Last April, I went on a quick trip to Japan for the first time since Fukuoka in October 2019. I did not make any concrete plans on where to go or what to do since I revisited the same places I had been to a few years ago: Osaka and Nara.
I booked my ticket in November 2022 when Cebu Pacific Air offered a ₱1 base fare sale during 11.11. I flew in via Fukuoka, and then I took a domestic flight to Osaka afterwards. I stayed in Osaka for 6 nights and decided to just go around the city and the nearby cities for the rest of the trip.
This post will be different since I will not talk about where you should go or what you should do in these cities. I will only share random photos of the places I have been on this trip. Spoiler alert! I still saw some cherry blossoms in Nara. Enjoy!
Osaka
Dōtonbori
Hozenji Yokocho
Kuromon Ichiba
Shinsekai
Nara
Todai-ji Namdaimon
Tōdai-ji Chumon
Nara Deer Park
Kōfuku-ji Chukondo & Kofuku-ji
It felt surreal visiting Dōtonbori again after a few years. It also felt amazing to see the world-famous cherry blossoms for the first time in x years of going to Japan.
Thank you for joining me in today’s photoblog. I hope you stay tuned for Japan-related content in the future. I hope you can also visit and follow my social media pages –Facebook & Instagram! Thanks again and see you in the next one.
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 OsakaKansai is today’s flight report feature. Read on below as I share details about this future-proof and efficient Japanese domestic flight.
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.
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.
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7 months into the lockdown, we’re still stuck at our own homes. While some provinces have restarted tourism, leisure travel to most countries remain prohibited. I don’t know if restrictions will be eased soon but I hope you are coping well with the pandemic. Our health & well-being is far more important than anything today.
First in my list is the land of the rising sun, Japan. Well, Japan is Japan. I’ve visited this country more than any other country I’ve been to & I keep on coming back. Japan has a perfect mix of cultural preservation & societal development. The country is advanced in all aspects & at the same time has the most preserved culture & tradition. I can’t wait to go back to the bustling shopping street of Shinsaibashi-suji & Dōtonbori in Osaka, the peaceful town of Fujikawaguchiko & the busy Shibuya crossing in Tokyo. I also plan to visit for the first time the cities of Himeji, Kanazawa & Toyama.
Aside from Japan’s culture & advancements, the other reasons why I want to go back to Japan are because of their food, groceries & public transportation. I’ve always loved Japanese food; I am a big fan of it. I love eating out in authentic ramen restaurants, in popular wagyu places & even in small food stalls.
I miss going to Japanese supermarkets & buying my favorite 1-liter Lipton milk drink. I also miss going through the interesting food & non-food items I see & buying them because I found them nice. The country’s public transportation system is my favorite in the whole world. Their public transportation system is efficient, on time & clean. I normally don’t take buses outside the Philippines, but I don’t mind taking them all the time in Japan.
The second country in my list is Taiwan. I’ve been to this country thrice & I am still amazed by its beauty. The country has an amazing cities & countryside, an interesting history & a nice bunch of locals. One thing I enjoy about the Taiwan is their long list of street food & restaurants to try.
Once the pandemic is over, I will fly back to the country for a weekend only to eat – to have beef noodles, xiao long bao, pepper buns, bubble tea & a lot more. The country has extended their visa-free scheme to Filipinos until July 2021 so anyone can go. Who’s with me? Let’s go!
I’ve been to South Korea twice (Seoul for 11 days in 2014 & Seoul & Busan for 13 days in 2015) & I feel like it’s time to go back to the country. I already miss walking along & shopping Myeong-dong’s retail street, hopping around Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung & Deoksugung Palaces & having my favorite gyeran-ppang (egg bread), odeng (fish cake), bibimbap, dak-galbi (spicy stir-fried chicken), pajeon (green onion pancake) & chicken & beer. We have nice many nice Korean restaurants here in the Philippines but we can’t beat the authentic experience when in the Land of Kimchi. Anyone fancy a spring or autumn shopping & food-trip weekend in Seoul?
I visited Bangkok, Krabi, Ao Nang, Koh Lipe, Phuket & Ayutthaya in the past & I can say I’ve had great memories in these cities. From cheap but really nice hostels, authentic 40-baht pad thai to crazy party nights around Khao San Road & Ao Nang, Thailand is the best place to have a good time. It also has beautiful sights such as the Grand Palace in Bangkok & the different temples in Ayutthaya. I’m dying to visit Wat Arun (yes, I haven’t been there), Chatuchak Weekend Market & Chao Praya River. I was supposed to visit Bangkok last August but the pandemic happened. I also want to take a side trip up north to Chiang Mai for some quiet time with nature.
Singapore is my second most-visited country Japan. I’ve been to this country many times & I still keep on coming back. I may not have stayed longer than my previous visits, but I make sure to have a quick hop around the city. A visit to Singapore won’t be complete without going to the Merlion statue, Marina Bay Sands complex, Gardens by the Bay, Haji Lane, Bugis & Orchard Road.
A weekend in Singapore is ideal after the pandemic – a time to visit some friends, to have some Hainanese chicken & chili crab & to experience some organized city chaos – if you know what I mean. I also fancy a visit & walk around their beautiful Changi Airport.
I may not have been to Vietnam as many times as the countries above but Vietnamis definitely on to-go list after the pandemic. My first & last visit to the country was a trip to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) in May 2014. I fell in love with the people’s simple way of living & the country’s food. Vietnamese food is amazing – it’s tasty, affordable & good for the health! I can’t wait to have a hot bowl of phở and/or bún bò huế partnered with fresh or fried spring rolls & a bottle of Bia Saigon Lager.
My friends & I were supposed to fly to Saigon days before the lockdown last March but we were forced to cancel it last minute. I need to go back to Saigon to watch the water puppet show, to eat more Vietnamese food, to visit some friends & to visit Hoi An. I also plan to fly to the country’s capital city, Hanoi, to see what the northern city has to offer. I’ve heard some good stories about the city; I’m excited to experience them first hand.
Do you also have these countries in your post-covid travel list? If yes, which one do you plan to visit first & why? Share your plans in the comments section below. Who knows, we might see each other in one of those countries above! Do you have questions about anything mentioned above? Don’t hesitate to send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Please please please also follow me on my social media pages – Facebook & Instagram.
Let’s do our part by going out only when needed & by wearing face masks when going out. I know we’re all stuck here but I believe we can all go back to travelling in the right time. For the meantime, stay indoors, safe & healthy! ❤️
PS. Photos were taken using my HTC One M8, HTC Re & HTC U11.
Hey, I hope you’re coping well. I know most of us miss flying & going on vacations. The Covid-19 pandemic stopped leisure travel & has forced us to stay in our homes indefinitely. While most of the countries all over the world are restarting leisure travel, we, Filipinos, are still not allowed to do so – even domestic travels are not allowed. All we can do now is to look back & relive the great memories we made in our previous trips.
One of the trips I keep on revisiting is our Fukuoka 2019 surprise trip. My friend & I surprised another friend in her supposed-to-be first solo international trip. I already shared with you details about this trip in the following posts – 48 Hours in Fukuoka for less than ₱12,500 all in, Nekokura Hostel of the Day feature & 5J 922 Cebu Pacific Air Flight Report. Today, I will share with you details of our Cebu Pacific Air 5j 923 flight from Fukuoka, Japan back to Manila, Philippines. Know how organized Japanese people & airports are & generally how the flight went in this new flight report.
As mentioned in my previous 5J flight report, Cebu Pacific Air is the Philippines largest low-cost carrier. It flies to more than 60 domestic & international destinations across the country, Asia-Pacific & the Middle East. It is wholly owned by JG Summit Holdings, led by the Gokongweis. Including its subsidiary Cebgo, the airline operates a fleet of 70+ Airbus & ATR commercial & cargo aircraft with a number of new generation aircraft orders in place.
The airline has opened the opportunity for every Filipino to fly domestic & international at extremely low prices compared to its industry rivals. It is known for its ₱1-base fare promotions offered a few times a year. It has its own loyalty program called GetGo & is a founding member of Value Alliance, the world’s largest alliance of low-cost carriers.
Airfare & Inclusions
My friend & I got the return ticket to & from Fukuoka, Japan for only ₱2,873.74. We booked it through the airline’s loyalty program, GetGo, ‘5,000 points off’ promotion. At the time of booking, one-way base fare to Fukuoka were valued at 2,400 points. The return ticket cost us 4,800 points plus airline (minus 5,000 points – yay, so basically free base fare) & airport taxes. My friend & I only paid for the taxes & charges imposed by the airline – a decent deal, eh? It definitely was a steal considering the tickets were bought 3 weeks before the flight schedule.
Cebu Pacific Air is a low-cost carrier – meaning tickets only include the passenger’s base fare & taxes. The airline offers baggage allowance, seat selection, meals & refreshments & all over flight services for a fee. The airline’s fleet don’t have personal or communal entertainment screens. The fare my friend & I bought only includes a 7-kilogram carry-on luggage which was enough for our 48-hour Fukuoka trip. The full list of the airline’s add-on charges is found in their website.
Flight & Aircraft Information
This Fukuoka to Manila Cebu Pacific Air flight was operated by a 5.5-year-old (that time) Airbus A320-214 aircraft with registration RP-C3277. The airplane has an all-economy configuration (just like all other Cebu Pacific Air aircraft) with 180 seats on a 3-3 layout. The flight left Fukuoka station at 7:48 pm JST & arrived Ninoy Aquino International Airport (in Manila) at 11:10 pm PHT. The flight took 4 hours & 22 minutes from one airport gate to the other.
Ground & Airport Experience
International flights arrive & depart from Fukuoka Airport’s international terminal. The terminal is 10-minute (free) bus ride from the Fukuoka Airport Subway Station / Domestic Terminal. Upon arrival at the terminal, my friend & I went to Row C check-in counters. The counters opened 3 hours before the flight.
Check-in process was quick & efficient. Heavy bags & boxes undergo security checks before they can be accepted by the ground staff for check-in. There were 3 normal check-in & 1 online check-in counters that day. All ground staff strictly check & weigh each passenger’s carry-on items. They only allow 7-kilograms of carry-on baggage & up to 2 items only. My friend & I already checked-in online & queued in the online check-in counter. We requested for exit row seats; the lovely check-in counter crew granted our request. Our whole check-in process took 20-minutes & that included 15 minutes in queue for the luggage security check.
Immigration & final security took less than 10 minutes. There were no long lines or whatsoever. The flight boarding process commenced 30 minutes before the scheduled departure. Passengers with children & those needing special assistance boarded the aircraft first. The regular passengers boarded next. We boarded from Gate 56 & finished after 15-20 minutes. Boarding has quick & smooth.
In-Flight Product
Cebu Pacific Air is known as a no-frills airline. The airline keeps their fares low by providing the most basic product on air – a guaranteed seat on the flight & a 7-kilogram carry-on baggage allowance. Additional flight features such as baggage allowance, in-flight meal, insurance, seat selection & the likes are available at an extra cost.
My friend & I were assigned at exit seats 12B & 12C. These exit row seats have enormous legroom but do not recline. Regular seats on Cebu Pacific Air’s Airbus A320 aircraft feature 28 inches of seat pitch & generous reclines. These seats were made & designed by Recaro, a world-renown seat manufacturing company known for their light & ergonomically-designed seat products. Each seat features a decently sized tray table & a small seat pocket with the aircraft safety card. The seats don’t feature personal entertainment screens. The only available form of entertainment is the monthly in-flight magazine found in every seat pocket.
Shortly after take-off, the cabin crew rolled out their snack cart & offered snacks to all passengers. The list of items for sale is found in the Fun Café menu in the seat pockets. The crew also handed out the pre-ordered snacks & meals to those who availed them. The airline allows passengers to pre-book their meals & snacks from the time of booking up to 24 hours before the flight.
This night flight didn’t feature the usual in-flight fun game. The crew gave the passengers the time to rest & sleep. I didn’t have the chance to visit the lavatory during the flight; I was dead tired after a long day of walking around the city.
Cabin Crew Service
The cabin crew welcomed us into the flight with their biggest smiles. One crew also went up to us & explained the additional protocols for passengers seated in the exit rows. I didn’t have much chance to interact with the crew on this flight but those small encounters made a big difference in the flight experience.
Overall Experience
It was another pleasant flight with Cebu Pacific Air. My friend & I definitely enjoyed this flight from Fukuoka to Manila. The pleasant experience started with getting return tickets for only ₱2,873.74 without baggage. I still can’t imagine how this is possible in the current times? The ticket is even cheaper than a domestic ticket to destinations like Coron & Siargao or even international destinations like Hong Kong & Singapore. Cebu Pacific Air changed the game by giving every Juan the chance to fly in the most affordable rate.
The airport & ground experience was superb! It was the total opposite of my experience on the flight from Manila to Fukuoka. The check-in lines were fast-moving bur organized. The check-in process was efficient. The ground staff were reasonably strict but were nice & very accommodation. Immigration, final security check & boarding process didn’t take long. It was my 3rd time flying out of this airport & the experience hasn’t changed. I am amazed how the airport management maintained it even with the increasing number of passenger traffic. All my Fukuoka Airport experiences were very close to ideal.
The flight experience was alright as expected. The cabin crew greeted us with their best smiles upon boarding & disembarking from the plane. I didn’t have much to talk about the in-flight experience because I was asleep most of the flight. The only thing I didn’t like was our plane didn’t have an available airport gate when we landed in Manila station. We waited inside the plane for more than 15-20 minutes before we finally got our Terminal 3 gate assignment. I really hope the local airport authorities do something about this once everything does back to normal.
I cannot wait to fly out again with Cebu Pacific Air in the future. I have plans of trying their long-haul flights (again but this time feature it) to perhaps Sydney or Melbourne once Australia opens. I also want to just fly out to wherever possible & take some time off. I will surely fly with them on those trips. For those of you who want to know the flight & aircraft details, here are the information you want or need:
Airline: Cebu Pacific Air Flight Date: 20 October 2019 Flight Number: 5J 923 Route: Fukuoka (FUK) Japan to Manila (MNL) Philippines Duration: 4:22 hours Seat Number: 12C Aircraft: Airbus A320-214 Aircraft Registration: RP-C3277 Aircraft Engine: 2 x CFM International Jet Engines Age: 6 years old Year Delivered: 2014
Thank you for joining me in today’s flight report. Do you have any questions about the flight or anything mentioned above? Feel free to post them in the comments section below. You may also send these questions via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.
How I wish we can all soon go back to the times when flying & travelling is safe & places are virus-free. Those safe times are far from happening based on the current vaccine & treatment developments but I hope you are coping well with the effects of pandemic. Let’s us all hope for better times in the future. For the meantime, we can all connect & talk about our previous travel experiences. Follow me on my social media channels – Facebook & Instagram.
Today’s flight report will talk about that ‘almost-missed’ Manila to Fukuoka Cebu Pacific Air flight we took for that 48-hour Fukuoka trip. I will share with you how we booked the cheap ticket 3 weeks before the trip, how was our ground experience at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 & what can you expect in Cebu Pacific Air’s international in-flight product & cabin crew service.
Cebu Pacific Air is not a new airline in this website. As mentioned in my previous flight reports, Cebu Pacific Air is the Philippines largest low-cost carrier. It flies to more than 60 domestic & international destinations across the country, Asia-Pacific & the Middle East. It is wholly owned by JG Summit Holdings, led by the Gokongweis. Including its subsidiary Cebgo, the airline operates a fleet of 70+ Airbus & ATR commercial & cargo aircraft with a number of new generation aircraft orders in place.
The airline has opened the opportunity for every Filipino to fly domestic & international at extremely low prices compared to its industry rivals. It is known for its ₱1-base fare promotions offered a few times a year. It has its own loyalty program called GetGo & is a founding member of Value Alliance, the world’s largest alliance of low-cost carriers.
Airfare & Inclusions
My friend & I got our return Manila to Fukuoka ticket for only ₱2,873.74. At the time of booking, Cebu Pacific Air’s loyalty program GetGo offered their Fukuoka route for 2,400 points per way plus taxes. At the same time, they had a ‘5,000 points off’ promotional code for selected East Asia routes including Fukuoka. The return ticket to Fukuoka costs 4,800 points plus taxes. Upon check out & using the promotional code, we ended up having our base fare free & paying only the airfare taxes. Note that we booked our tickets 3 weeks before the flight. Flights to Fukuoka take more than 3 hours per way. Having this affordable return ticket was definitely a good deal!
Cebu Pacific Air is a no-frills airline – meaning fares only include 7-kilogram carry on allowance & a guaranteed seat in the flight. Baggage allowance, food, reserved seats & insurance are all available at an extra cost. Fees & charges differ for each flight. You can click this link to more about the add-ons cost for each Cebu Pacific Air route. This trip only last for 48 hours & it wasn’t even cold yet in Japan so I only brought a small backpack me – no add-ons needed.
Want to know how I get these cheap tickets? I revealed my secrets in these blog posts – How to be a champ in booking low fare tickets part 1 & part 2.
Flight & Aircraft Information
This Manila to Fukuoka Flight on Cebu Pacific Air left Manila station a few minutes late because of us (you’ll know why) but arrived Fukuoka International Airport 11 minutes early. We left Manila at 3:27 pm PHT & arrived Japan at 7:49 pm JST. The total flight time was 3 hours & 22 minutes. The flight used a 7-year old (that time) Airbus A320-214 aircraft in an all-economy class configuration. The plane has a total of 180 seats on a 3-3 layout.
Airport Experience
My friend & I arrived at the airport 3 hours before the flight. We had quick lunch & went straight to the travel tax counter. After paying the required travel tax, we went to Cebu Pacific Air’s check in counters. There were 3 lines for check in – one for regular check in, one for mobile & internet check in & the last one for group bookings & senior citizens. My friend & I already checked in online so we headed to the mobile & internet check in line. All 3 check in lines were long, slow & chaotic.
Pamela, one of Cebu Pacific Air’s supervisors, heard & approached me. She apologized for the chaotic check in process & said that particular afternoon was busier than expected. She escorted us to the next available counter for check in. The woman in the check in desk was nice & accommodating. She granted our request of having emergency exit seats for no additional cost. The whole check in process took us about 1 hour & 15 minutes; it used to be less than 10-15 minutes.
After check in, my friend & I went to clear immigration. All immigration counters also had long & slow-moving lines. We asked favors from people in front of us if we can go first since our flight leaves in 35 minutes; thankfully, they agreed. It still took us 25 minutes to clear immigration. We went straight to final security check & cleared the process in less than 5 minutes. While falling in line, I already saw the Cebu Pacific Air ground staff calling Fukuoka-bound passengers. They are about to close the aircraft doors in 5 minutes. After clearing final security, my friend & I literally ran to the boarding gate & went straight to the plane. The cabin crew closed the plane doors after we boarded. Thank God we made it!
In-Flight Product
As a low-cost carrier, Cebu Pacific Air doesn’t offer on-board entertainment screens & complimentary food. All seats have a decently sized tray table & a small pocket with in-flight magazines & safety card. It has 28 inches of seat pitch & a generous recline. My friends & I were seated in the emergency exit seats so we had bigger leg room than the usual but no seat recline. The seats on this airplane were already old & needs a refit.
In-flight meals & snacks are available for purchase from the time of booking the ticket up to 24 hours before the flight. Guests who failed to pre-book snacks or meals can still buy from the items being offered on-board by the cabin crew. Items for sale are found in the Fun Café menu in the seat pockets of every passenger. I purchased a bottle of Gatorade for ₱80 & a bottle of water for ₱40 during this flight.
One unique feature of Cebu Pacific Air flights is the in-flight fun games. Cabin crew members ask 3 questions under a specified category. The first passenger to get the correct answer receives a complimentary airline merchandise. My friends & I joined the game on this flight & we won a Cebu Pacific Air pouch.
I didn’t have the chance to visit the lavatory on this 3.5-hour flight. From past experiences, there’s nothing spectacular about Cebu Pacific Air lavatories – they’re clean, plain & basic like a usual low-cost carrier lavatory.
Cabin Crew Service
The cabin crew on this Cebu Pacific Air flight to Fukuoka was nice & friendly. They greeted the passenger with their best smiles & served the food right after take-off. The crew assigned to our area even asked me questions how I was before she served my drinks. She even offered a glass of ice which they don’t usually do. I have nothing against the crew on this flight. I was a happy & satisfied customer.
Verdict
Overall, it was another pleasant flight with Cebu Pacific Air. We even got more than what we paid for. Imagine paying only ₱2,873.74 for a return ticket to Fukuoka, Japan & booking it 3 weeks before the flight? You rarely get that kind of airfare deal. It was definitely a steal!
The airport & ground experience was the worst part of this flight. Long & slow check in & immigration queues & last-minute boarding process didn’t make the experience enjoyable. My friend & I were thankful for Pamela, the woman at the check in counter & the people who allowed us to cut the immigration line. We won’t make it to our flight if not for them. All parties (including us) are at fault on what happened. We didn’t imagine that those airport scenes we see in movies would also happen to us. It was our first time running from security check to the boarding gate; it was also our first time being called for boarding. Don’t worry, we already learned our lesson.
The in-flight experience made up for all the mishaps that happened in the ground. The cabin crew assigned to our flight were friendly. The emergency exit seats were relatively comfortable to seat in on this 3.5-hour flight. My friends & I won in the in-flight game. More importantly, we arrived Fukuoka ahead of schedule despite leaving Manila a few minutes late. Sure, the airplane seats, tray tables & pockets needs a refit but these didn’t affect our fun flight to Fukuoka.
I will definitely fly again with Cebu Pacific Air in the future. They are always the best option for flying cheap to destinations here in the Philippines, in Asia Pacific & in the Middle East. I’m gutted my flights with them to Shanghai, China & Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam were cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic. I am still looking forward to booking future trips with them! I also want to try (again) & this time cover their long-haul economy routes to Dubai, Sydney & Melbourne. For those who want to know the specifics of this flight & the airplane used, check out the details below:
Airline: Cebu Pacific Air Flight Date: 18 October 2019 Flight Number: 5J 922 Route: Manila (MNL) Philippines to Fukuoka (FUK) Japan Duration: 3:22 hours Seat Number: 12A Aircraft: Airbus A320-214 Aircraft Registration: RP-C3237 Aircraft Engine: 2 x CFM International Jet Engines Age: 8 years old Year Delivered: 2012
That’s it for today. Have you ever missed (or almost-missed) a flight because of a mishap in check in, immigration & final security check? What happened & what did you do when that happened? You may share your experiences in the comments section below. Do you have any question about the things mentioned above or about Cebu Pacific Air in general? You may also send them to me via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com & I’ll get to them soon.
Thanks for joining me in today’s flight report! My next flight report will be about Czech Airlines on my flight from Prague, Czech Republic to Copenhagen, Denmark. Watch out for that! In the meantime, you may follow me on my social media pages – Facebook & Instagram.
