. The cheapest onboard internet plan costs $4.99 & is only limited to messaging applications such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, etc.

I didn’t try this service during this flight; I don’t need to use the internet during this overnight flight. I think it would be nice if the airline offered complimentary but limited connectivity / data allowance at least for Emirates Skywards members like how Singapore Airlines offers to their Krisflyer members.

LAVATORY

The middle lavatories in the economy class section were kept clean and tidy throughout the flight. It had amenities such as moisturizing hand lotion, perfume and tissues in it. I expected the lavatories to have toothbrush and toothpaste but I did not find any. It would have been nice to have them for flights like this.

CABIN CREW SERVICE

The cabin crew assigned on this flight was great. They catered to the needs of the passengers, served them with their best smiles and made sure everyone had a pleasant flying experience. They made sure announcements were played in English, Arabic and Spanish.

Disembarkation & Baggage Claim

Our landing gate was changed from Gate C1 to Gate B24 upon arrival at Dubai International Airport. Business class passengers deplaned first. Forward economy class passengers, including myself, came next and those seated at the rear section followed.

I did not claim my baggage in Dubai because I had a connecting flight to Manila on the same day. I went through the Connections area and immediately checked the assigned gate of my Manila flight.

Flight Experience

I had an impressive intercontinental flight with Emirates on this Barcelona (BCN) to Dubai (DXB) flight – EK 256. I am on my 3rd flight with them and I am delighted to see the consistency in their product in the Boeing and Airbus aircraft.

Allow me to share with you the positive points of this flight. First, I got an affordable and rare deal with these tickets to Europe. I only paid ₱27,072.73 for an all-inclusive return ticket from Manila to Europe. I do not think we will get this price level in a long while so I would like to thank Emirates for the most flexible Covid-19 ticket options.

Second, the catering on this flight was superb. The food quality and huge serving sizes made me full on this 6-hour flight. The airline even offered a light snack before landing – something other airlines do not provide. Third, the ICE (Emirates’ entertainment system) content spread and choices are the best in the world. They have thousands of entertainment options to choose from.

Fourth, the aircraft seat amenities are comfortable and complete. The aircraft may be a bit old but the seat features are still at par with the current industry standards. Fifth, the lavatory was kept clean and tidy throughout the flight. It even had extra amenities such as hand lotion and perfume. Sixth, the airline is provided real-time flight updates (boarding gate information, boarding details, etc.) in the flight’s mobile application.

Seventh, Emirates’ inflight hard and soft products are consistent across various aircraft types. I have flown their Boeing 777-300ER, Airbus A380-800 and now their Boeing 777-200LR and I noticed that the quality of product offering is almost the same in all these aircraft types. Kudos to Emirates for providing an excellent product quality regardless of aircraft type.

This flight is not all praises; it also has some areas where Emirates can further improve. First, it would be nice if the airline will provide a limited complimentary Wi-Fi access to its Skywards Members. It does not have to be the whole flight; even complimentary 30 minutes to 1 hour will make a big difference. Second, the entertainment system hardware in Seat 16A is starting to show its age. It is unresponsive at times and it even took some time to load.

Nevertheless, it was still a great experience flying Emirates from Barcelona, Spain to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. I will grab every opportunity to fly the airline in the future – specially their flagship Airbus A380 aircraft. Thank you, Emirates, for this memorable flight!

Allow me to share with you the geeky details of this flight:

Airline: Emirates
Flight Date: 7 December 2022
Flight Number: EK 256
Route: Barcelona, Spain (BCN) to Dubai, United Arab Emirates (DXB)
Duration: 5 hours & 46 minutes
Seat Numebr: 16A (window seat)
Aircraft: Boeing 777-200LR (Long Range)
Aircraft Registration: A6-EWI
Engines: 2 x GE GE90-110B1L Engines
Age (at the time of the flight): 13.9 years old
Delivered: January 2009

This practically sums up my Emirates experience on EK 256 from Barcelona, Spain to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Have you flown Emirates in the past? How was your experience? Will you fly Emirates soon & have questions? Feel free to share your experiences or post your questions in the comments section below. You may also send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in today’s Emirates flight report. I hope you can also check out my previous flight reports with Singapore Airlines, Vietnam Airlines and Air France. All previous flight reports can be found under the Flight Reports category. Feel free to check them out. Please look forward to more flight reports in the future.

Before you go, I hope you can like and follow my social media pages – Facebook and Instagram. This will help me increase my reach; it will also keep you up-to-date with the latest blog posts and flight reports on this website. Thank you and see you in the next flight report!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Flight Report: VUELING VY 6333 – Milan Malpensa to Barcelona – Superb Flying Experience with a Spanish Low-Cost Airline [December 2022]

My time in Milan went by too fast! After spending days around the city and the nearby Lugano and Lake Como, I had to say goodbye to the beautiful Milan and my friend Leng who flew back to the Philippines ahead of me.

I flew to a new city and country – Barcelona, Spain – on a new airline (for me) – the Spanish low-cost carrier Vueling. I took their VY 6333 flight from Milan Malpensa to Barcelona last 3 December 2022. This Vueling flight is today’s flight report feature. Join me as I share with you what happened on this superb flight to Barcelona.

Vueling

Vueling S.A. is a Spanish low-cost airline owned by the International Airlines Group (IAG). This low-cost airline commenced operations in 2004 and is currently headquartered in Viladecans, Greater Barcelona, Spain. The airline started out operations from Barcelona to Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca, Brussels and Paris. Over the years, it has expanded its footprint to other hubs like Madrid, Seville and other Spanish and international bases. In 2012, the International Airlines Group (IAG) announced a buy out of the shareholders and a takeover of the airline. The group completed the takeover a few months later in 2013.

In case you missed it, I post reviews & features of my flights since June 2019. I’ve covered airlines such as EVA Air, Indonesia Air Asia, Singapore Airlines, Emirates & Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

Vueling is currently the largest Spanish Airline based on number of destinations and fleet size. It operates to over 140 destinations using over 120 all-Airbus aircraft. The airline’s main hub is Barcelona El Prat Airport in Barcelona, Spain. It also has hubs and stations in other Spanish cities like Madrid, Seville, Palma de Mallorca, Gran Canaria and even other European cities like Paris, Rome and London.

Vueling’s frequent flyer program is called Vueling Club – part of the Avios loyalty program. The airline is not a member of any airline alliance. It has current codeshare agreements with British Airways and Iberia, both part of the International Airlines Group.

Vueling is a low-cost carrier. This means that the airline offers bare fares; any additional service or perk comes with a fee. The airline does not provide complimentary inflight snacks or meals, entertainment screens and complimentary baggage allowance. The airline has 4 fare bundles which guests can choose from. The Basic Fare only includes a complimentary underseat bag which measures 40cm x 20cm x 30cm. The Optima Fare has everything the Basic Fare has plus 1 x 25-kilogram checked luggage and free regular seat selection during booking.

The Family Fare has everything the Optima Fare offers plus dedicated check-in desks in main airports and priority boarding for those flying with kids under 2 years old. The TimeFlex Fare includes an underseat bag, a 10-kilogram carry-on baggage allowance, flight cancellation to flight credit, unlimited flight date changes, complimentary flight time change on the same day, fast-track security in selected airports, priority check-in and boarding. All these add-ons are also available for individual purchase in case you only avail of a certain fare bundle. Also, all these fare bundles can earn Avios points.

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.

Airfare

I booked my flight 1.5 months before the intended date and paid €57.99 for the Optima fare bundle. I was charged by my local bank ₱3,442.29 including foreign currency transaction charges. At the time of booking, the airline had different policies and inclusions on fare bundles. They changed these bundles and inclusions (as mentioned above) for tickets booked after 4 November 2022.

At the time of booking (October 2022), my Optima fare bundle included the following: an underseat bag measuring up to 40cm x 20cm x 30cm, 1 x 10-kilogram carry-on / cabin bag, 1 x 25-kilogram checked baggage allowance, complimentary regular seat selection during booking, complimentary flight changes and free cancellation, conversion to flight credit and even flight credit refund.

Looking at the bundle inclusions, I got the best possible add-ons for such an affordable fare. It may not include a meal or an entertainment screen, but it still had the necessary add-ons needed by someone traveling around Europe for weeks. It was sad seeing the airline change the bundle inclusions but it was also great taking advantage of the previous inclusions before it was changed.

Travel Requirements

Flights between Italy and Spain operate like domestic flights here in the Philippines. At the time of this flight, both countries no longer require a negative test result or vaccination documentation to board the aircraft. Passengers only need to present a government-issued ID – passports for non-EU residents. Spanish authorities, at the time of this flight, still required face masks on flights. I believe this requirement has already been removed nowadays.

Before The Flight

The airline did not send anything via e-mail before the flight. The first and last e-mail I received from them is the booking confirmation after I booked the ticket. Strange.

Nevertheless, I still checked-in online for the flight 24 hours before schedule. This made the airport check-in process faster and smoother.

Aircraft & Flight Information

This Vueling VY 6333 flight from Milan Malpensa to Barcelona was operated by a 9.5-year-old Airbus A320-200 aircraft. The plane has 180 seats in all-economy class cabin – as expected from a low-cost carrier.

The flight took off from Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) at 12:58pm and landed at Barcelona El Prat Airport (BCN) at 2:15pm. The journey in between 2 airports only took 1 hour and 17 minutes. The plane pushed back from the gate 2 minutes ahead of schedule but took some time going to the runway. Nonetheless, the flight still arrived ahead of schedule. Thanks, Vueling!

Ground & Airport Experience

Vueling operates its flights out of Milan Malpensa Airport Terminal 1.

CHECK-IN

Check-in counters for flights within the Schengen zone normally open 2 hours before the flight and 40 minutes before the departure. I do not remember the exact reason but I read from the website that time that check-in counters during this season (December 2022) opened 30 minutes earlier at 2.5 hours before the flight schedule.

I arrived the airport exactly 2.5 hours before the flight and immediately lined up for bag drop at 10:20am. I finished check-in at 10:38am. The check-in process went by quickly considering I was 10th-ish in the line. The whole process took only 18 minutes.

PRE-DEPARTURE

After check-in, I went up to the 2nd floor and had my early lunch. The boarding gate information was not available up until an hour before flight. Thankfully, the gate details became available at 11:33pm.

I immediately walked to Gate A04 and waited for the boarding announcement.

BOARDING

Boarding by groups commenced at 12:04pm. Priority passengers including those travelling with infants boarded the plane first. Passengers seated in the rear section of the plane went in next followed by those seated in the middle cabin. I was among the last passengers to board the plane because I was seated in the front section of the plane.

At the time of the flight, the Spanish Authorities still required masks in all modes of public transportation. Passengers were requested to wear their face masks during boarding. The airline provided masks for those who do not have one.

The whole boarding process finished at 12:39pm. The plane pushed back from the gate 9 minutes after.

Inflight Hard & Soft Product

SEAT FEATURES

The Airbus A320-200 aircraft used for this flight to Barcelona, Spain has 180 seats in a 3 x 3 all-economy class configuration. According to Seatmaps.com, all 180 non-reclining seats have a pitch of 29-30 inches and a width of 17.5 inches.

Each seat is equipped with a tray table, a coat hook and a seat pocket with a magazine, an air sickness bag and the aircraft safety card. The seats also have dedicated reading lights and air nozzles. Each row has 1 crew call button. Unfortunately, the seats do not feature USB or standard power outlets, headrests, pillows and blankets.

I prebooked seat 6F for this flight to Barcelona; I got this complimentary seat included in my Optima fare bundle. I enjoyed the beautiful views of the Italian and Spanish coasts during the flight.

INFLIGHT SNACKS

Vueling does not provide complimentary meals and snacks onboard. The airline offers snacks and drinks for purchase during the flight. After take-off and after the seatbelt sign was turned off, the crew went around to distribute pre-orders snacks and drinks. They also went around and offered some eats to the rest of the cabin.

The list of available snacks and drinks are found in the airline’s online catalogue available when connecting to the onboard flight portal.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Being a low-cost airline, Vueling does not offer in-flight entertainment options to its passengers. Like Cebu Pacific Air and Air Asia, the airline’s seats are not equipped with personal entertainment screens. The only available entertainment option for passengers is the inflight magazine found in seat pockets in front of every passenger.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

Inflight connectivity of wi-fi connection was not available on this flight. The passengers can only access the airline’s flight portal for the snack and drinks menu, the airline’s destination activity offerings and a simple flight status section.

LAVATORY

I did not have the chance to visit the lavatory on this short flight to Spain. I did not want to bother my seatmates who were both asleep throughout the flight.

Cabin Crew Service

The cabin crew service on this flight was just alright; it was not remarkable but it was also not terrible. The crew did their job and assisted the passengers when needed. Somehow, it lacked the level of hospitality that is offered by crew on Southeast Asian low-cost airlines.

Disembarkation & Baggage Claim

The cabin crew announced an organized disembarkation process – they called 5 rows at a time to disembark. Gladly, all passengers followed. Those not yet called remained seated and waited for their turn.

I got off the plane at 2:23pm and reached baggage claim section after 10 minutes. The bags eventually came out and I was out of the airport in no time.

Flight Experience

I had a superb first flight with the Spanish low-cost carrier Vueling. I went on the flight with close to no expectations and I only wanted to arrive in Spain safe and sound; but I was blown away by the experience I had on this short hop from Milan Malpensa to Barcelona. It was my first ever flight with a European low-cost carrier and it did not disappoint!

On this flight to Barcelona, I believe Vueling excelled on the following areas or points. First, fares were low and competitive considering the ticket was booked only 1.5 months before schedule. The Optima fare (that time) only cost €57.99 one-way and already included complimentary regular seats, 10 kilograms carry-on baggage allowance, 20 kilograms check-in baggage allowance and flight credit options. It is a shame that the airline had to change these inclusions 2 weeks after I booked my ticket; but it was still great because the previous ticket inclusions at the time of my booking were honored on the flight.

Second, Vueling offers great schedules between Milan Malpensa and Barcelona. Low-cost airlines normally get only early morning and late-night flight schedules; but not Vueling on this route. They have multiple flights mostly leaving Milan in the morning or in the afternoon. Third, the flight left the gate in Milan ahead of schedule and arrived at Barcelona ahead of schedule on a busy Saturday.

Fourth, given masks were required during this flight (back in December 2022), the airline staff proactively handed out masks to passengers who do not have one. It is a simple but nice gesture that made the experience better. Lastly, the crew implemented an orderly disembarkation process. All passengers complied and everyone had a smooth disembarkation process.

I honestly cannot think of anything bad that happened on this flight. There is one part where I believe the airline can improve on for a better flying experience. It would be nice to see the airline ramp up their inflight portal – not just showing the snack menu and flight schedule. I hope they can add games or other services like who Scoot is doing on their ScootHub. This will surely change the game in European low-cost flying experience.

Will I recommend Vueling to my readers? Yes, for sure! As laid out above, I had a superb first flight with them. Everything on the flight fell into place; I was a happy customer. I will not hesitate booking them again next time I fly within Europe.

For those who want to know more details about this flight, here you go:

Airline: Vueling
Flight Date: 3 December 2022
Flight Number: VY 6333
Route: Milan Malpensa (MXP) to Barcelona (BCN)
Duration: 1 hour & 17 minutes
Seat Numebr: 6C (window seat)
Aircraft: Airbus A320-200
Aircraft Registration: EC-LVS
Engines: 2 x International Aero Engines V2500
Age (at the time of the flight): 9.5 years old
Delivered: May 2013

Have you been on a Vueling flight in the past? How was your flying experience? Did you like it? Let us engage into a conversation by sharing your flight experiences below. Do you have any questions about anything mentioned above? You may also send them to me via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in today’s Scoot flight report. I hope you can also check out my previous flight reports with Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Vietnam Airlines and Air France. All previous flight reports can be found under the Flight Reports category. Feel free to check them out. Please look forward to more flight reports in the future.

Before you go, I hope you can like and follow my social media pages – Facebook and Instagram. This will help me increase my reach; it will also keep you up-to-date with the latest blog posts and flight reports on this website. Thank you and see you in the next flight report!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Flight Report: SCOOT TR 390 – Singapore to Manila – Affordable Low-Cost Afternoon Flight Back to Manila [March 2023]

Last March, I flew to Singapore for 5 days and 4 nights with my relatives. We celebrated my cousins’ birthdays by walking around the Lion City, enjoying the rides at Universal Studios Singapore and watching the beautiful sea creatures at the S.E.A. Aquarium.

I have been to Singapore a lot of times in the past so I will not write about this trip. Instead, I will share with you my flight experience with a Singapore-based airline – Scoot. A few weeks ago, I shared with you how my Manila to Singapore flight on Scoot TR 397 went. Today, I will elaborate my experience with Scoot on TR 390 from Singapore to Manila. Join me in today’s flight report as I discuss why this flight was worth every peso.

Planning to fly to Singapore soon? It is not a cheap country to visit. I have been there a few times and I want to share to you some hacks on how explore the country on a budget. Check out this Tuesday Tip post on how to save some cash while in Singapore!

Scoot

Scoot is a Singapore-based low-cost carrier that is wholly-owned by the Singapore Airlines Group. This low-cost subsidiary was first announced by Singapore Airlines in 2011. It took its first flight back in June 2012. Over the years, the airline has expanded its network from the neighboring Southeast and South Asian countries, up to North Asia (China, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea), to Australia and even far west to Greece and Germany. In 2017, Scoot merged with another airline – TigerAir Singapore – with Scoot as the surviving entity.

In case you missed it, I post reviews & features of my flights since June 2019. I’ve covered airlines such as EVA Air, Indonesia Air Asia, Singapore Airlines, Emirates & Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

Scoot is based in Singapore Changi Airport. It flies more than 50 Airbus A320, A321 and Boeing 787 aircraft to over 50 destinations across Asia, Australia and Europe. As of writing, it also has around 30 Airbus, Boeing and Embraer aircraft on order to join the fleet in the next few years.

The airline has adopted the frequent flyer program of its parent airline called KrisFlyer. It also has a codeshare partnership with its parent airline. Scoot is a member of Value Alliance – an alliance of low-cost carriers across Asia Pacific. Alliance members include our very own Cebu Pacific Air, Nok Air from Thailand and Jeju Air from South Korea. The airline also has partnerships with other airlines such as Virgin Australia, Aegean Airlines and Olympic Air.

Scoot is a low-cost carrier. The airline provides basic fares for an affordable price. Any extra flight perks like check-in baggage allowance, seat selection, inflight meals and inflight amenities can be purchased on top of the basic fare. This no-frills fare system allows the airline to offer low fares across their network.

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.

Airfare

My relatives and I booked our tickets 1.5 months before our intended flight dates and paid ₱9,758.39 each roundtrip. The competitors’ prices were way higher than Scoot’s at the time of booking.

This return ticket included a random seat assigned during check-in and 10 kilograms of carry-on baggage. It did not include check-in baggage and inflight snacks or meals. These ticket add-ons were available for purchase during initial booking and up to a few hours before the flight.

I believe this return ticket was affordable given tickets were booked relatively last-minute. Also, the ticket already included the high airport fees and taxes charged for flights from Singapore Changi Airport.

Travel Requirements

The Philippines has simplified its arrival procedure for all passengers and adopted an online travel declaration system. All arriving Filipino and non-Filipino passengers need to register in the online portal – www.etravel.gov.ph – and obtain a unique QR code to be presented upon arrival in the country.

Fully-vaccinated arriving passengers are exempted from providing a Covid-19 pre-departure test result. Partially or unvaccinated arriving passengers are still required to present a negative pre-departure test result. If unable to provide one, the passenger will be required to undergo a test upon arrival in the Philippines.

Please take note that some nationalities still require additional requirements such as a visa (if needed) or proof of onward ticket when entering the Philippines. These requirements can be changed anytime. It’s always best to check the Covid-19 Travel Information page of the airline you’ll be flying with to the Philippines.

Before the Flight

7 days before the flight, Scoot sent an e-mail reminding of the available add-ons for purchase. These add-ons include check-in baggage, preferred seats, meals, snooze kits, etc.

48 hours before the scheduled flight, the airline also sent an e-mail informing us that online check-in was now available. They also reminded us of the check-in process and the safety protocols for the flight.

A day before our flight, we checked in online and got our randomly assigned seats.

Aircraft & Flight Information

This Singapore to Manila Scoot flight TR 390 was operated by a 1.3-year-old Airbus A321neo aircraft. This neo aircraft, delivered to the airline in December 2021, has 236 seats in an all-economy class configuration.

The flight took off from Singapore Changi Airport at 3:23 in the afternoon and landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 6:36 in the evening – 1 minute later than the scheduled time of arrival. The whole flight took 3 hours and 13 minutes.

Ground & Airport Experience

Scoot operates from Terminal 1 of Singapore Changi Airport.

CHECK-IN

We arrived at Singapore Changi Airport a few minutes past 12 noon. We headed over to the mobile check-in kiosks and later found out that we need to check-in via the regular check-in counters. Passengers travelling with kids are not eligible for kiosk check-in.

We walked to the regular counters and the nice guy checked us in for our flight. The whole process took less than 10 minutes for 3 adults and 2 kids. The regular check-in desks had no queue because most people use the check-in kiosks and the bag drop counters.

PRE-DEPARTURE

After check-in, we cleared immigration and headed to the food court for a quick grub. After lunch, we walked straight to Gate B7 and waited for the security lines to ease. Singapore Changi Airport is one of the few airports in the world that have the final security check in every boarding gate. The security process and boarding gates open only an hour before the scheduled flight departure.

BOARDING

Boarding commenced at 2:20 pm – exactly 30 minutes before the flight departure. Passengers who require assistance and those who availed of the BoardMeFirst add-on went inside the plane first. They were followed by those seated at the back of the plane. Passengers assigned in the front cabin boarded the plane last.

The cabin crew gave out masks and wipes to every passenger boarding the aircraft. The whole boarding process took 32 minutes; the aircraft doors closed at 2:52pm.

Inflight Hard & Soft Product

SEAT FEATURES

This flight to Manila used an all-economy class configured Airbus A321neo. The plane has 236 seats configured in a 3 x 3 set-up with a single aisle in between. According to SeatMaps website, the seats feature 28 to 29 inches of legroom and 18 inches of seat width.

Each seat features a decent recline, a foldable tray, a seat pocket with the aircraft safety card and onboard menu and a coat hook. The seat also comes with an individual air nozzle, a reading light and a crew call button. Unfortunately, the seats do not feature headrests, pillow and blanket and USB or universal power outlet.

I was assigned window seat 7A in the forward section of the cabin. I got a seat with a decent legroom and a perfectly-positioned window beside the seat.

INFLIGHT SNACK

Scoot does not offer complimentary inflight snack or meals onboard. Passengers can pre-book inflight meals up to days before the flight; they can also buy snacks and drinks during the onboard service. The snack service immediately commenced after the seatbelt sign has been turned off. The ‘shop’ remained open until 45 minutes before landing. I did not avail of any snack or meal on this short flight.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Scoot aircraft do not feature personal entertainment screens. Instead, they have a feature called ScootHub – an inflight portal accessible from the passenger’s mobile devices. ScootHub offers fun games, real-time flight map, magazine and other inflight features. In future, it will also offer food and drink order services and duty-free shopping.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

Scoot did not offer in-flight Wi-Fi on this short flight to Singapore. Passengers can connect to the onboard connection only to access ScootHub and not to use the internet or messaging applications.

LAVATORY

I was seated by the window and I did not have the chance to visit the lavatory on this 3.25-hour flight back to Manila. Besides, the front lavatory was always occupied by one passenger after another.

Cabin Crew Service

The cabin crew on this flight was more visible and noticeable on this flight compared to the Manila to Singapore flight on TR 397. The crew welcomed the passengers with the warmest greetings and distributed face masks and sanitary wipes upon boarding. They gave the same greetings when we deplaned in Manila. They were strict with the flight safety measures and made sure that all passengers complied during the flight.

Disembarkation & Baggage Claim

Disembarkation was a little chaotic because many passengers wanted to leave the aircraft as soon as the aircraft doors were opened. Upon leaving the aircraft, all passengers went through the E-travel QR check before going through immigration.

The whole immigration and baggage claim only took us 10 minutes. By the time we finished immigration, we already saw our bags and strollers at Baggage Belt B.

Flight Experience

It was an excellent flying experience with Scoot on flight TR 390 from Singapore to Manila. I would say that this flight was better than the Manila to Singapore leg because of Singapore Changi Airport – obviously one of the best in the world.

This flight has a long list of plus points than negatives. First, the return fare price was affordable and reasonable. The fares were competitive and cheaper than other low-cost cost airlines, like Cebu Pacific Air and Jetstar Asia, flying the same route. Second, the flight schedule was just perfect. It was ideal after hotel check-out and the arrival was in time for dinner here in the Philippines.

Check-in Kiosks at Changi
A321neo Legroom

Third, the airline’s 10-kilogram carry-on policy in economy is above the industry standard. Most full-service and low-cost airlines only allow up to 7 kilograms of carry-on luggage. The only airline I can think of that offers more in economy is Air France with 12 kilograms carry-on allowance. Fourth, the airline’s check-in system and process at Singapore Changi Airport is modern and efficient. There were no queues at all even if there were multiple Scoot flights departing during that period.

Fifth, Scoot’s inflight portal, ScootHub, is something worth noting. It is great to see low-cost airlines investing on this type of amenity for the passengers. Lastly, the airline provided face masks and sanitary wipes to passengers during boarding. It was something I did not expect from a low-cost carrier like Scoot.

This flight is not all good; it also had some minor inconveniences. First, the security process at the boarding gates took longer than expected. There were only 2 lines for more than 200 passengers. On top of this, the boarding dates only opened an hour before and boarding commenced 30 minutes after it opened. It was more of how the airport was designed but it was just a minor setback. Second, the disembarkation process was chaotic. Everyone was excited to stand up and leave the plane once the aircraft door was opened.

Nevertheless, it was still an amazing flight with Scoot. Will I fly them again? Yes! The airline may not have the 1-peso base fare but they still have a great product with competitive fares. The good schedule (for this flight – not the red eye ones) also adds value to it. Scoot has interesting and affordable long-haul routes which I aim to fly with in the future.

Here are the geeky flight details for our aviation enthusiasts out there:

Airline: Scoot
Flight Date: 28 March 2023
Flight Number: TR 390
Route: Singapore (SIN) to Manila (MNL) Philippines
Duration: 3 hours & 13 minutes
Seat Number: 7A (window seat)
Aircraft: Airbus A321-271NX
Aircraft Registration: 9V-NCF
Engines: 2 x Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engines
Age (at the time of the flight): 1.3 years old
Delivered: December 2021

Have you flown Scoot in the past? How was your experience? I hope you can share your flight experience in the comments section below. If not, I hope I convinced you to try them in the future. They are a good budget carrier! Do you have questions about anything mentioned above? Feel free to shoot me an e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com with your question.

Thank you for joining me in today’s Scoot flight report. I hope you can also check out my previous flight reports with Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Vietnam Airlines and Air France. All previous flight reports can be found under the Flight Reports category. Feel free to check them out. Please look forward to more flight reports in the future.

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PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.