Tag: Flight Report

Flight Report: VIRGIN AUSTRALIA VA 943 – Sydney to Brisbane – Quick Interstate Hop to Australia’s River City [August 2023]

In August 2023, I flew to Australia with my parents for a week-long vacation and family visit. I toured them around Sydney for the first three days, and I brought them to my aunt (my dad’s sister) in Brisbane for the remainder of the trip.

I have been to both Sydney and Brisbane in 2018, so I will no longer write about our itineraries. I hope you can check out my posts about these previous trips here: Exploring SYDNEY By Foot Part 1 – Heritage Sites Within The City, Exploring SYDNEY By Foot Part 2 – City Icons, Alleys & Harbours, BONDI BEACH & COOGEE BEACH – A Short Trip To Two of Sydney’s Suburban Beaches, and BRISBANE Weekend.

I flew to Sydney from Manila with Singapore Airlines on board flight SQ 921 from Manila to Singapore and flight SQ 231 from Singapore to Sydney. I wrote about these two flights in my previous flight reports. I hope you can also check them out. After three days in Sydney, I, together with my parents, flew with Virgin Australia on their domestic service from Sydney to Brisbane on flight VA 943. I will share with you details about this quick interstate hop on this newest flight report feature.

Virgin Australia

Virgin Australia is an Australian-based airline founded by British businessman Richard Branson (founder of Virgin Group) and Australian businessman Brett Godfrey. Previously known as Virgin Blue, the airline commenced operations the following year as a low-cost carrier. The airline started growing its route network and market share after the collapse of Ansett Australia in 2001. It eventually became the country’s second-largest airline after the national carrier, Qantas. The airline went through a massive transformation in 2011, offered business class products, and changed its name to Virgin Australia.

In April 2020, Virgin Australia went into voluntary administration due to the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. A few months later, American private investment company Bain Capital agreed to take over the airline management and bring the airline back to the skies.

As of writing, Virgin Australia flies to over 30 domestic and international destinations using over 80 Boeing-only aircraft. It operates its Boeing 737 aircraft from its main hubs in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane and its secondary hubs in Adelaide and Perth. The airline is not part of an airline alliance, but it has codeshare and interline agreements with many of the world’s carriers. It also has its own frequent flyer program called Velocity Frequent Flyer.

Virgin Australia is a semi-full-service carrier, like Air France. The airline provides inflight refreshments on their short domestic routes. It also offers a complimentary check-in baggage allowance, but it will depend on the purchased fare bundle: Lite, Choice, Flex, and Business. It also offers basic (lite) fares, which only include a 7-kilogram carry-on baggage allowance. Any additional services outside the fare bundles are available for purchase during initial booking or up to hours before the scheduled flight. The airline offers inflight entertainment via the passengers’ personal devices.

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, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Philippine Airlines, and Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

Airfare

I booked this ticket a little over 3 months before the intended flight date and paid 109 AUD per person ~ roughly ₱4,000 including foreign conversion service fees. I got the Choice fare option, which includes 7 kilograms of carry-on baggage, 23 kilograms of checked luggage, a complimentary standard seat, and the usual domestic onboard service.

Domestic airfares in Australia are, by nature, expensive. These fares only get cheap when flying basic (no add-ons), booked way in advance, or when offered during seasonal promotions. I flew with Virgin Australia on the same route back in 2019 and paid a higher fare for a basic fare bundle for a Saturday morning flight. I guess that is how domestic fares are in Australia.

Do you want to know the difference between a full-service and a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.

Travel Requirements

Flying domestically in Australia only requires the usual identification document. As a tourist, I presented my passport and printed boarding pass at the bag-drop counter.

In case you missed it, I wrote about the steps on how to get an Australian tourist visa. I hope you can check out this quick guide.

Before The Flight

Virgin Australia sent five emails before this flight happened. 7 days before the flight, I got an email offering me to bid for a business class seat. Two days later, I got another email offering to upgrade my standard seat to an EconomyX seat for more legroom and priority boarding. I also got a reminder to purchase additional baggage allowances in case I need to.

3 days before the flight, I got the same upgrade bid offer email I got a week before the flight. 2 days before the flight, I got 2 emails from the airline: the first email reminding me about my flight, the ticket inclusions, airport procedures, and flight check-in reminder, and the second email solely explaining the online check-in to airport procedures. The contents of these two emails are pretty much the same, only with different email layouts and sending schedules.

Kudos to Virgin Australia for offering these add-ons and for keeping their upcoming passengers aware of everything about the upcoming flight.

Aircraft & Flight Information

This Sydney-Brisbane Virgin Australia flight utilized a 5.8-year-old (at the time of the flight) Boeing 737-800 Next Generation aircraft. The next generation aircraft, delivered to the airline in November 2017, has 8 business class seats in a 2-2 configuration and 168 economy class seats in the standard 3-3 layout.

The flight took off from Runway 34R/T6 of Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport at 1:14 p.m., headed north, and landed at Brisbane Airport 5 minutes ahead of schedule at 2:25 p.m. This domestic flight only took 1 hour and 11 minutes.

Ground & Airport Experience

Virgin Australia’s domestic flights depart from Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport Terminal 2.

CHECK-IN

Upon arrival at Sydney Airport Terminal 3, I went to the Virgin Australia check-in counters on the left side of the terminal building. I checked in for the flight using the self-service check-in kiosks and printed my boarding pass and luggage tag. After this, I went to the bag-drop counter and surrendered my check-in luggage.

This efficient check-in process only took me 10 minutes to finish. The ground staff at the bag drop counter was nice and friendly.

PRE-DEPARTURE

After check-in and bag drop, I went through a security check and went to our assigned gate, Gate 38. I left my dad in the pre-departure area and went to the food court with my mom to get food for lunch. I, together with my mom, walked back to Gate 38, had our lunch there, and waited for boarding to start.

BOARDING

Boarding commenced at 12:33 p.m. The ground staff asked business class and priority passengers to board the aircraft first. Then, they asked the economy class passengers to board next. The crew asked passengers assigned to rows 1 to 14 to board using the jet bridge. They advised passengers with seat numbers 15 to 30 to board using the stairs at the back of the aircraft.

The boarding process only took 15 minutes. The airline crew closed the aircraft doors at 12:48 p.m. The aircraft was pushed back 11 minutes later, at 12:59 p.m. and taxied to the runway for take-off.

Inflight Hard & Soft Product

SEAT FEATURES

This Sydney-Brisbane flight was operated by a Boeing 737-800 next-generation aircraft. This aircraft featured 8 recliner business class seats on a 2-2 layout and 168 regular economy class seats on a 3-3 configuration.

According to our friends at SeatGuru, each business class recliner seat has a seat pitch of 37 inches and a seat width of 19.5 inches. These seats have thicker and softer padding and adjustable head rests. They also feature portable entertainment systems, individual reading lights, overhead air vents, and power sockets.

On the other hand, each economy class seat has a seat pitch of 30 inches and a seat width of 17 inches. The seat also features leather seatback padding with adjustable headrests, a normal tray table, a seat pocket with a safety card and inflight connectivity card, an individual air vent, and a personal reading light. The economy class seat does not feature a personal entertainment screen.

I got window seat 17F for this short hop to Brisbane. I found the seat to be nice and comfortable for this 1.5-hour flight.

INFLIGHT SNACK SERVICE

Virgin Australia offered complimentary drink service on this flight to Brisbane. The cabin crew offered water, coffee, and tea to all passengers. They advised that snacks and other drink options are available for purchase and directed all passengers to check the inflight menu for these options.

Back in 2018, I remember Virgin Australia offering a complimentary granola snack and a drink of choice (coffee, tea, water, juice, or soda) on the same Sydney to Brisbane route. It was sad to see that they no longer offered the free snack on this short domestic flight.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

The airline offered inflight entertainment options to all passengers via the passengers’ personal screens. They made ‘Virgin Australia Entertainment’ available for free via the passengers’ personal devices. The entertainment options include movies, series, and a moving inflight map. All the passengers need to do to access this system is connect to the onboard Wi-Fi connection.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

Virgin Australia offered a paid Wi-Fi service on this flight to Brisbane. They have two available flight Wi-Fi passes: a 30-minute pass for 9.75 AUD and a flight pass (for the entire flight duration) for 14.95 AUD.

I did not connect to the paid Wi-Fi service since it was only a short domestic flight. Also, I believe the rates seem to be on the high-end price tier compared to internet passes offered by other carriers.

LAVATORY

I did not visit the plane’s lavatory on this 1.5-hour flight from Sydney to Brisbane. I did not want to disturb my parents, who slept throughout the flight.

Cabin Crew Service

The cabin crew service on this flight was just alright. The crew did their job, assisted the passengers, and served snacks and drinks. Nothing more, nothing less.

Disembarkation & Luggage Claim

Disembarkation was quick, orderly, and efficient. The plane reached the assigned gate 10 minutes after landing. Business class passengers got off the plane first. Economy passengers deplaned row by row.

Luggage claim was also quick. We got our checked bags within 10 minutes from the time we got off the plane. Brisbane Airport’s domestic arrivals area is small and easy to navigate around.

Flight Experience

It was a usual flight with Virgin Australia. It was my second time flying the airline, but it was my first after it survived going under during the pandemic. I have noticed some changes in the service, but I think they are understandable given what happened a few years ago.

Some parts of the flying experience stood out to me. First, the airline’s check-in and bag drop processes were quick and efficient. It even included fast-track security. Second, Virgin Australia’s boarding process is fast and unique, given that the airline uses jet bridges. They board passengers from both the jet bridge and the rear door through the stairs.

Third, the airline notifies their passengers through the mobile application once their check-in luggage is loaded onto the aircraft. Fourth, the inflight entertainment option on personal devices is always a bonus in the age of low-cost flying. Lastly, the airline still provides complimentary on-board drinks (coffee, tea, or water) on short domestic flights like this to Brisbane.

This flight was not all good; it also had its misses. First, I noticed the reduction on inflight snack service. The airline removed the complimentary snack (granola bar) and other drink options such as soda and fruit juices which they served back in 2018.

Second, the inflight Wi-fi prices are expensive. Other airlines, like Emirates, offer Wi-Fi access at cheaper prices, while Singapore Airlines offers it for free to all Krisflyer members. Lastly, the airline sent a lot of pre-flight reminders and offers. I received five promotional emails within 7 days. I believe that is too much. These promotional offers and emails are fine if they are not sent this often.

Nevertheless, I still had a nice flight with Virgin Australia. I will still consider them for my future flights within Australia, especially when their competitor offers more expensive flights.

Here are some details of this flight:

Airline: Virgin Australia
Flight Date: 30 August 2023
Flight Number: VA 943
Route: Sydney, Australia (SYD) to Brisbane, Australia (SYD)
Duration: 1 hour & 11 minutes
Seat Number: 17F
Aircraft: Boeing 737-800 Next Generation
Aircraft Registration: VH-YWD
Engines: 2 x CFM International Engines
Age: 5.8-years-old
Delivered: November 2017

Have you flown Virgin Australia recently? How was your experience? Will you fly them again soon or by any chance have questions about anything mentioned above? Feel free to share your ground and flight 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 flight report. I hope you can check out my previous flight reports with Singapore Airlines, Emirates, EVA Air, Air France, Vietnam Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air, and Philippine Airlines. I hope you also look forward to more flight reports in the future.

Before you go, I hope you can like, follow and share 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, itineraries 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: SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 231 – Singapore to Sydney – Exceptional Overnight Airbus A380 Superjumbo Flight to Land Down Under [August 2023]

In August 2023, I flew to Australia with my parents for a week-long vacation and family visit. I toured them around Sydney for three days and then took them to my aunt in Brisbane for the remainder of the trip.

I have been to both Sydney and Brisbane in 2018, and I have written about my previous trips to these cities. I hope you can check out the following: Exploring SYDNEY By Foot Part 1 – Heritage Sites Within The City, Exploring SYDNEY By Foot Part 2 – City Icons, Alleys & Harbours, BONDI BEACH & COOGEE BEACH – A Short Trip To Two of Sydney’s Suburban Beaches, and BRISBANE Weekend.

My parents and I flew with Singapore Airlines on our flights to and from Australia. We flew from Manila to Sydney via Singapore and back to Manila from Brisbane via Singapore. Previously, I shared with you details about our almost-perfect first flight to Singapore on flight SQ 921 – check out the flight report here. Today, I will share with you details about our exceptional SQ 231 flight from Singapore to Sydney onboard Singapore Airlines’ Airbus A380 superjumbo.

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines is Singapore’s national carrier. This award-winning world-class airline is based at one of the world’s best airports, Singapore Changi Airport. The airline started as Malayan Airways in 1947; it then rebranded, and commenced operations as Singapore Airlines in 1972. The airline has been a top contributor in terms of the world’s revenue passenger kilometers and the number of international passengers carried worldwide.

The airline currently flies to over 70 destinations in more than 30 countries across five continents. Singapore Airlines is one of the leading carriers in the Southeast Asian Region with the help of its low-cost subsidiary, Scoot. The airline’s previous regional subsidiary, Silk Air, has been incorporated into SQ’s operations as of March 2021.

Singapore Airline flies a modern aircraft fleet consisting of the Airbus A350, Airbus A380, Boeing 777, Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Boeing 737 Max, and Boeing 737-800 NG. The airline is the world’s largest Airbus A350-900 operator, with 63 currently in service and two more on order. 7 of the 65 Airbus A350’s in service have the ultra-long range (ULR) premium (only business and premium economy class) configuration. These ULRs are mostly used on North American routes.

Singapore Airlines is a full-service carrier. It means that every flight includes all the necessary in-flight amenities and services you can think of. All SQ tickets include free check-in baggage, meals, and in-flight entertainment. The airline has a frequent flyer program called KrisFlyer & PPS Club. The airline is a member of the Star Alliance, one of the world’s biggest airline alliance networks.

Singapore Airlines is not a new airline on this website. In fact, it is the second-most-reviewed airline after Cebu Pacific Air.

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, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Philippine Airlines, and Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

Airfare

As mentioned in my previous SQ 921 Manila to Singapore flight report, this four-sector ticket from Manila to Sydney and Brisbane to Manila only costs $497 (US dollars) per person. This return ticket was booked five months before the intended flight schedule. It includes a 25-kilogram check-in baggage allowance, a 7-kilogram carry-on allowance, inflight meals and snacks, personal entertainment screens on all flights, and a 5-star flight experience with a well-trained cabin crew.

I booked our ticket directly with the airline using my credit card and paid $1,491 (US dollars) for three people. I got charged ₱83,537.75 for all three tickets, including foreign transaction service fees. This translates to only ₱27,845.92 per person. Considering when the ticket was booked against the intended flight schedule, this ticket was definitely a steal. It already has everything a passenger needs on a long-haul flight, from food to amenities to entertainment. The other airline competitors offered way more expensive ticket prices at the time of booking for our planned August schedule.

Do you want to know the difference between a full-service and a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.

Travel Requirements

Regular Philippine passport holders going to Australia for holidays need to obtain a tourist visa prior to the scheduled flight. I applied for my visa back in January last year, and I was approved for a multiple-entry visa valid for one year. I helped my parents obtain their visas, and I was pleased to see they were granted the same validity as mine.

In case you missed it, I wrote about the steps on how to get an Australian tourist visa. I hope you can check out this quick guide.

Before The Flight

Unlike my previous Singapore Airlines flights, I did not receive an upgrade offer for the Manila to Singapore and Singapore to Sydney sectors. I only got a mobile check-in reminder on the airline’s mobile application exactly 48 hours before the Manila to Singapore SQ 921 flight.

Upon getting the check-in reminder, I immediately chose our seat for both Manila to Singapore and this Singapore to Sydney sector and checked-in for both flights. The airline offers complimentary seat selection during mobile or web check-in.

Aircraft & Flight Information

This Singapore-Sydney SQ flight was operated by an 11.9-year-old (at the time of flight) Airbus A380-841 aircraft. This superjumbo, delivered to the airline in April 2012, features all four airline classes with 6 enclosed first class suites, 78 lie-flat business class seats, 44 premium economy class seats, and 343 regular economy class seats.

SQ 231 took off from Singapore Changi Airport at 1:18 a.m. and landed at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (or Sydney International Airport) at 10:21 a.m. local time. The 6,546-kilometer journey took 7 hours and 3 minutes, shorter than the 7 hours and 40 minutes declared flight time.

Ground & Airport Experience

This Singapore-Sydney flight on SQ 231 is a continuation of my Manila-Singapore SQ 921 flight. I checked-in on this flight back in Manila and only stayed airside at Singapore Changi Airport. I did not clear immigration and customs in Singapore.

SINGAPORE CHANGI AIRPORT TRANSIT EXPERIENCE

Transit at Singapore Changi Airport is back to how it used to be before the pandemic. Passengers can transit through the airport, provided both flights (to and from Singapore) are under the same ticket or itinerary. The passenger’s bags should have been tagged from the airport of origin to the final country or airport of destination.

I already checked in for this Singapore-Sydney flight in Manila. Upon arrival at Changi Airport Terminal 3, Gate A5, I got off the plane and leisurely walked to our assigned gate, Gate B2, on the same terminal. The transit experience was quick and hassle-free.

PRE-DEPARTURE

Singapore Changi Airport is one of the few airports in the world where final security checks are conducted before entering the flight’s assigned boarding gates. Depending on size of the flight, the boarding gates open 1 to 2 hours before the scheduled time of departure.

At 11:10 p.m., I was told by the ground staff that Gate B2 is now open for passengers flying to Sydney. I submitted myself for a final security check. Afterwards, I secured a comfortable seat in the spacious Gate B2 pre-departure area while I waited for the flight boarding announcement.

BOARDING

The ground staff announced boarding commencement at 12:03 a.m. They first called passengers traveling with infants and those needing special assistance. The ground staff then announced boarding for first class passengers, then for business class passengers and PPS Club members. They called in Star Alliance Gold and Krisflyer Elite members, then followed by premium economy class passengers.

The local staff called the economy class passengers last. They asked these passengers to board according to their assigned groups. The whole boarding process only took 37 minutes.

The airline crew closed the aircraft doors at exactly 12:40 a.m. The aircraft pushed back 13 minutes later, at 12:53 a.m. and taxied to the runway for take-off.

Inflight Hard & Soft Product

SEAT FEATURES

This Singapore-Sydney flight by Singapore Airlines was operated by an Airbus A380-841 superjumbo aircraft. The plane has the newer 4-class configuration with 6 enclosed first class suites, 78 lie-flat business class seats, 44 angle-flat premium economy class seats, and 343 regular economy class seats.

Each enclosed first class suite features a reclinable leather seat, a single bed (which can be turned into a double bed with the adjacent suite), a 32-inch high-definition monitor, Bang and Olufsen noise-canceling headphones, premium dining, and a whole lot more. According to SeatGuru, the reclinable first class seat has a seat pitch of 81 inches and a seat width of 35 inches. It is an ultra-premium, multi-awarded luxury suite; it is one of the best in the market.

The business lie-flat seats have a seat pitch of 55 inches and a seat width of 30 inches. The business class seats are arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration, with each seat having direct aisle access. All business class seats in the A380 are equipped with 18 inches of personal entertainment screen paired with noise-canceling headphones. Each seat also includes a pillow, a blanket, several storage spaces, an amenity kit, and a large tray table. Both the first class and business class cabins are on the upper deck of this Airbus A380.

The premium economy class seats feature a seat pitch of 38 inches and a seat width of 19.5 inches. These seats are arranged in a 2-4-2 configuration in the forward lower deck cabin of the Airbus A380. Each seat features a generous angle-flat recline, a 13.3-inch entertainment screen, a personal reading light, 2 USB ports, a universal power outlet, and an adjustable headrest. All seats also come with a pillow, a blanket, and a noise-canceling headphone.

Economy class seats in the Airbus A380 have a seat pitch of 32 inches and a seat width of 19 inches. The seats are arranged in a 3-4-3 configuration. Each seat comes with a spacious leg room, an adjustable headrest, and a personal entertainment screen. Seats also feature a seat pocket with inflight safety cards, a foldable tray table with mirror, a coat hook, small storage space below the screen, a foldable cup holder, a USB charging outlet, a comfortable pillow, a blanket, and two universal power outlets in between seats. Other amenities such as eye mask and disinfectant wipes are available upon request. These economy seats are identical to those on some of the airlines’ Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 aircraft.

I got window seat 72K in the rear economy cabin for this 7-hour flight down to Sydney. I loved how everything was spacious in the Airbus A380. The only thing I did not like was the entertainment box found under seats A and K. I had a hard time stretching my legs because of this entertainment box.

INFLIGHT MEALS

Singapore Airlines served midnight refreshments and breakfast on this Singapore-Sydney flight. The snack, meal, and drink options can be found in the airline’s inflight portal, Krisworld. The airline got rid of physical menus during the pandemic.

30 minutes after take-off, the cabin crew started serving the midnight refreshments. The crew gave out the only snack option, a margherita pizza bar, and a drink of choice (coffee, tea, juice, water, etc.) to passengers who were keen on a snack. I got one and paired it with a glass of orange juice. I found the pizza bar too hot and the pizza crust too hard; I was not able to finish the snack.

2 hours and 30 minutes before landing, the crew started the breakfast service. They offered the popular SQ dish, nasi lemak, and an omelette with sausage for breakfast main courses. This came with a bowl of fruits, a small yogurt snack, a bread roll with butter, a bottle of water, and a drink of choice – coffee, tea, wine, beer, soft drinks, water, or juice. After giving out meals to all passengers, the crew went around to offer a second round of drinks and gave out coffee, tea, and water to those who wanted.

I got the signature Nasi Lemak dish with a glass of orange juice. Now, I understand why this nasi lemak main course is popular. I found the dish to be tasty and flavorful. The meal portions were alright; I did not get hungry until at least after Sydney lunchtime. I like that the airline still uses metal cutlery and reusable food containers for their medium to long-haul flights. I admire the environment-friendly initiative. I just hope they find a more environment-friendly alternative for the disposable drinking cups.

Overall, it was a pleasant meal experience. I will choose the Nasi Lemak option again when it is available.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Singapore Airlines’ entertainment system, Krisworld, offers thousands of options for passengers to choose from. It has hundreds of movies, television series, and music albums from different parts of the world. It also has games and local Singaporean media for passengers to enjoy. It also features an inflight map, which shows the plane’s current position, its flight path, and other flight-related details. All these entertainment options can be accessed via the touch-screen personal monitors found in front of every seat.

The personal entertainment system on seat 72K was quick and easy to navigate. Krisworld gives frequent flyers the option to personalize their experience. The system asks for the passenger’s KrisFlyer membership number and then shows the passenger’s favorites or the last song, movie, or television show he or she watched or left unfinished. I hope the airline also installs cameras on their aircraft, which passengers can view during the flight.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

In July 2023, Singapore Airlines started offering complimentary, unlimited onboard Wi-Fi access on all its flights except those operated by Boeing 737-800s. Passengers are required to log in using their Krisflyer accounts to use the onboard Wi-Fi service. Those not registered with Krisflyer can register during the flight to access the said service.

The complimentary Wi-Fi service worked on this Airbus A380 flight from Singapore to Sydney. The connection was decent; it allowed me to browse the internet and connect with friends and families while on the flight. Kudos to Singapore Airlines for giving this service complimentary to all Krisflyer members.

LAVATORY

The lavatory on the Airbus A380 is spacious compared to those in the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787. It contained the same amenities available on our Manila-Singapore SQ 921 flight. It was maintained well and kept clean during this 7-hour flight to Sydney.

Cabin Crew Service

I only had minimal interactions with the crew, given that I feel asleep for a few hours on the flight. I even forgot to ask for a glass of Singapore Sling because I was so tired and sleepy. Well, the crew did its job. They welcomed us to the flight, served both pizza snacks and breakfast meals, and wished us a lovely stay in Sydney during disembarkation. During the flight, they also went around and offered drinks to those who wanted.

Disembarkation & Luggage Claim

Upon arrival in Sydney, all personal entertainment screens flashed a note from the airline saying, “We hope you had a pleasant journey.” It also showed a reminder to the passengers to take their personal belongings with them when leaving the aircraft. The mobile application also had a notification saying that our luggage could be claimed at Belt 5.

Disembarkation took some time due to passenger volume. We were one of the last ones to leave, and we got out of the plane 20 minutes after the airline parked at the assigned gate. We passed by immigration and claimed our luggage at Belt 5.

Flight Experience

It was an exceptional flight with Singapore Airlines on SQ 231 from Singapore to Sydney. It may not be a perfect one, but it surely had its hits and misses. Let us start with the hits.

First, the US$497 return ticket from Manila to Sydney via Singapore and Brisbane to Manila via Singapore is cheap. The ticket included carry-on and check-in baggage, inflight amenities, and superb service on modern aircraft. Second, the transit experience at Singapore Changi Airport was easy, smooth, and quick. The airport facilities were exceptional; I had nothing more to ask for.

Third, this flight was operated by an Airbus A380-841. Like my Dubai to Paris CDG Emirates flight, flying the A380 superjumbo is always a delightful experience. There is so much space inside the economy class cabin. Fourth, the seats on the Singapore Airlines A380 were spacious and comfortable. I do not mind flying the A380 for 12 to 15 hours.

Fifth, I admire Singapore Airlines’ product consistency across their fleet. The seats are almost identical across various aircraft types, the entertainment system is the same for the whole fleet, and the flying experience is exceptional regardless of the aircraft used. Lastly, the complimentary Wi-Fi service on this flight worked well. It was the total opposite of how the service did not work on my Manila to Singapore SQ 921 flight.

This flight was not all good. It also had its misses. First, the breakfast catering was superb, but the midnight refreshments after takeoff were underwhelming. We only had one option: the pizza bar, which was too hard to eat. Emirates, who even have shorter flight times between Dubai and Europe (EK 073 DXB-CDG and EK 256 BCN-DXB as examples), provide two tasty pastries for refreshments.

Second, the entertainment box found under the K seats hinders the spacious A380 legroom. I found it difficult to stretch my legs because of the entertainment box. It was a minor inconvenience, but it still affected the flying experience. I hope modern entertainment systems do not need these boxes anymore.

Lastly, Singapore Airlines can learn from its competitors flying the same aircraft type by installing cameras for passengers to enjoy. These cameras are good add-ons to the entertainment system.

Nevertheless, it was still a memorable flight with Singapore Airlines on this Singapore-Sydney route. It has been a pleasure flying the superjumbo. I cannot wait to fly the airline and the superjumbo again in the future. I do not have anything booked yet, but I have plans.

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

Airline: Singapore Airlines
Flight Date: 27 August 2023
Flight Number: SQ231
Route: Singapore (SIN) to Sydney, Australia (SYD)
Duration: 7 hours and 3 minutes
Seat Number: 72K
Aircraft: Airbus A380-841
Aircraft Registration: 9V-SKQ
Engines: 4 x Rolls-Royce Trent 970
Age: 11.9-years-old
Delivered: April 2012

Thank you for joining me in today’s flight report. I hope I gave you a comprehensive review of how it is flying with Singapore Airlines on their Airbus A380 aircraft to Sydney.

Have you flown with Singapore Airlines or on the Airbus A380? How was your flight experience? Are you looking to book a ticket with the airline soon? If yes, let me know if you have questions so I can respond to them. post your questions in the comments section below. You may also send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

I hope you can check out my previous flight reports with Singapore Airlines and other airlines like Emirates, EVA Air, Air France, Vietnam Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air, and Philippine Airlines. I hope you also look forward to more flight reports in the future.

Before you go, I hope you can like, follow and share 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, itineraries 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: SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 921 – Manila to Singapore – Almost-Perfect Intraregional Flight Under 3 Hours [August 2023]

A few months ago, I flew to Australia for over a week. I brought my parents to Sydney and Brisbane for some long-overdue family time. I walked them around Sydney for 3 full days and took them to my aunt (my dad’s sister) for the rest of the trip.

I have been to both Sydney and Brisbane in 2018, and I have written about my previous trips to these cities. I hope you can check out the following: Exploring SYDNEY By Foot Part 1 – Heritage Sites Within The City, Exploring SYDNEY By Foot Part 2 – City Icons, Alleys & Harbours, BONDI BEACH & COOGEE BEACH – A Short Trip To Two of Sydney’s Suburban Beaches, and BRISBANE Weekend.

My parents and I flew with Singapore Airlines on our way to and from Australia. We flew from Manila to Sydney via Singapore and left the country from Brisbane to Manila via Singapore. Our first Singapore Airlines flight, SQ 921, from Manila to Singapore will be today’s flight report feature. Allow me to share with you how this supposed-to-be delayed flight turned into an almost-perfect one.

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines is Singapore’s national carrier. This award-winning world-class airline is based at one of the world’s best airports, Singapore Changi Airport. The airline started as Malayan Airways in 1947; it then rebranded, and commenced operations as Singapore Airlines in 1972. The airline has been a top contributor in terms of the world’s revenue passenger kilometers and the number of international passengers carried worldwide.

The airline currently flies to over 70 destinations in more than 30 countries across five continents. Singapore Airlines is one of the leading carriers in the Southeast Asian Region with the help of its low-cost subsidiary, Scoot. The airline’s previous regional subsidiary, Silk Air, has been incorporated into SQ’s operations as of March 2021.

Singapore Airline flies a modern aircraft fleet consisting of the Airbus A350, Airbus A380, Boeing 777, Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Boeing 737 Max, and Boeing 737-800 NG. The airline is the world’s largest Airbus A350-900 operator, with 63 currently in service and two more on order. 7 of the 65 Airbus A350’s in service have the ultra-long range (ULR) premium (only business and premium economy class) configuration. These ULRs are mostly used on North American routes.

Singapore Airlines is a full-service carrier. It means that every flight includes all the necessary in-flight amenities and services you can think of. All SQ tickets include free check-in baggage, meals, and in-flight entertainment. The airline has a frequent flyer program called KrisFlyer & PPS Club. The airline is a member of the Star Alliance, one of the world’s biggest airline alliance networks.

Singapore Airlines is not a new airline on this website. In fact, it is the second-most-reviewed airline after Cebu Pacific Air.

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, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Philippine Airlines, and Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

Airfare

This SQ 921 flight is part of a four-sector ticket from Manila to Australia and back on Singapore Airlines. The return ticket, booked 5 months before the intended flight date, only cost $497 (US dollars) per person. This return ticket includes a 25-kilogram check-in baggage allowance, a 7-kilogram carry-on allowance, inflight meals and snacks, personal entertainment screens on all flights, and a 5-star flight experience with a well-trained and passionate cabin crew.

I booked our ticket directly with the airline using my credit card and paid $1,491 (US dollars) for three people. I got charged ₱83,537.75 for all three tickets, including foreign transaction service fees. This translates to only ₱27,845.92 per person. Considering when the ticket was booked against the intended flight schedule, this ticket was definitely a steal. It already has everything a passenger needs on a long-haul flight, from food to amenities to entertainment. The other airline competitors offered way more expensive ticket prices at the time of booking for our planned August schedule.

Do you want to know the difference between a full-service and a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.

Travel Requirements

Regular Philippine passport holders are required to get a visa to enter Australia. I applied for my visa back in January last year, and I was approved for a multiple-entry visa valid for one year. I helped my parents obtain their visas, and I was pleased to see they were granted the same validity as mine.

All departing passengers from Manila are required to fill out the details and obtain a QR code from the eTravel website. The QR codes are scanned by the immigration officers on the day of the trip.

In case you missed it, I wrote about the steps on how to get an Australian tourist visa. I hope you can check out this quick guide.

Before The Flight

Unlike previous Singapore Airlines flights, I did not receive any premium economy or business class upgrade offers for this SQ 921 flight. I only got a flight check-in reminder on the airline’s mobile application 48 hours before this flight.

Upon getting the said check-in notification, I immediately chose our seats for both Manila to Singapore and Singapore to Sydney flights and checked-in for both flights. Singapore Airlines allows its passengers to choose their seats for free during mobile or web check-in.

Aircraft & Flight Information

This Manila-Singapore SQ flight was operated by a 4.6-year-old (at the time of the flight) Airbus A350-900 aircraft. This plane, delivered in February 2019, features the airline’s regional configuration with 40 lie-flat business class seats and 263 economy class seats.

Flight SQ 921 took off from Ninoy Aquino International Airport about 45 minutes late at 7:17 p.m. and landed at Singapore Changi Airport 13 minutes ahead of time at 10:07 p.m. The flight only took 2 hours and 50 minutes, an hour shorter than its declared flight time.

Ground & Airport Experience

Singapore Airlines flights depart from Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.

CHECK-IN

Singapore Airlines check-in counters at NAIA Terminal 3 open three hours before the flight. The well-manned counters opened earlier than usual, at 2:55 p.m. and were divided into the following: Business Class, Regular Economy Class, Internet Check-In Economy Class, and Special Assistance.

I was traveling with two senior citizens, so I accompanied them to the special assistance check-in line. I noticed that this line moved slowly (20 minutes in line), and I asked them to join me in the internet check-in line.

We were immediately entertained at the internet check-in counters, and we finished our check-in process in about 5 minutes. We checked in our bags all the way to Sydney, Australia.

PRE-DEPARTURE

After check-in, my parents and I cleared immigration and security and spent some time at Marhaba Lounge. I used my Security Bank Platinum Mastercard (not sponsored) to access the lounge and to bring in my father using the yearly complimentary passes.

We stayed in the lounge for a few hours, stuffed ourselves with food and drinks, and waited for boarding. A few minutes before the scheduled boarding time, we left the lounge and walked towards Gate 108.

BOARDING

We reached Gate 108 before 6:00 p.m. and noticed that boarding has not started. The pre-departure area was chaotic and did not have the usual by-group segregation by Singapore Airlines. The pre-boarding preparations were announced at 6:25 p.m. Five minutes later, the formal boarding process started.

Business class passengers and PPS Club passengers boarded the plane first. Krisflyer Elite and Star Alliance Gold members came next. Economy class passengers boarded the plane by seat numbers. Those seated at the back (group 4) boarded the plane first. Groups 5 and 6 economy class passengers eventually boarded the plane.

The entire boarding process only took 21 minutes. The aircraft doors were closed at 6:51 p.m. The plane pushed back after three minutes at 6:54 p.m.

Inflight Hard & Soft Product

SEAT FEATURES

This Manila-Singapore flight was operated by one of Singapore Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 aircraft. The plane sports the regional seat configuration with 40 lie-flat business class seats and 263 standard economy seats. According to SeatGuru, each business class seat has a 60-inch seat pitch and a 28-inch seat width. The seats have a 1-2-1 configuration, with each seat having direct aisle access. All business class seats are equipped with a large personal entertainment screen paired with noise-canceling headphones. Each seat also includes a pillow, a blanket, several storage spaces, and a large tray table.

Economy class seats have a seat pitch of 28 inches and a seat width of 18 inches, slightly bigger than the Boeing 787-10’s 17.5-inch seat width. Each seat comes with a spacious leg room, an adjustable headrest, and a personal entertainment screen. Seats also feature a seat pocket with inflight safety cards, a foldable tray table with mirror, a coat hook, small storage space below the screen, a foldable cup holder, a USB charging outlet, a comfortable pillow, and a universal power outlet in between seats. Blankets, face masks, and disinfectant surface wipes are available upon request.

The seats on this Airbus A350 aircraft are complete and comfortable enough for a short-haul international flight. It has more than what a normal economy class passenger needs for a 3-hour flight.

INFLIGHT MEALS

Singapore Airlines served complimentary hot meals on this 3-hour flight. The airline has let go of physical menu cards and have incorporated them in the inflight entertainment system and in the onboard connectivity service. The airline has also brought back the appetizer which went missing during the pandemic.

Passengers had the option to choose between creamy tuna pesto pasta and chicken rice as the main course. The main dish came with a mixed seafood salad, a bread roll and butter, coffee jelly with tapioca, a cup of water, and another drink of choice – coffee, tea, wine, beer, soft drinks, water, or juice. The crew went around again to offer a second round of drinks and offered water, coffee, and tea to those who wanted them.

I went for the chicken rice meal with a glass of apple juice and enjoyed it. The chicken was soft; it tasted good. The food portions were just right, enough to make me full during the flight. I admire the airline for using metal cutlery and recyclable food containers during meal service. It helps a lot in eliminating solid waste; it is environment-friendly. I hope they can find a sustainable alternative to plastic cups.

An hour after the dinner service, I requested for the airline’s signature cocktail, the Singapore Sling. The crew came back and gave me two Singapore Slings and two packs of peas and crackers. This Singapore Sling drink is already a staple every time I fly with the airline.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Krisworld, Singapore Airlines’ entertainment system, offers thousands of options to choose from. They have hundreds of movies and TV shows to watch, thousands of songs to listen to, games to play, and a few local media pieces to check out. All these options can be accessed via the touch-screen personal entertainment screens found in front of every seat. The touch-screen screens were responsive and easy to navigate. It also showed the flight path and even details of onward connecting flights. The provided earphones were alright. They are not noise-canceling, but they did their job.

Krisworld also gives frequent flyers the option to personalize their experience. The system asks for the passenger’s KrisFlyer membership number and then shows the passenger’s favorites or the last song, movie, or television show he or she watched or left unfinished. I hope Singapore Airlines installs cameras in their A350’s that passengers can access and view during flights.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

Since July 2023, Singapore Airlines has offered complimentary unlimited onboard Wi-Fi access on all its flights except those operated by Boeing 737-800s. Passengers are required to log in using their Krisflyer accounts to use the onboard Wi-Fi service. Those not registered with Krisflyer can register during the flight to access the said service.

Unfortunately, the Wi-Fi service on this flight did not work. I tried to connect multiple times, but I always got no internet in my mobile browser.

LAVATORY

The lavatory on this Airbus A350-900 aircraft was clean throughout the flight. It had additional amenities such as paper cups, dental kits, and moisturizing hand lotion. The sink had cold and warm water and had hand soap and tissue beside it.

Cabin Crew Service

The cabin crew service on this flight was excellent. From the time we entered the aircraft, to the meal service, and until disembarkation, the cabin crew served us with their biggest smiles. The crew had to pause the dinner service due to turbulence, and the crew apologized for the delay. Several members of the flight crew went around the cabin throughout the flight and attended to every passenger’s requests. They even went around and offered glasses of water to those who wanted them.

The assigned crew on this flight showed true Singaporean hospitality. They made sure that passengers had an enjoyable flight onboard Singapore Airlines. Their top-notch service made the flying experience a lot better.

Disembarkation

Before arriving in Singapore, the airline displayed on the inflight screen the list of flights and assigned boarding gates for passengers with connecting flights. The airline also indicated the assigned luggage belt for those who need to get their bags to Singapore. They also had the same announcement in the mobile application.

Upon arrival in Singapore, all passengers disembarked in an orderly manner. The business class and forward economy class passengers went out first. The middle and rear economy class passengers followed.

Flight Experience

It was an almost-perfect flying experience with Singapore Airlines on this SQ 921 flight from Manila to Singapore. It could have been a perfect mark if only everything went right during boarding and onboard. The onboard product is indeed one of the world’s best, especially on the modern Airbus A350-900 aircraft. Let me share with you the hits and misses of this short hop to Singapore.

The first and probably biggest win of this flight is its cheap return tickets. My parents and I got the return Manila-Australia-Manila tickets for only US$497 each, or around 28,000 PHP. The tickets included carry-on and check-in baggage, inflight amenities, and superb service on an Airbus A350. Second, the Manila-Singapore legs utilize modern Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 aircraft. The A350 we used on this flight had modern cabin features, state-of-the-art inflight entertainment systems, and comfortable seats.

Third, Singapore Airlines onboard hard and soft products are exceptional. The entertainment system had thousands of choices, and the onboard meals and snacks were great. The airline has brought back the appetizers to the meals. Fourth, the cabin crew service on this flight was warm, hospitable, and world-class. Lastly, the airline’s sustainability efforts are worth commending. The airline uses metal cutlery, reusable food containers, and has removed physical menus.

The flight also had its misses. First, the ground staff did not make any announcements regarding delayed boarding. They announced that the flight from Singapore has arrived, and that is it. It would have been ideal if the passengers were informed that there would be delays in boarding. Despite this delay, the flight still managed to touch down in Singapore ahead of schedule. Acceptable.

Second, the onboard Wi-Fi did not work during the entire flight. Bummer. Lastly, I hope the airline can find sustainable alternatives for the plastic cups used on this flight. There were over a hundred plastic cups used on this flight alone. Changing these cups to environment-friendly options is ideal.

Despite these misses, I still had an enjoyable and almost-perfect flight to Singapore with Singapore Airlines. I was happy to introduce and let my parents experience the airline’s world-class and 5-star service for such an affordable fare. Will I fly them again? Definitely. I am already excited for my next flight with the airline, even if I do not have anything booked as of this writing.

Here are some of the aircraft and flight details about this quick hop to Singapore:

Airline: Singapore Airlines
Flight Date: 26 August 2023
Flight Number: SQ921
Route: Manila, Philippines (MNL) to Singapore (SIN)
Duration: 2 hours and 50 minutes
Seat Number: 63K
Aircraft: Airbus A350-900
Aircraft Registration: 9V-SHC
Engines: 2 x Rolls-Royce Trent XWB
Age: 4.6-years-old
Delivered: February 2019

Have you flown Singapore Airlines recently? How was your experience? Will you fly them again soon or by any chance have questions about anything mentioned above? Feel free to share your ground and flight 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 flight report! Watch out for my onward flight from Singapore to Sydney also on Singapore Airlines. In the meantime, you may check out my previous flight reports here.

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, itineraries 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: 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.

A Dream Come True Part 2: 24 DAYS Around FRANCE, ITALY & SPAIN For Less Than ₱170,000 ALL IN – Airfare, Accommodation, Food, Museum Tickets & Transportation Included

I flew to Europe alone in 2019 and explored 4 countries – The Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic and Denmark – for 19 days and spent a little over ₱117,000 for everything. The total expense included return flights via Singapore Airlines, hostel accommodations, visa application fees, travel insurance and daily expenses. Cheap-o, right? I honestly cannot believe I did it that time. I hope you can check out all the details of this life-changing EU solo trip here – Going Solo in Europe category.

Fast forward to 2022 when prices of everything went up, I did not think I will be able to do it again. In early to mid-2022, my friends and I talked about flying to Europe for a few weeks towards the end of the year. After months and weeks of planning and visa applications, we finally flew to Europe in November 2022 for holiday. I, with some friends, went around France, Italy and Spain for 24 days.

Guess what? I spent a little over ₱167,000 ALL IN for this 3.5-week trip! Curious how I made it happen? Let me share the breakdown of travel expenses below.

Air Tickets

Back in 2020, I booked a ticket with Emirates from Hong Kong to Munich and back from Budapest to Hong Kong for only HK$4,039 or ₱27,072.73 for October 2020. The pandemic happened; I was not able to use that ticket.

Luckily, Emirates offered the most flexible option for tickets booked that year. They offered to keep the ticket and extended its validity for 3 years. They allowed passengers to book their tickets when they are ready to fly. On top of that, they also allowed the passengers to change the airports of origin and destination as long as the airports are within the same Emirates region. Emirates also waived all fare difference, rebooking and change fees.

After securing my tourist visa last October 2022, I called Emirates and advised them my preferred dates and flight schedules. I got my new ticket in less than a minute after I ended the call. I wrote about my Emirates flight experiences last year under the Flight Reports category – EK 335 Manila to Dubai, EK 073 Dubai to Paris CDG, EK 256 Barcelona to Dubai and EK 332 Dubai to Manila. I hope you can check them out.

My friends and I also booked our inter-country tickets before flying to Europe. We flew with Air France from Paris, France to Rome Italy and paid ₱6,854.74 for a one-way ticket. After Milan, my friends all flew back to Manila while I continued my journey to Barcelona. I flew with Vueling from Milan, Italy to Barcelona, Spain. I got my ticket 2 months before the trip and paid ₱3,442.29 for this one-way ticket.

On top of these flights, I also paid the Philippine Travel Tax of ₱1,620 before leaving Manila. This travel tax is required for all Filipinos going out of the country for holiday or vacation.

Accommodation

I mentioned in my 2019 Euro trip summary that accommodations in the continent are expensive. After the pandemic, I noticed that accommodation rates got more expensive in general. I still cannot afford staying in these hotels and private rooms so I opted in staying with hostels again! I am happy I found a travel buddy / friend who is also keen on staying in hostels to save some cash. Just like before, I stayed in popular and high-rated hostels found in central and well-recommended locations.

I stayed with Le Village Montmartre by Hiphophostels for 4 nights in Paris (€147 paid during check-in), The Romehello for 5 nights in Rome (€89,26 paid through Agoda days before check-in), YellowSquare Florence for 4 nights in Florence (€95,60 paid during check-in), YellowSquare Milan for 4 nights in Milan (€109,24 paid during check-in) and YEAH Hostel Barcelona for 4 nights in Barcelona (₱5,589.42 paid through Agoda in Philippine Peso).

Travel Insurance

Schengen tourist visa applications require a travel insurance with up to €30,000 medical coverage for the duration of the trip, some even up to 15 to 30 days after the trip.

I got my travel insurance from Oona Insurance (previously known as Mapfre Insurance) and paid ₱1,969.43 (€34.95) for a 35-day coverage.

Schengen Tourist Visa

I applied for my own tourist visa with the Italian Embassy in the Philippines’ Visa Center – VIA Italy. I paid ₱4,494 (€80) for the visa fee and ₱1,350 for the visa handling fee including the courier fee / service. I opted for the passport pick-up to make sure I get the visa in time for my trip. I previously shared in this website how I got my Schengen tourist visa from VIA Italy without the help of any tour agency. Check out that Tuesday Tip post here.

Internet Sim Card

Travelling around Europe is a lot easier when you are connected to the internet throughout the trip. I did not want to get lost during the trip so I ordered a 3UK internet sim card from Travel Sim PH Shopee Store (not sponsored). I got the sim card that has 12GB data allocation valid for 1 month after activation. I paid ₱1,521 for this sim card including shipping fee and had it delivered at home weeks before the trip.

Pre-Booked Tickets & Tours

Weeks before our trip, my friend and I booked several tickets that we will use for the trip. We booked our bus tickets from Rome to Florence, Florence to Milan and the return bus tickets to Serravalle Designer Outlet. We also booked entry tickets to museums like the Vatican Museums in Vatican, Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence and the Last Supper in Milan. We also booked day trips to the Colosseum in Rome, Tuscany countryside in Florence and Lake Como in Milan.

All these tickets were booked using our credit cards and cost us ₱20,206.70 each.

Daily Expenses

I tried to set a daily budget for the trip but I noticed I have been spending more than the allotted amount. I decided to just let things go with the flow. Most of the day-to-day expenses came from food and transportation. I brought some euros to Europe and used my credit card for other purchases.

POCKET MONEY

Before leaving for Europe, I managed to change some cash to Euros to serve as my pocket. I changed ₱29,980 worth of Philippine pesos to €500. Towards the end of my stay in Italy, I also withdrew some cash from the ATM. The withdrawal cost me ₱9,435.93 including the international withdrawal charges.

I used the cash for day-to-day expenses like transportation and food. I also used the money to get my Navigo card and Paris Museum Pass in Paris.

TRAVEL EXPENSES CHARGED TO CREDIT CARD

Credit cards are widely accepted in Europe. In fact, it is the preferred mode of payment of some establishments. I used my credit cards a lot of times during the trip – mostly for food and transportation.

FOOD

I tapped my card in a lot of restaurants, fast food chains, hostel buffets and supermarkets during the trip. For instance, I used my card in paying for all the hostel breakfast buffets I availed at The RomeHello and YEAH Hostel Barcelona. I also used it in various restaurants in Florence, Milan and Barcelona. I even used my credit card in getting food from different fast-food chains and supermarkets.

In total, I charged ₱20,424.28 to my BPI Credit Card (not sponsored) only for food.

TRANSPORTATION

I also used my credit card in paying for transportation costs like airport trains, subways, buses and ride-hailing applications such as Uber, Bolt and FreeNow. In total, I charged ₱6,865.51 to my BPI Credit Card (not sponsored) for all transportation-related expenses.

Summary of Expenses

Here is the summary of all the expenses mentioned above.

The total amount spent for this 24-day trip around France, Italy and Spain is ₱167,752.45. This total cost includes flight tickets, accommodation bookings, visa application fees, travel insurance, entry tickets, food and transportation costs.

Please do not get me wrong, ₱167,752.45 is a big amount of money. At the same time, it was everything I spent for a 24-day trip to Europe from the Philippines. It may be a little over 40% higher than my 2019 Euro trip but it is still cheap given all the places I have been to in this trip.

Blog List

Here is the list of blog posts that are related to this 2022 trip to Europe.

FLIGHT REPORTS ✈️

Flight Report: EMIRATES EK 335 – Manila to Dubai – Overnight Long-Haul Flight with the Middle Eastern Global Carrier [November 2022]
Flight Report: EMIRATES EK 073 – Dubai to Paris CDG – Excellent Airbus A380 Superjumbo Flight to the Famous French Capital [November 2022]
Flight Report: AIR FRANCE AF 1304 – Paris CDG to Rome – Short Inter-European Hop to Italy’s Capital City [November 2022]
Flight Report: VUELING VY 6333 – Milan Malpensa to Barcelona – Superb Flying Experience with a Spanish Low-Cost Airline [December 2022]
Flight Report: EMIRATES EK 256 – Barcelona to Dubai – Impressive Intercontinental Flight on a Rare Long-Range Aircraft [December 2022]
Flight Report: EMIRATES EK 332 – Dubai to Manila – Underwhelming Inflight Meals on a Busy & Full Flight Back to Manila [December 2022]

HOSTEL FEATURES 🏨

Hostel of the Day: LE VILLAGE MONTMARTRE BY HIPHOPHOSTELS – Authentic & Affordable Parisian Property in the Artist District
Hostel of the Day: THE ROMEHELLO – Affordable, Hospitable & High-Rated Accommodation That Felt Like Home
Hostel of the Day: YELLOWSQUARE FLORENCE – Lively & Social Hostel Outside (But Near) Florence City Center
Hostel of the Day: YELLOWSQUARE MILAN – Hidden Hostel Gem in Milan’s Porta Romana District
Hostel of the Day: YEAH HOSTEL BARCELONA – 4 Fun & Solid Nights in One of the World’s Best Hostels

VISA APPLICATION ✍️

Tuesday Tips for Philippine Passport Holders: Do-It-Yourself SCHENGEN TOURIST VISA Application with VIA ITALY

PARIS 🇫🇷

N9 Friends in Europe: PARIS – 5 Days Around the Postcard-Perfect French Capital [Days 1 & 2]
N9 Friends in Europe: PARIS – 5 Days Around the Postcard-Perfect French Capital [Days 3, 4 & 5]
N9 Friends in Europe: CHÂTEAU DE VERSAILLES Day Trip Photoblog
PARIS MUSEUM PASS Review – Is It Worth It?

ROME 🇮🇹

N9 Friends in Europe: ROME – 6 Days Around the Italian Eternal City – Arrival, Colosseum Tour & Trastevere Food Tour [Part 1 of 3]
N9 Friends in Europe: ROME – 6 Days Around the Italian Eternal City – Vatican City, Necropolis Tour & Papal Audience [Part 2 of 3]
N9 Friends in Europe: ROME – 6 Days Around the Italian Eternal City – Rome at Night, City Walking Tour & Departure [Part 3 of 3]

FLORENCE 🇮🇹

The Rape of the Sabine Women

N9 in Europe: FLORENCE – The Cradle of Renaissance | 4 Wonderful Days Around the Historic Italian City
N9 in Europe: TUSCANY EXPERIENCE CLASSIC TOUR Photoblog – A Day Trip to Pisa, San Gimignano & Siena
P’s List: 7 Food Places to Check Out in Florence

MILAN 🇮🇹

N9 in Europe: MILAN – 4 Beautiful Days Around the Italian Business, Shopping & Fashion Capital
N9 in Europe: LUGANO & LAKE COMO DAY TRIP FROM MILAN Photoblog – Exploring 3 Places in 2 Countries in 1 Day

BARCELONA 🇪🇸

N9 in Europe: BARCELONA – 4 Lazy Days Around the Bustling Spanish City

Do you have any questions about anything mentioned above? Is there anything you want to ask how I planned the trip in general? Or maybe how I made it happen? Feel free to post your questions in the comments section below. You can also send it via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in summarizing my 2022 trip to Europe. I may be months behind in posting everything about this trip but I hope it is never too late to share these details. I would like to thank my N9 friends for joining me in this life-changing and memorable trip to Europe. I cannot wait to go back to the continent in the future!

Feel free to follow me on my social media channels for more information on cheap fares, thrift hacks & fun itineraries – Facebook & Instagram. I will end this post with this statement. I DID IT AGAIN – 24 DAYS AROUND FRANCE, ITALY & SPAIN FOR LESS THAN ₱170,000 ALL IN AND I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT TOO!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.