Tag: low fares

Flight Report: CEBGO DG 6244 – Caticlan (Boracay) to Manila – Quick Turboprop Flight Back To The Metro

Hello & welcome to another flight report. Today, I will tell you more about my recent flight with Cebu Pacific Air’s subsidiary, Cebgo. I flew with them from Caticlan (Boracay) to Manila in September after spending 4 days with my high school friends in paradise. Join me as I share with you some details about Cebgo, the flight, the aircraft used & the flight experience.

In case you missed it, I shared with you last week details of our Manila to Caticlan (Boracay) flight with Cebu Pacific Air. It was an enjoyable, short yet relatively empty flight to paradise island. Know more about that flight report here.

cebgo

Cebgo is a low-cost carrier & is a subsidiary of Cebu Pacific Air. The airline previously operated as South East Asian Airlines (SEAir) & Tigerair Philippines until Cebu Pacific Air acquired the whole company in 2014. Cebgo currently flies to 29 domestic destinations with Manila & Cebu as its main hubs.

The airline used to operate an all-Airbus fleet until its parent company transferred all its turboprop operations to the subsidiary. Now, the airline subsidiary operates an all turboprop fleet of 20 ATR aircraft. It is also the only Philippine-based airline that operates a full cargo ATR turboprop aircraft.

airfare

As mentioned in my Manila to Caticlan (Boracay) flight report, I only paid ₱1,147.72 & 100 GetGo points for the round-trip ticket. It included seats on both flights & a 7-kilogram carry on baggage per way. We didn’t purchase check in baggage allowance because we were only there for 4 days. Check out the screenshot of our ticket below.

FLIGHT INFORMATION

This Cebgo flight from Caticlan (Boracay) to Manila was operated by a 2.2-year ATR aircraft delivered to the airline in September / October 2017. This turboprop plane can carry 78-passengers in an all-economy seat configuration. The flight took only 52 minutes including taxiing. We left Caticlan Airport 15 minutes early & arrived Manila Airport 58 minutes earlier than the scheduled arrival time.

Check In, Baggage & Boarding

Just like its parent company Cebu Pacific Air, Cebgo also offers mobile & web check in feature for all their flights. Passengers travelling without check in baggage can skip counter check in & go straight to their respective boarding gates. My friend & I already checked in for the flight days before & we already had our boarding passes in our phones. We didn’t have to go through the normal check in process at Boracay Airport.

Here’s a screenshot of my mobile boarding pass. I presented this with a valid ID during boarding.

Cebgo offers prepaid baggage on all its flights. All tickets come with a free 7-kilogram carry on baggage. Check in baggage is available for purchase at the time of booking the ticket up to 4 hours before the flight schedule. In case you are wondering how much does the check in baggage allowance cost, here are the rates as of today, 1 December 2019 from the Cebu Pacific Air website.

This flight’s boarding process took a bit of time. The people were asked to board 2 buses, depending on their seat number. Those seated from rows 1 to 10 boarded the plane first, while those seated in the last 10 rows boarded the plane last. We utilized the sole passenger door at the back.

Looking for a hostel to stay in Boracay? Check out Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay! It’s the island’s hidden party hostel gem. I wrote a Hostel Of The Day feature on this hostel. Check out the hostel review here.

Seat, In-Flight Meal & Entertainment

Passengers are not allowed to choose or change seats in turboprop flights from check in up to the flight itself. The airline system automatically assigns seats to the passengers a week before the flight while the airline ground staff assign seats to passengers while maintaining the aircraft’s weight stability. Preferred seats are available for purchase up to 4 hours before the flight.

The aircraft has a 2 x 2 seat layout. Each row has 2 window seats & 2 aisle seats. The seat pitch was alright; there was not enough legroom as expected. The seats only have armrests as dividers & no ‘individual’ seat space unlike those from jet planes.

In-flight snacks are available for purchase up to 24 hours before the flight or during the flight. Please take note that meals can be limited only to light snacks because DG flights are not ‘long’ flights. Most of them only take about an hour.

Cebgo’s ATR aircraft do not offer personal entertainment screens. The airline subsidiary, just like its parent company, is a low cost carrier thus only offers the basic flight service. On the good side, they have the in-flight Smile Magazine & an aircraft safety card in every pocket found in front of every seat.

Lavatory

The aircraft’s only lavatory is found at the back of the plane, near the main passenger door. It is clean & well-maintained. The lavatory space is just basic & alright, nothing fancy.

Cabin Crew Service

Cabin crew service in this short flight was good. All passengers were greeted with warm smiles. The crew also helped out the passengers in sorting their bags in the overhead storage spaces. They also finished offering & selling snacks to passengers minutes after the seat belt sign was turned off.

Verdict

It is always a pleasure flying with Cebgo. I prefer flying with Cebgo than its mother company, Cebu Pacific Air, because of their flights arrive on time, if not way earlier than the expected touchdown time. This good practice is evident in this flight when we left Caticlan 15 minutes early & arrived Manila 58 minutes ahead of schedule. Keep it up, Cebgo!

The aircraft used was relatively new & modern. Seat pitch was acceptable; legroom wasn’t that good. Seat comfort was fine, nothing extraordinary. These seats will do for short intercity / region flights. Personally, I still prefer the seats in their Airbus jet aircraft.

Overall, it was a quick but enjoyable flight with Cebgo. There isn’t much difference with the other Cebu Pacific Air flights & service, except the timely performance & the type of aircraft used. I’m happy to say that I am flying Cebgo again in a few weeks to Legazpi for the holidays. I’m already excited for the flight. I’m sure it’ll be great!

If you want to know the technical details of this flight & the aircraft used, check out the information below.

Airline: Cebgo
Flight Date: 16 September 2019
Flight Number: DG 6244
Route: Caticlan (Boracay) (MPH) – Manila
Duration: 52 minutes
Seat Number: 14B
Aircraft: ATR 72-600
Aircraft Registration: RP-C7286
Age: 2.2 years
Year Delivered: 2017

Have you ever flown with Cebgo? How was your experience? How do you like (or dislike) it compared to its parent company, Cebu Pacific Air? Share your good & bad experiences in the comments section below! Do you have any questions about the flight, Cebgo or Cebu Pacific in general? You can send them to me via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Don’t forget to turn your notifications on for my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. 

I appreciate you reaching this part of this trip report. Thank you for your time. Don’t worry, I’ll take you to Singapore & Europe in the next flight reports!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Flight Report: CEBU PACIFIC AIR 5J 905 – Manila to Caticlan (Boracay) – Short & Relatively Empty Flight To Paradise Island

Hello & welcome to another flight report. I’ve been away for a while, but fret not, I am now back & ready to share more with you. I have close to 10 flight reports (from Cebu Pacific Air, Singapore Airlines, Brussels Airlines & Czech Airlines) coming up; so stay tuned for these reviews & posts.

Look at that beautiful wing tip of the Airbus A320 sharklet that flew us from Manila to Boracay.

In the last flight reports, I shared with you details about by Indonesia Air Asia flights from Jakarta to Yogyakarta & back, from Yogyakarta to Jakarta. I also gave some details about my Cebu Pacific Air piso-fare flight from Manila to Jakarta which was booked just 2 months before the trip. Today, we’ll go back to my most-used local airline – Cebu Pacific Air. This time, I’ll take you with me from Manila to Caticlan (Boracay).

Check out the post below as I share with you some information about this short flight to the paradise island of Boracay.

cebu pacific air

As mentioned in my previous flight reports (Legazpi to Manila & Manila to Jakarta), Cebu Pacific Air is the Philippines’ largest low-cost airline that flies to various destinations within the country, across the 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

Early this year, my friends booked a September Boracay trip for about ₱4,500 per person. A few weeks after they secured their tickets, I decided to secretly join them & booked my return ticket for ₱1,147.72 & 100 GetGo points. Yes, I paid about 1/4 of what my friends paid & even got better flight times.

By the way, the ticket only included a seat in both flights & a carry-on baggage up to 7 kilograms. Nothing more, nothing less. It only takes about an hour to fly to Boracay & it was only a weekend trip; there was no need to bring a lot of stuff. Check out the screenshot of my ticket below.

flight information

The flight was operated by a 6.4-year old Airbus A320-214 twin jet aircraft sporting the new Cebu Pacific Air livery. The plane was built & delivered from Toulouse, France last July 2013. It operates an all economy class configuration with 180 seats in total. The flight, including taxiing, took about 1 hour & 7 minutes. The plane was only airborne for 42 minutes.

We pushed back a few minutes behind schedule, but we were able to land at Caticlan Airport earlier than the scheduled arrival time. The flight was alright, with a few turbulence experienced.

Check In, Baggage & Boarding

Cebu Pacific Air offers counter, mobile & web check in for all their domestic flights. Since I was travelling light (no check in baggage), I immediately went to the boarding gate with my mobile boarding pass. There was no need to drop by the check in counters for check in.

Here’s a screenshot of my mobile boarding pass for 5J 905 from Manila to Caticlan (Boracay).

The airline offers prepaid baggage for all its flights. Guests have the option to travel light (7 kilogram carry on baggage only) or to purchase baggage for their flights. The baggage rates depend on when the allocation was purchased. See the updated baggage rates to & from Caticlan (from Manila) from the Cebu Pacific Air Fees Summary page as of 24 November 2019.

The boarding process was fast & efficient. It didn’t take long because the flight was not full. There were many empty seats & available cabin storage space. Take note that the ground staff checks your identification card when you are boarding with your mobile boarding pass. They make sure that the passenger on the ticket & boarding pass is the one taking the flight.

There were many empty seats in this domestic flight to MPH. Seats 16D, 16E & 16F were vacant!!

Seat, In-Flight Meals & Entertainment

Cebu Pacific Air, being a low-cost carrier, offers everything for a fee. Preferred seats are available for purchase up to 4 hours before the flight. If no seat is purchased, the airline’s system automatically assigns seats to all passengers a week before the flight. Each seat has a standard 28-inch pitch & has a basic recline. The seat pitch & recline doesn’t really matter for short flights like this. My friend & I were seated one row apart; it kinda sucks because we had 2 separate booking reference numbers. He eventually moved in the seat beside me since it was not occupied.

Snacks & meals are available for pre-purchase up to 24 hours before the flight. If you missed out booking your meal, you can always buy from the snack trays being rolled out by the cabin crew during the flight. The prices of in-flight snacks are expensive. It’s best to just bring your own snack, which the airline allows by the way.

The airline doesn’t offer in-flight entertainment. The back of the seats in front of each passenger has nothing. Each passenger has a seat pocket in front; the seat pocket contains the aircraft safety card & in-flight magazine.

The crew held a fun game during this flight. They asked 3 questions under a category & gave airline merchandise to the passengers who gave the correct answers. It’s this small touch that gives some passengers something to look forward to flying with the airline.

lavatory

We were only airborne for 42 minutes & I didn’t have the chance to visit the lavatory. I always go to the toilet before boarding because I want to avoid the hassle of asking my seat neighbor to stand up & make way for me going to the toilet.

cabin crew service

Cabin crew service in this flight has been just alright – it was not outstanding or special. They greeted each passenger entering the aircraft during boarding. One thing I noticed is they finished the meal / snack service just a few minutes after the seat belt sign was turned off. I suppose there were not many people who bought snacks during the flight.

verdict

Overall, it was a usual Cebu Pacific Air flight. I really did not expect so much considering I only paid ₱1,147.72 return; that’s half of that fare for this flight. What I particularly liked about this flight is it being on schedule. We were able to arrive Caticlan Airport earlier than expected & managed to surprise our friends who were already in Boracay that day.

I have a few upcoming Cebu Pacific Air flights on their Airbus A330 & Airbus A321 aircrafts. I wonder if the experience will be different from this flights, but I am already looking forward to that. In case you are wondering about the specifics of this flight & the aircraft used, check out the details listed below.

Airline: Cebu Pacific Air
Flight Date: 13 September 2019
Flight Number: 5J 905
Route: Manila (MNL) – Caticlan (Boracay) (MPH)
Duration: 1:07 hours
Seat Number: 16A (changed from 16C)
Aircraft: Airbus A320-214 Sharklet
Aircraft Registration: RP-C3275
Age: 6.4 Years Old
Year Delivered: 2013

Have you used Cebu Pacific Air in your recent flight? How was your experience? Do you plan to fly with them again in your future flights? Let’s engage into a discussion in the comments section below. You can also share your experiences, ideas, comments & suggestions via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Don’t forget to turn your notifications on for my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Please also help me promote these pages to your families & friends.

Thank you for joining me in today’s flight report. Watch out for the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Flight Report: INDONESIA AIR ASIA QZ 7551 – Yogyakarta to Jakarta – Redemption Flight Back To Indonesia’s Capital

Hola to another flight report! Last time I shared with you how my Jakarta to Yogyakarta on Indonesia Air Asia went. It was a winner for the price but just okay in all other aspects. There are a lot of points which they can improve on such, as seat quality, legroom & flight punctuality.

Today, I will share with you my Indonesia Air Asia flight back to Jakarta from Yogyakarta. I really didn’t have plans of covering this flight, but my great experience forced me to do so. I’m calling this a redemption flight – a redemption of all the not-so-good experiences I had on the flight to Yogyakarta.

Believe it or not, we used the same old aircraft back to Jakarta. There’s not much I can do with these details but the service topped it all. Allow me to share with you some details of this amazing flight. Please expect a shorter review this time as most details are already mentioned in the previous Indonesia Air Asia post.

indonesia air asia

As mentioned in my previous flight report, Indonesia Air Asia is a low cost airline that is based in Jakarta Airport. It is the Indonesian counterpart of Air Asia Berhad based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The airline currently flies to over 20 destinations in Indonesia, Southeast Asia & even in Australia. It operates an all economy class Airbus A320 fleet. Just like any other low-cost carrier, the airline offers basic flight services. Any additional service needs to be purchased.

Ticket

I paid ₱3,155 for a Jakarta – Yogyakarta – Jakarta return ticket with Indonesia Air Asia. I booked the ticket 6 weeks before the scheduled flight. I still consider the fare cheap considering it was booked a few weeks before the flights. The ticket includes complimentary 15 kilogram check-in baggage per way – a great add-on for the ticket. I hope all low-cost carriers offer this even just to its domestic services.

flight details

The flight was operated by a 6.2-year old Airbus A320-200 aircraft with an all economy class configuration. The plane has a 180-seating capacity & has 30 rows of 6 seats each. The flight departed Adi Sucipto International Airport on time & arrived Soekarno Hatta International Airport in Jakarta 40 minutes ahead of schedule. The flight only took 1 hour 1 minute back to Jakarta. It surely made it up from the flight I had a few days before.

CHECK-IN, BAGGAGE & BOARDING

Indonesia Air Asia uses Terminal B in Adi Sucipto International Airport. I arrived at the airport 2 hours before the flight & the check-in counters were packed. If I can remember it correct, I was 15th in the line. It took me about an hour to check-in. The check-in process was very disorganized. For me, this was the only let down of the flight. It was the total opposite of the check-in experience I had on the flight to Yogyakarta.

As mentioned above, all passengers were given 15-kilograms complimentary check-in baggage allowance. I checked-in my luggage to reduce the inconvenience of walking with a heavy bag. This free add-on is definitely a win for the airline – a low-cost carrier offering free baggage allowance. Great job, QZ!

Indonesia Air Asia, just like any other Air Asia flights, board passengers via seat numbers. They prioritize Premium Flex guests & those assigned on Rows 1-5, 12 & 14. Passengers seated from rows 15-30 come next & those seated from rows 6 to 11 board last. The boarding process in this flight was smooth & organized. It didn’t take us long to board the aircraft.

Seat, In-Flight Meal & Entertainment

The airline’s system automatically assigns seats to all passengers days before the flight. If the passenger doesn’t like the seat assigned to him / her; he / she has the option to choose a preferred seat with an additional fee. This can still be done during check-in process. I was lucky enough to get an exit seat- well not just exit but the front-most seat, 1E. I was in the middle of 2 Malaysian guys who know each other so I offered to exchange seat with one of them. I eventually got seat 1D by the aisle. The legroom on these 1st row seats were the best. It had so much space. The seats of this 6.2-year old aircraft are due for change. Their seat covers are already old & over-used. I hope the airline changes them soon. Just like the CGK-JOG flight, the seat belts on this aircraft were too tight.

Indonesia Air Asia doesn’t offer complimentary meals. Snacks & rice meals are available for pre-order during booking or during the flight itself. The available items can be found in the Santan Magazine provided in every seat pocket. The airline also doesn’t have in-flight entertainment systems. They only provide a seat pocket consisting of the airline’s magazine, Duty Free brochure & the safety card.

lavatory

I was seated in the 1st row, so I had the chance of checking the aircraft’s lavatory. I’d say the crew did a fantastic job in maintaining the front toilet clean all throughout the flight. They offered the basic amenities like tissue & liquid hand soap.

cabin crew service

Cabin crew service was probably the most outstanding part of this redemption flight. The crew were helpful & super friendly. They didn’t make any unnecessary noise during the flight. Believe it or not, meal & food service was finished 15 minutes after take-off. All of the cabin crew were attentive to all of the guests requests. I’m glad I experienced the genuine Air Asia hospitality in this flight. Hats off to the crew assigned to this flight last August.

verdict

Overall, my Indonesia Air Asia flight from Yogyakarta to Jakarta on QZ 7551 was awesome. The airfare, assigned seat, boarding process, early arrival, complimentary baggage allowance & cabin crew service made this flight my best QZ flight so far (had about 5 – 7 QZ flights in the past.)

The only dent I saw on this almost perfect flight was the long & disorganized check-in process & the old aircraft used for the flight. Everything was great aside from those things. I am happy that Indonesia Air Asia redeemed themselves in this flight back to Jakarta. Will I fly them again? OF COURSE. Nothing beats their affordable fares & amazing schedules, plus the complimentary baggage allowance. I personally don’t mind flying low-cost carriers to nearby destinations.

For those of you who are interested on the flight & aircraft information, check out the details below.

Airline: Indonesia Air Asia
Flight Date: 26 August 2019
Flight Number: QZ 7551
Route: Yogyakarta (JOG) – Jakarta (CGK)
Duration: 1:01 hours
Seat Number: 1D
Aircraft: Airbus A320-214 Sharklet
Aircraft Registration: PK-AZE
Age: 6.2 Years
Year Delivered: 2013

Have you ever flown with Indonesia Air Asia? If yes, how was your flight experience? If not, do you plan to fly with them sometime soon? Feel free to post your comments, questions, experiences & thoughts in the comments section below. You can also send them to me via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. I’ll respond as soon as I can. Don’t forget to follow me & please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Thank you so much for joining me in today’s Flight Report. Watch out for more flight reports soon. Ciao!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Flight Report: INDONESIA AIR ASIA QZ 7550 – Jakarta to Yogyakarta – Low-Cost Domestic Flight To Indonesia’s Royal City

Hello & welcome to another flight report! Today, I will share with you my experience with Indonesia Air Asia on their domestic service from the country’s capital Jakarta to the royal city of Yogyakarta. I will discuss on the fare, in-flight service, pricing, etc. just like the previous flight reports.

Let me take you to Yogyakarta (JOG) via Air Asia – Indonesia’s Royal City located in Central Jaya!

In case you missed yesterday’s post, I shared with you details about my $24 international flight last month on Cebu Pacific Air from Manila, Philippines to Jakarta, Indonesia. It was an awesome night flight – crew was great, the emergency exit seat pitch was spacious & the flight arrived on time. I was a happy passenger considering I only paid a that much for the 4-hour flight.

Be sure to also check my previous flight reports on EVA Air’s Taipei to Manila service & Cebu Pacific Air’s domestic service from Legaspi to Manila. Now back to the Indonesia Air Asia, allow me to discuss the flight details in the parts mentioned below.

indonesia Air asia

Indonesia Air Asia is a low-cost airline headquartered in Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, Indonesia. It is the Indonesian counterpart of Air Asia Berhad based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The airline currently flies to over 20 destinations in Indonesia, Southeast Asia & even in Australia. It operates an all economy class Airbus A320 fleet. Just like any other low-cost carrier, the airline offers basic flight services. Any additional service needs to be purchased.

Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta is a clean & nice airport. It has that local vibe! 🙂

Air Ticket

You might have noticed in my previous post that my recent Indonesia trip was booked only 2 months prior. I wasn’t able to get the chance of getting really low fares for the domestic sector in Indonesia. Thank God for Indonesia Air Asia, I was able to get a Jakarta – Yogyakarta – Jakarta ticket for about ₱3,155 (amount reflected on my credit card statement.) This fare is already cheap considering it was booked 6 weeks before the trip & I was flying in & out during peak days of Friday & Monday.

The ticket summary – each flight comes with 15 kilograms complimentary checked baggage!! 🙂

The airfare includes a guaranteed seat in the flight plus 7 kilograms carry on baggage. Unlike other low-cost carriers, Indonesia Air Asia offers complimentary 15 kilogram check-in baggage for all its domestic routes. Take note this free baggage allowance is only applicable to flights departing & arriving at an Indonesian destination. I don’t have any idea on what’s the reason behind this, but it is a great free add-on!

Flight Details

This flight service from Jakarta to Yogyakarta was operated by a 6.2-year old Airbus A320-200 aircraft with an all economy class configuration. The plane has 30 rows, with 6 seats per row.

The flight started taxiing 10 minutes after scheduled departure time & arrived 40 minutes after the scheduled arrival time at Adi Sucipto International Airport . The flight was delayed due to the busy air traffic at Yogyakarta Airport. The flight that was supposed to only take 50 minutes ended up taking 1 hour & 48 minutes. It was not Indonesia Air Asia’s fault. However, the delay still affected the flight experience.

Check-In, Baggage & Boarding

Indonesia Air Asia flies from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport Terminal 2 in Jakarta. Check-in counters in this terminal are spacious & efficient. Passengers are expected to check in using the self check-in kiosks located near every counter. After printing the boarding pass, passengers with check-in baggage are advised to go to the bag drop counters to leave their bags. There were no lines or whatsoever. In fact, I finished the check-in process (with bag drop – of course I had to make use of the free baggage allowance) in less than 5 minutes.

As mentioned above, Indonesia Air Asia offers complimentary 15-kilogram baggage allowance in all of its domestic sector. It is a great addition; at least passengers don’t need to purchase baggage allowance for their flights. My luggage was a little over 7 kilograms but I still checked it in. It feels good to walk around the airport without a heavy bag on your back.

Indonesia Air Asia, just like any other Air Asia flights, board passengers via seat numbers. They prioritize Premium Flex guests & those assigned on Rows 1-5, 12 & 14. Passengers seated from rows 15-30 come next & those seated from rows 6 to 11 board last. The boarding process in this flight was smooth & organized. It didn’t take us long to board the aircraft.

Seat, In-Flight Meal & Entertainment

Like any other low-cost airlines, these services are for additional fees. Indonesia Air Asia assigns seats to all its guests days before the flight. If you want to change the seat assigned to you, you need to pay extra for your preferred seat. They also do not allow seat changes upon check-in. You either take your assigned seat or pay at the check-in counter for your preferred seat. In my recent Cebu Pacific Air flight, the ground staff granted by request to be seated in the emergency exit row free of charge.

The legroom – not the best. It was okay for a short flight but not for a medium / long haul flight..

I got seat 3B for this flight. I got a premium or hot seat as they call it. Is it really premium? I don’t think so. Legroom has 29-inch seat pitch – the same with Cebu Pacific Air’s. The only difference is that Air Asia’s seats are the soft, old & thick ones while Cebu Pacific Air’s seats are the thin new ones that provide more legroom for the passengers. The seats were already old up to the point my back can feel the knees of the passenger behind me. The seats & tray tables were not that clean; the seatbelts were too tight. I guess I’m not a fan of Air Asia’s seats.

In-flight meals or snacks can be pre-ordered or purchased on board. The cabin crew goes around with the snack tray & offers food to the passengers. Air Asia offers an extensive choice of snacks & drinks. The choices can be found on the airline’s inflight menu called, Santan. I didn’t avail of any meal or snack for this short flight. Airplane food for sale on-board are expensive & overpriced.

There’s nothing in front of you except for a red seat cover & magazines to read during the flight..

Indonesia Air Asia doesn’t have personal entertainment screens on their aircraft. Passengers are only given in-flight literature & Duty Free magazines to read / browse during the flight.

Lavatory

I didn’t get the chance to visit the aircraft’s lavatory during the flight. I was a bit shy to tell the person seated beside me to stand & I also didn’t feel the need to use it.

Cabin Crew Service

Air Asia’s cabin crew service is known for being passenger-friendly & hospitable. The crew on this flight isn’t an exception. They welcomed all the passengers with their smiles in their faces. They were all nice & attentive. Crew service was fast & efficient; they were able to finish meal service 20 minutes after take-off. The only downside I can remember was the noise they created in the front galley when we were waiting for landing. 2 ladies were chatting in loud voices about random stuff. Other than that, service was good.

Verdict

I had an ‘okay’ flight experience with Indonesia Air Asia on flight QZ 7550 from Jakarta to Yogyakarta last August. The flight had both hits & misses so I can’t generally say it was an awesome flight. First miss, the aircraft used was already old & some cabin features are already outdated. Seats are not comfortable; legroom isn’t that good. Second, the flight was delayed due to runway traffic in Yogyakarta Airport. It was not the airline’s fault, but then again, it has stained the flight experience. Third, cabin crew were alright. They were responsive, friendly & hospitable, but they also had unnecessary noise in the front galley towards the latter part of the flight.

The flight also had some wins. First, the fare was great. Considering I booked the ticket about 2 months into the trip; I still managed to get it for around ₱1,600 per way. Second, the ticket included a complimentary 15 kilogram check-in baggage allowance. This is a rare add-on for low-cost airlines – thank you Indonesia Air Asia. Lastly, check-in & boarding process was fast & efficient. It didn’t take long to finish all these processes.

At the end of the day, the airline was able to bring me to Yogyakarta for that affordable price. I am thankful I got the my destination safe & sound. Will I fly them again in the future? Maybe yes, maybe no. I really can’t say. The main deal-breaker will probably the airfare. If it’s cheap, then I’ll give it a go. If it’s almost the same as a full-service airline, I’ll go with the full-service airline.

In case you’re interested in the flight & aircraft details, check out the specifics below.

Airline: Indonesia Air Asia
Flight Date: 23 August 2019
Flight Number: QZ 7550
Route: Jakarta (CGK) Indonesia – Yogyakarta (JOG) Indonesia
Duration: 1:48 hours
Seat Number: 3B
Aircraft: Airbus A320-214 Sharklet
Aircraft Registration: PK-AZE
Age: 6.2 Years
Year Delivered: 2013

Have you ever flown with Indonesia Air Asia? Where did you fly to & how was your flight experience? Share your thoughts & experiences in the comments section below. If you want to remain anonymous to everyone, you can also send it via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. I’ll respond as soon as I can. Don’t forget to follow me & please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Thanks for joining me in today’s Flight Report! Watch out for the next one.

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Flight Report: CEBU PACIFIC AIR 5J 759 – Manila to Jakarta – ₱1,236 ($24) International Flight To Indonesia

Last month, I flew to Indonesia to spend a long weekend with my friends. We all flew to Yogyakarta to go around the city for 3 full days & visit the majestic Borobudur Temple. Watch out for the post about that trip. I first flew to Jakarta & spent the night there before continuing my journey to our destination. Believe it or not, I flew with Cebu Pacific Air for only ₱1,236 one way. It’s crazy cheap for a 4-hour flight; guess I’m lucky in getting these kinds of deals. I will share with you how my experience was on that flight. Note that I won’t be covering my Jakarta to Manila flight because I just slept the entire flight.

Did you know that I already talked about my previous Taipei to Manila flight with EVA Air & Legazpi to Manila flight with Cebu Pacific Air? Check out those flight reports in this link.

Cebu Pacific Air

As mentioned in my previous flight report, Cebu Pacific Air is the Philippine’s largest airline, flying to over 60 destinations across the country, Asia Pacific & the Middle East. The airline is known for it’s Piso Fare promotion where they offer flights for as low as ₱1 base fare. They hold these promotions at least once every quarter or during special occasions, milestones or holidays.

I had an almost empty emergency exit row on my Cebu Pacific Air flight to Jakarta (CGK) Indonesia

If you want to know more about the airline, feel free to visit their corporate website by clicking this link.

Airfare

My ticket from Manila to Jakarta & back cost me only ₱2,471 – ₱1,236 from Manila to Jakarta & ₱1,235 from Jakarta to Manila. Jakarta’s airport authority, Angkas Pura II, has pretty much the same fees & taxes imposed by our own Manila International Airport Authority. I was able to book this cheap ticket last 12 June 2019 when Cebu Pacific Air had their Independence Day Piso Fare sale.

The ticket included only 7-kg carry on baggage. I didn’t avail of any additional services because the trip only lasted for a 4 days; I didn’t have to bring a lot of stuff. What do you think of the airfare? Imagine flying 4 hours for only that much; that’s around ₱300 per hour – even cheaper than my almost an hour Grab ride to the airport.

flight information

The flight was operated by an 8-year old Airbus A320-314 aircraft – built & delivered in 2011. The plan operates an all economy class configuration with 3 seats per row & 180 seats in total. It took us 4 hours & 13 minutes to get to Jakarta, 2 minutes earlier than the airline’s allotted 4 hours & 15 minutes flying schedule. The flight had a lot of turbulence along the way, especially when we were flying to our assigned cruising altitude.

Airport Check-In, Baggage & Boarding

Cebu Pacific Air’s check-in facilities at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 were alright. They divided the flights & check-in counters by destination. They also have a special line for web & mobile check-in & a priority lane for senior citizens, persons with disability & people travelling with infants. I already checked in via the airline’s mobile application so it only took me about 10 minutes to check-in.

One of the many Cebu Pacific Air check-in counters in Ninoy Aquino International Airport T3!! 🙂

I mentioned in my previous Cebu Pacific Air flight report that the airline offers prepaid baggage on all its flights. My recent Indonesia trip only lasted for 4 days, so I didn’t avail of any check-in baggage for my flights. In case you are wondering how much the updated baggage rates are for Cebu Pacific Air’s Jakarta route, check out the screenshot below.

The boarding process was done by sections / seats. Those travelling with infants, small children, senior citizens & those needing special assistance were asked to board first. They were followed by those seated from rows 16 to 31. The last group to board were those seated from rows 1 to 15. Boarding didn’t take us a lot of time – all passengers were already inside the aircraft about 20 minutes after boarding started.

Seat, In-flight Meal & Entertainment

Cebu Pacific Airline, being the country’s biggest low-cost carrier, offers all add-ons for additional fees. You can avail of these extra services as early as during the ticket booking process up until 4 hours into the flight.

Seats are automatically assigned by the airline a week before the flight. Passengers can view their assigned seats in the ‘Manage Booking’ section of the website. If any case they don’t like the seat assigned to them, they can change it & purchase their preferred seat for a fee. Alternatively, passengers can just ask for a window, an aisle or an exit seat during check-in.

Here’s the updated seat selection free for the Manila-Jakarta route. Rate as of 21 September 2019.

I was initially assigned seat 24A during this flight, but I asked the ground staff for an available emergency exit seat during check-in. Voila, I was transferred to seat 12F with no extra cost; plus I had the whole exit row to myself. The legroom on exit seats is amazing; seat pitch is big – not the usual 28 or 29 inches in a regular seat. The only downside of getting this emergency exit seat is that the seats do not recline. I guess you really can’t have it all.

Thank God for this spacious seat pitch on seat 12F; glad I was able to request for an exit seat to CGK.

Cebu Pacific Air doesn’t offer free in-flight meal & entertainment. Rice meals & snacks are available for purchase from the time the ticket is booked up to 24 hours into the flight. Guests who failed to purchase snacks or meals can still buy from the items being offered on-board by the cabin crew. Feel free to check out these snack items at the Fun Cafe menu found in the pocket in front of each seat. I didn’t avail any snack during the flight; I made sure I had a heavy dinner before the flight. The airline also doesn’t have personal entertainment screens; they only have their in-flight magazine & duty free magazine for you to check or read.

Here are the updated prices if you decide to pre-book your in-flight meals & snacks on the website
Fun Cafe menu – this contains the treats & drinks available for purchase onboard during the flight

I didn’t really expect anything from Cebu Pacific Air in terms of these matters. They’re a low cost airline; they will only provide passengers the basic flight needs for super affordable fares. I don’t mind flying with them in short haul international destinations – you’ll arrive at your destination after a few hours.

lavatory

I used the aircraft’s front lavatory before we left Manila & prior to landing in Jakarta. I must say that the lavatory was clean & properly-maintained by the crew. Kudos to the flight crew for constantly checking on the front lavatory.

cabin crew

Cabin crew on this 4-hour flight were great & welcoming as expected. One thing I found good about this crew was how fast they finished meal service after the seatbelt sign was switched off. If I remembered it right, it only took them about 15 minutes to finish serving the pre-booked meals & offering in-flight snacks to the passengers. Also, they were super attentive to every request made by the guests & stayed alert throughout the flight. From experience, Cebu Pacific Air’s cabin crew has always been great & I’m glad that they keep that vibe throughout the years.

verdict

My flight with Cebu Pacific Air last 22 August 2019 on 5J 759 from Manila to Jakarta, Indonesia was great. Even though the aircraft was already 8 years old, the in-flight facilities such as the seats, lavatory & ventilation, are up-to-date & well-maintained. The flight was on time & the cabin crew were amazing as always. Paying only ₱1,236 for this Manila to Jakarta leg was definitely a steal. You don’t get that much chance to fly to international destinations at that cheap rate. I am thankful I recently had the chance to do so.

Will I fly Cebu Pacific Air again? Of course! I will be flying them again in December when I fly back to my home town for the holidays & probably back to the metro in January, plus I have another flight with them to a new destination in February. I am already looking forward to these Cebu Pacific Air flights & I cannot wait to fly with them again with cheap fares!

Having 2 empty emergency exit seats beside you was the best thing in this 4 hour flight to CGK!! 🙂

In case you’re wondering what the statistics of this Manila to Jakarta flight are, check out the details below:

Airline: Cebu Pacific Air
Flight Date: 22 August 2019
Flight Number: 5J 759
Route: Manila, Philippines (MNL) to Jakarta, Indonesia (CGK)
Duration: 4:13 hours
Seat Number: 12F
Aircraft: Airbus A320-214
Aircraft Registration: RP-C3267
Age: 8 years
Year Delivered: 2011

Have you flown with Cebu Pacific Air on a ₱1-base fare international flight? Where did you fly to & how was your experience? Feel free to share your flight experience in the comment section below. You can also share them via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. I’ll respond as soon as I can. Don’t forget to follow me & please please please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Thanks for joining me in today’s Flight Report! My next flight report will be about a famous low-cost airline in Southeast Asia. Watch out for it soon.

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.