Tag: Manila

Flight Report: SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 915 – Manila to Singapore – First International Flight After 31 Months [June 2022]

You read the title right! After 31 months of being in the Philippines, I finally flew out of the country again. The last time I went out of the Philippines was when I flew to Europe in 2019 via Singapore. Believe it or not, my last flight out of the country was also on Singapore Airlines SQ 915 back in October 2019. How does this recent SQ 915 flight compare to the pre-pandemic Singapore Airlines flight experience? We’ll find out in this flight report!

Singapore Airlines

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

The airline currently flies to over 60 destinations in more than 30 countries across 5 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 Airbus A350, Airbus A380, Boeing 777, Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Boeing 737 Max & Boeing 737-800 NG. The airline is the world’s largest Airbus A350-900 operator with 60 currently in service & 5 more on order. 7 of the 60 Airbus A350’s in service have the ultra-long range (ULR) premium (only business & premium economy class) configuration. These ULRs are mostly used in the North America routes.

Singapore Airlines is a full-service carrier. It means that every flight includes all the necessary in-flight amenities & services you can think of. All SQ tickets include free check-in baggage, meals & 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.

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

Airfare

Late May 2022, I randomly saw an affordable ticket to Kuala Lumpur on Singapore Airlines for travel within 30 days. With borders now opening & Malaysia dropping the test entry requirements, I decided to immediately book this ticket to Kuala Lumpur.

The return ticket initially cost US$199.70. I used up my KrisFlyer miles (earned when I flew with Singapore Airlines to Europe in 2019) before they expire in the next 12 months. The ticket price went down to just US$146.69 including 7,665 redeemed KrisFlyer miles.

The ticket included 4 flights in economy class – Manila to Singapore, Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur to Singapore & Singapore to Manila – with 1.5-hour layovers at Singapore Changi Airport both ways. The ticket also includes 25-kilogram baggage allowance on all sectors, inflight meals & snacks & even inflight entertainment on board.

My bank charged me ₱7,926.12 including foreign currency conversion charges. It was a really good deal from Singapore Airlines considering the current world market situation & inflated fuel prices. For context, other airlines’ ticket prices were around ₱10,000 to ₱15,000 return at the time of booking this SQ ticket. Some of these airlines don’t even include baggage & meals in the ticket prices.

Travel Requirements

I am only transiting at Singapore Changi Airport & I’m flying to Kuala Lumpur afterwards. On the day of the flight, Singapore does not have any requirements for transiting passengers as long as the passenger has an onward connecting flight under the same booking reference number. Those with split bookings will be required to fulfill the entry requirements of Singapore. Check out the requirements for my flight to Kuala Lumpur & transit in Singapore as per the airline’s website a day before this flight.

Singapore Airlines regularly updates their travel requirements page. You can find the latest destination & transit requirements on this page.

Before The Flight

Days after I booked my flight, Singapore Airlines sent an e-mail reminding me to check the entry & transit requirements for my trip. The e-mail had links where I could check the entry protocols for each flight.

3 days before my flight, the airline sent an e-mail informing me about mySQupgrade. It is their instant upgrade program from economy to business class for a hefty price. The instant upgrade offer cost around ₱30,000 – almost 4 times the price of my return ticket. I did not avail of this upgrade offer.

2 days before this flight, the Singapore Air mobile application notified me that my flight is already open for online check-in. I immediately checked-in for my flight to Singapore & onward flight to Kuala Lumpur & chose forward section seats for both flights. The airline allows passengers to choose their seats for free during online check-in.

Flight Information

This Manila to Singapore Singapore Airlines flight was operated by an Airbus A350-900 aircraft delivered in February 2021. This A350 has the airline’s 2-class regional configuration with 40 seats in business class & 263 seats in economy class.

The flight departed Manila at exactly 8:00am from Runway 06/24 & landed Singapore Changi Airport at 10:58am. It only took 2 hours & 58 minutes to reach Singapore. The flight was generally quiet & stable; not much turbulence happened.

Airport & Ground Experience

AIRPORT CHECK-IN

Singapore Airlines segregated check-in counters per cabin class & frequent flyer status. KrisFlyer & Star Alliance status holders & business class passengers have dedicated check-in counters. Economy class passengers have their own queues as well. Economy class passengers who checked in online have a separate & a faster queue.

I already checked in 2 days before so I lined up at the internet check-in queue. The lady at the counter checked my vaccination certificate & travel requirements for Malaysia & then issued my boarding passes to Singapore & Kuala Lumpur. She also weighed my carry-on bag & advised that passengers are only allowed up to 2 carry-on bags each. The whole check-in process took about 25 minutes; it was not as fast as my previous SQ 915 flight in 2019.

PRE-DEPARTURE

After immigration & security check, I walked to Gate 110 where we’ll board our flight to Singapore. The airline divided the pre-departure area into groups according to their assigned seats on the plane. KrisFlyer & Star Alliance status holders & business class passengers were assigned at Groups 1 to 3. Economy class passengers seated at the rear of the aircraft were placed in Group 4. Those in the middle were assigned to Group 5. I, together with the other passengers assigned in the forward economy cabin, were placed under Group 6.

BOARDING

Boarding commenced 30 minutes before the flight at 7:10am. Business class passengers & status holders under Groups 1 to 3 were asked to board the aircraft first. Passengers who require assistance & those traveling with kids & infants boarded next. Economy class groups 4 & 5 followed. Our group, group 6, boarded the plane last.

Economy class passengers were offered earphones at the jet bridge, just a few steps before the aircraft door. The friendly Singapore Airlines cabin crew welcomed every guest & directed them to the aisle where they will walk to their seats. The whole boarding process only took 26 minutes. Aircraft doors were closed at 7:36am.

Inflight Product & Experience

Singapore Airlines is a full-service airline. This means that the airline features personal entertainment screens, has a more comfortable seat & provides inflight meals & drinks. Check out what Singapore Airlines offers on this flight from Manila to Singapore.

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.

SEAT FEATURES

This Manila to Singapore flight was operated by an Airbus A350-900 with 40 lie-flat business class seats & 263 standard economy seats. According to SeatGuru, each business class seat has a 60-inch seat pitch & 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 & a large tray table.

Business Class Seat
Economy Class Seat

Economy class seats have a seat pitch of 28 inches & seat width of 18 inches – slightly bigger than the Boeing 787-10’s 17.5 inches seat width. Each seat comes with a spacious leg room, an adjustable headrest & a personal entertainment screen. Seats also feature a seat pocket with inflight safety cards, a fold-able tray table with mirror, a coat hook, small storage space below the screen, a fold-able cup holder, a USB charging outlet & a universal power outlet in between seats. Pillows & blankets are now available by request.

Check out the screenshot below for the amenities available on this flight:

Singapore Airlines’ economy class seats provide more than what you actually need for a 3-hour flight. The seats & adjustable head rests were comfortable.

INFLIGHT MEAL

The airline offered a complimentary hot meal on this flight to Singapore. Physical menus have been phased out & meal menus can be accessed through the airline’s onboard connectivity service. Passengers had 2 options – Chicken Adobo & Egg Tortilla. I chose the Chicken Adobo meal & was surprised that it still came with a yogurt, a bread roll with butter & drink of choice (coffee, tea, wine, beer, water or juice). I know Singapore Airlines announced in 2020 an enhanced economy class dining experience for short haul flights under 3.5 hours. I expected meals to come in food boxes with sustainable tableware, but I guess the Manila-Singapore-Manila routes were not included in the said changes. I’ve added screenshots below of the menu for this flight.

The chicken adobo tasted great; the meat was full of flavor. The food portions were just right for a 3-hour flight. The crew went around after the meal service to offer a 2nd round of drinks to passengers. An hour after the meal service, I asked for their signature Singapore Sling drink – still their best drink onboard.

I love how the airline continues to use metal cutlery on this route instead of disposable plastic tableware. I hope they can find an alternative for the plastic cups. Oh, one thing! I noticed that they had already removed the towel service before the meal service.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Krisworld, Singapore Airline’s entertainment system, offers thousands of options to choose from. They have hundreds of movies & TV shows to watch, thousands of songs to listen to, games to play & a few local media content 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 & easy to navigate. It also showed the flight path & even details of onward connecting flights. The provided earphones were alright. They aren’t noise canceling but they did its job.

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

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

Singapore Airlines offered Wi-Fi service on this flight. PPS Club members & business class passengers are given 100MB of data to use up during the flight. The airline also gives complimentary 2 hours of messaging service to KrisFlyer members in economy class. Non-members can opt to either register to KrisFlyer to avail of the data plans on board. Check out the data plans below (rate as of writing this blog) as per the airline’s website.

LAVATORY

I didn’t get the chance to visit the lavatory on this short hop to Singapore. I got a window seat; my neighbor by the aisle was asleep most of the flight.

Cabin Crew Service

Cabin crew service is one area where Singapore Airlines excels the most. The crew on this flight to Singapore were super friendly & accommodating. They welcomed all passengers with their best smiles, served the meals with the happiest faces & catered to the passenger’s needs with utmost attention. They made sure all passengers had an enjoyable onboard experience. The cabin crew service made this flight even more memorable. Thank you, SQ!

Disembarkation & Baggage Claim

Passengers disembarked in an orderly manner. Business class passengers headed out first, followed by economy passengers in the forward cabin. The rest of the passengers came next. I didn’t go straight to baggage claim since I was in Singapore only for transit.

Final Thoughts

It was another memorable flight with Singapore Airlines. Aside from it being my first international flight out of the Philippines since the pandemic, it turned out as how excellent flights should be – with or without the current crisis. The pandemic may have changed some onboard amenities, but it didn’t stop Singapore Airlines from offering a world-class flight experience on this flight to Singapore.

I enjoyed this flight because of the following. First, the ticket price was cheaper than the Philippines-based low-cost carriers. It even provided more value than those from LCCs. Second, the cabin is clean & very modern. Third, the cabin crew service was topnotch. Fourth, the pandemic may have happened, but the airline has not downsized meal service on their Manila to Singapore flights. It had the same portions, 2 options & sides & even retained the metal cutlery with it.

Fifth, they offered a 2-hour complimentary messaging service to KrisFlyer members. The Wi-Fi service was good. They had connectivity issues but overall worked fine. Sixth, the entertainment system remained updated & competitive. They have the latest movies & TV series seasons. They even had the list of connecting flights & respective boarding gates for those with connecting flights. Lastly, the pandemic has forced the airline to digitalize some onboard amenities. Inflight menus & magazines are now digital.

I noticed some services have been downsized compared to how they were pre-pandemic. First, the towel service prior to the meal service has been omitted. Second, pillows are no longer provided in every seat. They are now available by request. These are only minor & have not affected the overall flight experience.

So happy I was able to try their signature Singapore Sling drink onboard. Can’t wait for the next!

At this stage, I will choose to fly with Singapore Airlines over any Asian airline. I’ve had high expectations from the airline & I can confidently say that they delivered. I cannot wait for my next flight with them. Thank you, Singapore Airlines for this enjoyable flight to your home country, Singapore!

Allow me to share with you the technical details of the flight & the aircraft used. Please see below:

Airline: Singapore Airlines
Flight Date: 29 June 2022
Flight Number: SQ 915
Route: Manila (MNL) to Singapore (SIN)
Duration: 2 hours & 58 minutes
Seat Number: 44A
Aircraft: Airbus A350-941
Aircraft Registration: 9V-SHU
Engines: 2 x Rolls-Royce Trent XWB
Age: 1.4 years old
Delivered: February 2021

Have you recently flown with Singapore Airlines? What do you think of their service after the dark ages of the pandemic? Feel free to share your recent experiences in the comments section below. Do you have a question about the airline or this flight? You may post them in the comments below. If you are shy to post below, you may send your questions, experiences & thoughts 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 Kuala Lumpur also on Singapore Airlines. In the meantime, you may check out my previous flight reports here. Before you go, can you visit my social media channels –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Flight Report: CEBU PACIFIC AIR 5J 982 – Davao to Manila – From a Missing Pre-Booked Seat to a Delayed Late Night Flight Back to the Metro [March 2022]

After spending a few days around Davao, it’s time for us to go back to our normal lives. My friends & I took one of the last flights out of Davao last March 27, 2022. For the 3rd time on this trip, I flew with Cebu Pacific Air on flight 5J 982 back to Manila. Allow me to share with you in this flight report how this flight went, from when my pre-booked seat went missing to a delayed departure back to Manila.

In case you missed it, I shared my DG 6192 Legazpi to Manila & 5J 971 Manila to Davao flights that took me to Davao from Legazpi days before this flight back to Manila.

Cebu Pacific Air

Cebu Pacific Air is the country’s largest low-cost carrier. The airline is owned by Cebu Air Inc which is part of one of the country’s biggest conglomerates, JG Summit Holdings. The airline commenced its first flight in 1996 & has been flying for over 26 years. Together with its subsidiary, Cebgo (previously Tiger Air Philippines), the airline flies to over 60 destinations across the country, Asia Pacific & the Middle East. It operates close to 70 young & fuel-efficient jet & propeller aircraft. Cebu Pacific Air operates the narrow-body & wide-body aircraft while its subsidiary operates the propeller passenger & cargo aircraft.

The airline has a lifestyle & loyalty program called Go Rewards. It is also a founding member of Value Alliance, the world’s largest alliance of low-cost carriers. 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.

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

Airfare

I opted not to use my CEB Super Pass for this leg. Instead, I availed the GO Easy fare bundle available on the website at the time of the booking. I got the base fare for ₱199 & added ₱519 (plus VAT) for the 20-kiloggrams check-in baggage allowance & free standard seat. This bundle is way cheaper than using my CEB Super Pass then adding baggage on the add-ons page. I even added another ₱59 (plus VAT) to book a standard plus seat located in the forward cabin.

The ticket cost me ₱1,658.68 one-way. This is already a steal considering it includes a 20-kilogram baggage allowance & a forward cabin seat. Check out the breakdown of fares & taxes in the image below.

Travel Requirements

Metro Manila was downgraded to Alert Level 1 last March 2022. This meant the metro is now open to all types of travelers. No documents or tests are required to fly to Manila domestically.

Please note that these alert levels & requirements can change anytime. Always make it a habit to check Cebu Pacific Air’s Covid-19 Information Page for the updated requirements for your upcoming trip.

Before The Flight

MISSING PRE-BOOKED SEAT

At the time of booking this ticket in February, the assigned aircraft for the flight was the Airbus A330-200. I got a standard plus seat at the back (48J) & hoped that I would get the whole 2 seats for myself. A little over 2 weeks before the flight, I got an e-mail advising that the flight times have been pushed to a later time. I didn’t mind the minor schedule change. I checked the flight & saw the assigned aircraft was changed to the A321neo. I also noticed that my pre-booked seat (48J) is missing – A321s do not have Row J seats. I tried to add a standard plus seat (same type of seat I availed at the time of booking) but I was prompted by the system to pay an additional fee for this same type of seat.

I reached out to Cebu Pacific Air through their online channels (Website inquiry form, Twitter, Facebook Messenger & general e-mail) but didn’t get a prompt response. Their customer care hotline has been removed during the pandemic as part of their digitalization efforts. I tried to send an e-mail to the airline management & I got an e-mail reply after 2 days. I was endorsed to the Manager of Customer Care & was issued the ticket with my preferred standard plus 5A seat. I’d like to thank Cebu Pacific Air management for responding to my e-mails & for taking on board my concerns about the airline & system.

PRE-FLIGHT REMINDERS

Like my Legazpi to Manila & Manila to Davao flights, Cebu Pacific Air sent pre-flight e-mail reminders to all passengers. The e-mail reminders included the updated requirements for the flight to Manila as well as the process of contactless flight experience. They also gave instructions on how contactless check-in works & provided reminders to follow the health protocols from the airport terminal to the flight itself.

I applaud Cebu Pacific Air for continually sending these e-mail reminders despite the lax border requirements. The airline makes sure that passengers are up-to-date with all the travel requirements & procedures.

Flight Information

This Davao to Manila flight on 5J 982 was operated by the Airbus A321neo. This plane has a registration code of RP-C4125 & was delivered to the airline last March 2021. The flight took off from Francisco Bangoy International Airport or Davao International Airport at 11:13pm & landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 12:42am. The flight took 1 hour & 29 minutes & was delayed by almost an hour.

Airport & Ground Experience

CHECK-IN

Cebu Pacific Air check-in counters at Davao International Airport are located in the right part of the check-in area. The check-in process starts at the self-service check-in kiosks. At the time of our check-in, only 1 of the 4 kiosks were working. The ground staff pointed me directly to the counters for check-in & bag drop. I finished check-in in less than 5 minutes.

PRE-DEPARTURE

After check-in, my friends & I went through security & headed to the pre-departure area to wait for our flight. Davao Airport’s domestic pre-departure area was hot & crowded that night. All seats near the boarding gates were occupied. We found a relatively empty & cool area in the leftmost part of the pre-departure area & stayed there until our flight commenced boarding.

BOARDING

Boarding commenced at 10:35pm. Priority passengers, those traveling with kids, senior citizens & persons with disabilities boarded the aircraft first. After a few minutes, the crew called the rest of the passengers for boarding. Passengers boarded in 2 lines.

I gave way to most of the passengers & decided to board the plane last. The front aircraft door closed at 10:53pm. The whole boarding process only took 18 minutes – quite fast considering the large number of passengers onboard this 321neo aircraft.

Inflight Product & Experience

SEAT

Cebu Pacific Air’s Airbus A321neo is fitted with 236 seats in a single class (all-economy) cabin. Around 95% of the rows have 6 seats in a 3 x 3 configuration. Rows near the emergency exits / aircraft doors only have 4 seats with a 2 x 2 configuration. According to SeatGuru, premium / exit seats have a seat pitch of 30 inches. Standard plus (forward economy) & regular economy seats have a seat pitch of 28 inches. All seats have a width of 17 inches. Recaro, a world-renowned seat manufacturer, made & supplied all the seats in this A321neo.

I got seat 5A in the forward cabin for this flight to Manila. I actually got the entire row to myself. The seat features a decent-sized tray table, an individual reading light & air nozzle. It also has a netted seat pocket with the inflight safety card & air sickness bag. One new feature that’s found in Cebu Pacific Air’s A321 (not in the A320s) aircraft is the USB charging port. Each passenger has a designated USB charging port found near the seat pockets.

One thing I do not like about these Recaro SL3510 seats is its non-reclining feature. All seats can no longer be reclined because these seats have the ‘pre-reclined’ design by Recaro.

INFLIGHT SNACKS

Cebu Pacific Air does not offer complimentary snacks or meals on all of their flights. Instead, the airline offers buy on board light snacks & drinks during the flight. This paid snack service was only re-introduced recently when cases have gone down.

For this flight to Manila, the cabin crew offered light snacks & drinks to passengers shortly after take-off. Choices were limited to chips, light snacks & drinks. Rice / heavy meals & alcoholic beverages were not yet offered during this flight. Inflight menus are not yet available on this flight.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Cebu Pacific Air planes are not equipped with personal entertainment screens. Pre-pandemic, the airline had inflight magazines for every passenger. The magazine rollout has been suspended temporarily due to the pandemic. The airline is known for their inflight fun games. Cabin crew asks questions or asks for a certain item; the first passenger who provides the answer the fastest or shows the item wins an airline-branded item.

For this Davao to Manila flight, the crew decided not to have the inflight games since most of the passengers were asleep during the flight. The airline also recently brought back their Change for Good program in partnership with UNICEF. Passengers donated cash to be turned over by Cebu Pacific Air to UNICEF. This donation program came next after the snack service.

LAVATORY

The cabin crew regularly sanitized the front cabin lavatory. The lavatory was clean & well-maintained throughout the flight.

Cabin Crew Service

I had little interaction with the cabin crew on this flight – only during boarding & disembarkation. Of course, they greeted all the passengers during these times. Also as mentioned above, I noticed the crew went to clean the front cabin lavatory a few times during the flight. I also noticed that the crew placed a garbage bag / litter bag near the airplane door during disembarkation. Good one!

Disembarkation & Baggage Claim

We arrived in Manila close to 1:00am. Our plane / flight got assigned a terminal gate & jet bridge. All passengers disembarked only through the front door. I waited for & joined my friends in leaving the plane. We then went to the baggage claim area & waited for our bags.

Final Thoughts

The Cebu Pacific Air Davao to Manila flight on 5J 982 last 27 March 2022 was an ‘okay’ flight. It was not one of the best & not one of the worst 5J flights I’ve had. The airfare, including the baggage & seat bundle, was definitely a win. The aircraft used for the flight had comfortable but not-reclinable seats.

The last-minute aircraft change started it all. The airline’s system didn’t assign me a standard plus seat on the new aircraft. It even prompted me to pay again for the said add-on. Cebu Pacific Air’s customer service contact options added to the frustrations – no airline hotline available, unhelpful chatbot & busy live chat agents. I waited for 3 hours on a queue via Facebook Live chat only to be disconnected after being connected with an agent. I reached out to the airline management & was gladly issued the itinerary receipt with my chosen standard plus seat. I wish it didn’t have to go that far. I’d still like to thank Cebu Pacific Air management for responding to my e-mails & for taking on board my concerns about the airline & system.

One thing is for sure. This experience won’t discourage me from flying with Cebu Pacific Air. I will continue to fly with them in the future!

For those interested with the technicalities of this flight, please see the details below:

Airline: Cebu Pacific Air
Flight Date: 27 March 2022
Flight Number: 5J 982
Route: Davao (DVO) to Manila (MNL)
Duration: 1 hour & 29 minutes
Seat Number: 5A
Aircraft: Airbus A321-271NX (A321neo)
Aircraft Registration: RP-C4125
Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney PurePower GTF Engines
Age: 1.1 years old
Delivered: March 2021

Thank you for joining me in today’s flight report. Do you have questions about the flight or the aircraft? Feel free to post them in the comments section below. You may also send in your questions via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Stay tuned for upcoming flight reports & posts! In the meantime, you may check out my previous flight reports here. Before you go, can you visit my social media channels –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Flight Report: CEBU PACIFIC AIR 5J 971 – Manila to Davao – Excellent ₱872 Domestic Flight on a New Generation Fuel-Efficient Aircraft [March 2022]

A few weeks ago, my friends & I visited a good friend who moved back to Davao at the start of the pandemic. This Davao trip was initially planned for March 2020, but the pandemic happened. The lower number of Covid-19 cases & relaxed domestic border controls allowed us to finally push through with this trip. I won’t write about that Davao trip, but I will still write about my Manila to Davao flight. This flight was my first domestic narrow-body jet flight in 28 months; it was also my first time in Cebu Pacific Air’s Airbus A321neo aircraft. Allow me to share with you in this flight report my excellent domestic flight on the NEO!

Cebu Pacific Air

Cebu Pacific Air is the country’s largest low-cost carrier. The airline is owned by Cebu Air Inc which is part of one of the country’s biggest conglomerates, JG Summit Holdings. The airline commenced its first flight in 1996 & has been flying for over 26 years. Together with its subsidiary, Cebgo (previously Tiger Air Philippines), the airline flies to over 60 destinations across the country, Asia Pacific & the Middle East. It operates close to 70 young & fuel-efficient jet & propeller aircraft. Cebu Pacific Air operates the narrow-body & wide-body aircraft while its subsidiary operates the propeller passenger & cargo aircraft.

The airline has a lifestyle & loyalty program called Go Rewards. It is also a founding member of Value Alliance, the world’s largest alliance of low-cost carriers. 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.

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

Airfare

I’ve mentioned in the review title that I only paid ₱872 for this one-way Manila to Davao flight. Believe it or not, I booked the ticket about a month before the flight date. At the time of booking, Cebu Pacific Air offered all their domestic destinations at ₱88-base fare for immediate travel.

I decided not to use my CEB Super Pass because the existing promotion at the time of booking had a cheaper & much better value than that of the super pass. Also, I did not pre-book any baggage or add-ons because I was only staying for 4 days. The flight to Davao takes close to 2 hours & there was no need for any meal or add-on for the flight. In case you want to know more of the airline’s add-ons, feel free to check them here.

I was super lucky to get such cheap tickets for an immediate flight to Davao. I don’t know if I can still find a deal like that given the current inflation & oil prices.

Travel Requirements

Davao City was one of the first cities that removed all Covid-related requirements for inbound travel. It means that passengers are only required to bring a valid ID for their flight to Davao. This requirement is similar to all domestic flight requirements before the pandemic.

Please note that the requirements & protocols can change anytime. Always make sure to visit the airline’s Covid-19 Information Page for the updated Davao border regulations.

Before The Flight

Even if Davao City has already removed the requirements for all inbound passengers, Cebu Pacific Air still sent pre-flight reminders days before the scheduled flight. The reminder included a note to always check the local government protocols as they are subject to abrupt changes, to download the Traze mobile application & to wear face masks at all times.

The airline also sent another e-mail containing guidelines for contactless travel. This e-mail includes updated instructions for contactless check-in & bag drop procedures. It also gave a reminder to check the protocols & border requirements of the destination of choice.

I applaud Cebu Pacific Air for continually sending these e-mail reminders despite the lax border requirements. The airline makes sure that passengers are up-to-date with all the travel requirements & procedures.

Flight Information

This Manila to Davao flight on 5J 971 was operated by one of Cebu Pacific Air’s new generation fuel-efficient aircraft – the Airbus A321neo.

AIRBUS A321NEO

Cebu Pacific Air took the delivery of their first Airbus A321neo (new engine option) aircraft last January 2019. This neo aircraft has 236 seats in a single class (economy) configuration. According to Airbus press release way back in 2019, the Pratt & Whitney PurePower GTF engines of this neo aircraft delivers up to 20% fuel cost savings.

Currently, Cebu Pacific Air has 10 delivered A321neo aircraft & is still expecting 11 more in the future. The airline has converted 10 of its A321neo orders to the more fuel-efficient Airbus A321XLR (extra-long range) aircraft due for delivery starting 2024.

Fun fact: The A321neo aircraft I flew with to Davao was the first A321neo delivered to Cebu Pacific Air back in January 2019. Its registration number is RP-C4118.

AIRCRAFT CHANGE

At the time of booking this ticket, 5J 971 was assigned the airline’s newest passenger plane type – the Airbus A330neo or the -900 variant. The aircraft was then changed to the Airbus A321neo days before the flight.

FLIGHT DETAILS

This Manila to Davao flight left Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 2:56pm, cruised at an altitude of 33,000 ft above sea level & arrived Davao International Airport at 4:21pm. The flight got delayed by a few minutes due to the late turnaround of the flight before ours. The flight took 1 hour & 25 minutes. If you’ll include the airport gate to gate times, the whole flight took 1 hour & 49 minutes.

Airport & Ground Experience

CHECK-IN

After arriving from Legazpi on DG 6192, I went up to the departure hall, proceeded to the self-service check-in counter & printed by boarding pass.  The ground staff near the bag drop section advised me to directly go to the assigned boarding gate because Davao City does not have any requirements for arriving passengers. The document check & bag drop lines that time were tolerable, not as chaotic as it is usually in the morning.

PRE-DEPARTURE

After printing my boarding pass, I went through the long lines of pre-boarding security checks. Cebu Pacific Air has notice boards after security & indicated the upcoming Cebu Pacific Air flights. My flight 5J 971 was labeled as delayed with a new departure time of 2:12pm from the initial 1:40pm schedule. The LED screen also showed that my flight does not have an assigned boarding gate. In contrary, the boarding pass indicates Gate 132 as our assigned gate.

I went to Gate 132 & noticed that the pre-departure area was packed. Travel is indeed back! Social distancing was not observed. Gate 132 had no available seats & even had people standing on the sides. I decided to go to Army Navy & had my lunch. While having lunch, I heard the ground staff announcing our flight was delayed due to the late turnaround of the assigned aircraft. Passengers were advised to stay near Gate 132 to wait for the next announcement. After lunch, I just stood near Gate 132 – there were still no available seats!

Gates 131-134 are always the most crowded & chaotic boarding gates in Terminal 3. It’s also where passengers board buses to their assigned aircraft.

BOARDING

Boarding commenced at 1:44pm. The staff requested the passengers to present both boarding pass & valid ID at the final boarding / gate check. Priority passengers queued first. Gate 132 turned into a chaotic gate when boarding was announced. Some of the regular passengers immediately went on queue, even if they were not asked to line up yet. Eventually, everyone was called to board.

I noticed that the ground staff randomly checked the carry-on baggage of some passengers. The staff even called the attention of 1 passenger carrying 3 bags. Cebu Pacific Air has recently introduced new rules for carry-on bags. Please make sure to check the website for details to avoid being charged up to ₱1,000 for every excess carry-on bag.

I queued for boarding last & got on the last bus that’ll bring the remaining passengers to the aircraft. Our A321neo plane was parked near the international side of the airport. Passengers with assigned seats from Rows 1 to 15 boarded from the front door, while the rest of the passengers boarded from the rear door. The whole boarding process finished at 2:21pm; the aircraft doors were then closed.

Inflight Product & Experience

SEAT

Cebu Pacific Air’s Airbus A321neo is fitted with 236 seats in a single class (all-economy) cabin. Around 95% of the rows have 6 seats in a 3 x 3 configuration. Rows near the emergency exits / aircraft doors only have 4 seats with a 2 x 2 configuration. According to SeatGuru, premium / exit seats have a seat pitch of 30 inches. Standard plus (forward economy) & regular economy seats have a seat pitch of 28 inches. All seats have a width of 17 inches. Recaro, a world-renowned seat manufacturer, made & supplied all the seats in this A321neo.

Fun fact: This A321neo, with registration RP-C4118, was the first ever 5J NEO aircraft fitted with Recaro’s SL3510 seat. This seat is one of the lightest & most ergonomic seats in the air today.

I got seat 7A in the forward cabin for this flight to Davao. I actually got the entire row to myself. The seat features a decent-sized tray table, an individual reading light & air nozzle. It also has a netted seat pocket with the inflight safety card & air sickness bag. One new feature that’s found in Cebu Pacific Air’s A321 (not in the A320s) aircraft is the USB charging port. Each passenger has a designated USB charging port found near the seat pockets.

USB ports for all passengers!

One thing I do not like about these Recaro SL3510 seats is its non-reclining feature. All seats can no longer be reclined because these seats have the ‘pre-reclined’ design by Recaro.

Great legroom!

INFLIGHT SNACKS

Unlike the country’s flag carrier Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air does not offer complimentary snacks & drinks to their passengers. Instead, the airline offers a buy-on-board scheme. Flight attendants sold light snacks & drinks shortly after take-off. The airline does not offer hot meals on the spot. These hot meals need to be purchased ahead of time, either during the ticket booking or at least up to 24 hours before the flight. Also, inflight menus are not yet available on this flight. I did not avail of any snack or drink during this flight.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Cebu Pacific Air aircraft do not feature personal entertainment screens. Pre-pandemic, they had inflight magazines found in every seat pocket. These magazines were still not available on this flight.

The airline has recently brought back their inflight games. For this flight, the crew asked for 3 items; the passengers who raised their hand first & showed the requested items first won Cebu Pacific Air-branded pouches. I participated in the game but didn’t win anything. How unlucky. The airline also brought back their Change for Good program in partnership with UNICEF. Passengers can donate cash to be turned over by Cebu Pacific Air to UNICEF.

LAVATORY

Midway into the flight, I visited the lavatory found in the forward cabin. I was delighted to see the lavatory so clean & spotless. The lavatory had liquid hand soap & toilet paper in it. The crew made sure the lavatory was cleaned & maintained throughout the flight.

Cabin Crew Service

The cabin crew on this flight to Davao were friendly & helpful. The crew assigned in the forward cabin welcomed us with her best smile & sanitized our hands upon entering the aircraft. They even assisted some passengers to their respective seats & helped some put their bags in the overhead cabin. They also answered the passengers’ questions during the flight.

Disembarkation

We arrived at Davao International Airport at a little over 4:00pm. The cabin crew announced that only the forward door would be used for disembarkation. The passengers immediately stood up after the seatbelt sign was switched off & got off the plane. I decided to deplane last to have another look at the A321neo interiors for the last time that day.

Final Thoughts

The blog title says it all. This Manila to Davao flight on 5J 971 last 24 March was an excellent flight with Cebu Pacific Air.

Here are some of the aspects which I enjoyed on this flight. First, it was my first time flying the A321neo aircraft & my first flight on a jet in 26 months. It was supposed to be the A330neo, but the 321neo wasn’t bad at all. Second, the crew onboard the flight was outstanding. They made sure all passengers had a great flight with them. Third, the airplane seat features were great. They were comfortable to seat in for this 1.5-hour hop to Davao; they even had USB ports per seat. Fourth, the lavatory was clean & spotless. The aircraft felt & looked new even if it’s been in service for over 3 years.

I know I called it an excellent flight, but I believe there were still some I didn’t like about this flight. First, the boarding process was chaotic & long. I know the airport terminal crowd management was not the airline’s fault, but it still affected the flight experience. Second & lastly, the seats can no longer be reclined. I don’t mind having that kind of seat on short domestic flights; I don’t think it’ll be a comfortable seat for a much longer flight.

Nonetheless, it was still a fun & enjoyable flight with Cebu Pacific Air. Now that I’ve flown their A321neo, I look forward to flying their A330neo & their upcoming A321XLR!

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

Airline: Cebu Pacific Air
Flight Date: 24 March 2022
Flight Number: 5J 971
Route: Manila (MNL) to Davao (DVO)
Duration: 1 hour & 25 minutes
Seat Number: 7A
Aircraft: Airbus A321-271NX (A321neo)
Aircraft Registration: RP-C4118
Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney PurePower GTF Engines
Age: 3.3 years old
Delivered: January 2019

Thank you for joining me in today’s flight report. I hope you enjoyed this ride on the A321neo as much as I did. Do you have questions about the flight or the aircraft? Feel free to post them in the comments section below. You may also send in your questions via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Stay tuned for upcoming flight reports & posts! In the meantime, you may check out my previous flight reports here. Before you go, can you visit my social media channels –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Flight Report: CEBGO DG 6192 – Legazpi to Manila – Delayed First DG Flight Out of BIA [March 2022]

Some of you know that I moved back to my hometown in Albay during the pandemic. This move has made me take Legazpi-Manila-Legazpi flights more than usual in the last few months. I’ve shared with you my flights with Cebgo last November 2021, from Legazpi to Manila & Manila to Legazpi & with Philippine Airlines in early March 2022 on the same route from Legazpi to Manila & Manila to Legazpi.

Just a few weeks ago, my friends & I decided to fly to Davao & visit another friend. There are no direct flights from Legazpi to Davao at the moment. This meant that I had to fly again to Manila before taking that flight to Davao. Join me for today’s flight report as I share with you my recent experience with Cebgo & see if anything has changed from the flight I took back in November.

CEBGO

Cebgo is not a new airline in this website. In fact, it is the most reviewed airline including its parent company Cebu Pacific Air. Formerly South East Asian Airlines (SEAir) & Tigerair Philippines, Cebgo joined Cebu Pacific Air in 2014. Since then, Cebgo has been flying to most of the country’s smaller airports, connecting these regional airports to the rest of Cebu Pacific Air’s wide domestic airport.

The airline flies an all-turboprop fleet accommodating up to 78 passengers per flight on a single-class configuration. If I’m not mistaken, it also operates 2 all-cargo turboprop aircrafts. It’s the only turboprop cargo plane in the Philippines.

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

Airfare

At the time of booking, a one-way Legazpi to Manila ticket on this flight cost over ₱3,000 – expensive! To save some cash & like my previous Legazpi-Manila & Manila-Legazpi Cebgo flights, I used the CEB Super Pass I bought back in September 2021.

I paid ₱390.88 for the CEB Super Pass & added ₱288.88 for the airport taxes & fees at the time of booking. This one-way ticket cost me only ₱679.76 – that’s over ₱2,000 less than the advertised price in the website. What a steal! I did not any add-ons since it was only a short weekend trip & the 7 kilogram carry allowance was enough. In case you want to know more of the airline’s add-ons, feel free to check them here.

Travel requirements

Metro Manila was placed under Alert Level 1 last March 2022. This meant that the region is open to anyone; no requirements are needed to enter the metro.

Travel requirements change once in a while. Cebu Pacific Air, Cebgo’s parent company, keeps their travel information section up-to-date. Feel free to check out the page here.

Before The Flight

Even with more lax restrictions in Metro Manila, Cebu Pacific Air still sent out e-mail & Viber reminders to all passengers a few days before the scheduled flight. The reminder included a note to check local government regulations, to download the Traze mobile application & to wear a face mask during the duration of the flight.

The airline also sent passengers pre-flight reminders to ensure a safe & contactless flight. This included protocols & reminders before the flight, at the airport & even during the flight. These e-mail reminders from airlines are appreciated given the endless changes in requirements & protocols. Kudos to Cebu Pacific Air & Cebgo!

Flight Information

Cebu Pacific Air has delayed the deployment of jet planes to Legazpi Airport & has continued to utilize Cebgo’s propeller planes. This Legazpi (LGP) to Manila (MNL) flight was operated by a 5.6-year-old ATR 72-600 aircraft with registration number RP-C7280. The plane has 78 economy seats in a 2-2 configuration. The plane left Bicol International Airport (BIA) at 10:55am, cruised at 16,000 ft above sea level & arrived Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 11:59am. The flight was delayed by an hour but only took 1 hour & 4 minutes in the air.

Airport & Ground Experience

DG 6912 was Cebgo’s first flight out of Bicol International Airport that day. Know more about the airport & ground experience below.

CHECK-IN

I arrived at the airport a few minutes past 8:00 in the morning. After finishing the initial security check, the airport staff scanned my Traze mobile application QR code & asked me to proceed to check-in. I was at the end of the queue at 8:08am & finished checking in at 8:28am. I noticed that many passengers had connections to other destinations like Cebu & Caticlan (Boracay); the ground staff had to strictly check the passengers’ requirements & travel documents. It was a reasonable 20-minute check-in process. Glad the staff who checked me in me was nice & accommodating.

PRE-DEPARTURE

After check-in, I headed upstairs to submit myself to a final security check & to stay in the pre-departure area. The pre-departure area has a spectacular view of Mayon Volcano; only that the volcano was shy that morning. The terminal is spacious & the 2 operating airlines, Cebu Pacific Air / Cebgo & Philippine Airlines have their own boarding gates. I noticed that new restaurants & food kiosks have opened in the pre-departure area. Passengers now have more options to choose on what to have before the flight.

The aircraft arrived from Manila at a little over 9:30am. Most of the passengers anticipated boarding to commence a few minutes after but the gate remained closed. Time passed & no boarding announcements & flight updates were made. At 10:18am, a little over 30 minutes after the scheduled departure, I checked with the ground staff & I was informed that our flight would be delayed by a few minutes due to air traffic in Manila.

BOARDING

At exactly 10:23am, the ground staff announced boarding for priority passengers. Regular passengers followed. The process only took 19 minutes; the aircraft’s door was closed at 10:42am. The boarding process was fast considering our flight was full & only 1 ground staff managed the whole boarding process.

Inflight Product & Experience

SEAT

Cebgo’s ATR 72-600 aircraft has an all-economy class cabin with 78 seats in a 2 x 2 configuration. Each seat is either a window or an aisle seat. This 5.6-year-old aircraft is fitted with the old individual seat design. All seats have a decent-sized tray table. It also has 2 seat pockets – one for the safety card & supposed to be inflight magazine & the other for the air sickness bag.

All seats feature an individual reading light & air nozzle. Seat 6A has a broken left arm rest. I was surprised to see it wrapped in clear tape. Each seat has a pitch of 29 inches & a width of 17 inches. The seat dimensions are acceptable for a low-cost airline.

Disclaimer: Seat 6A is the closest seat to the propellers. You’ll hear a louder noise from the propellers during the flight.

INFLIGHT SNACKS

Cebgo is a no-frills airline. They do not offer complimentary snacks or meals on their flights. Instead, they offer snacks for purchase during booking or on-board during the flight. Snack service was temporarily suspended from the early days of the pandemic but has been recently restored due to lower alert levels. Shortly after the seatbelt sign was turned off, the crew offered snacks & drinks to passengers. Choices were limited to chips, light snacks & drinks. Rice / heavy meals & alcoholic beverages were not yet offered during this flight. Inflight menus are not yet available on this flight.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Cebgo aircraft do not feature entertainment screens. Inflight magazines were still not yet offered for this flight. However, the airline has brought back its inflight games just last March. The crew asked 3 questions; the passengers who raised their hand first & answered the questions first won Cebu Pacific Air-branded pouches. I participated in the game but didn’t win anything. How unlucky. The airline also brought back their Change for Good program in partnership with UNICEF. Passengers can donate cash to be turned over by Cebu Pacific Air to UNICEF.

LAVATORY

The aircraft’s only lavatory is found at the back of the plane, near the main passenger door. I decided not to use the lavatory on this flight.

Cabin Crew Service

The cabin crew gave all passengers a warm welcome during boarding. They made sure all passengers were wearing their masks & following the flight protocols. They attended to all passenger requests during the snack service. Unfortunately, I had close to no interaction with the crew on this flight.

Disembarkation

Upon arriving at our assigned bus gate, the cabin crew announced an orderly disembarkation process. Unfortunately, the passengers did not follow the by-row disembarkation process. Most passengers stood up as soon as they were allowed to. Shuttle buses took us back to the Terminal 3 building for arrival & baggage claim.

Final Thoughts

This DG 6912 flight from Legazpi to Manila was just right. I won’t say it’s an excellent flight because it surely had its misses.

Here are the things I liked about this flight. First is the ticket price. Booking this using the CEB Super Pass was definitely a steal. From the regular ticket price of over ₱3,000, it went down to around ₱700 because of the ticket voucher. Second, the airline sent reminders before the flight to make sure that passengers are well-informed of the destination requirements & flight contactless protocols. Third, inflight snack service & games are offered again onboard. It gives the impression that travel is slowly getting back to what it used to be. Fourth, the check-in process took a while than usual but it was reasonable. The ground staff made sure passengers comply with all the requirements & documents needed on their destinations.

There are also some areas in which I believe the flight experience can be improved. First, ground staff should have provided flight updates at the pre-departure area. No announcements were made on why the flight was delayed & on what’s the updated time of departure. Second, you’ll notice that the aircraft needs repair on some parts. Lastly, the flight delay almost made me miss my next flight to Davao. It was not the airline’s fault, but it still somehow affected the flight experience.

Don’t worry, I will surely fly with Cebgo & Cebu Pacific Air in the future. They still offer the best valued fares to almost everywhere in the Philippines & internationally.

Here are the specific / geeky details of this flight:

Airline: Cebgo
Flight Date: 24 March 2022
Flight Number: DG 6192
Route: Legazpi (LGP) Albay to Manila (MNL)
Duration: 1 hour & 4 minutes
Seat Number: 6A
Aircraft: ATR 72-600
Aircraft Registration: RP-C7280
Age: 5.6 years old
Year Delivered: October 2016

Have you taken any domestic flight recently? How was your experience? Did you notice that the passenger level is nearing pre-pandemic numbers? Share your recent experiences & observations in the comments section below. Do you have any questions about this flight? You can also send those questions via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com. I will try to get back to them as soon as I can.

Thanks for joining me in today’s flight report. I have a few flights lined up in the coming weeks & months. Please stay tuned! Before you go, can you visit my social media channels –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Hostel of the Day: LUB D MAKATI – Posh & Affordable City Center Hostel Perfect for Your Next Staycation

Lately, I came across old phone photos about a really good hostel in the heart of Makati City – Lub d Makati. I’ve stayed with this hostel a few times in the past but never thought of writing about it. Well, I’ve featured hostels from Boracay & Palawan & as far as Taiwan, Australia, Japan, Czech Republic & Denmark; I thought of finally featuring this city gem. Welcome to today’s hostel of the day feature. Join me as I run you through the hostel’s features & amenities. Know why Lub d Makati is the perfect choice for your post-pandemic staycation.

In case you don’t know, I’ve featured the hostels I’ve been to since 2017. I already wrote about hostels from Asia, Australia & Europe. Check out all these hostel of the day features here.

Lub D Hostels & Lub D Makati

Lub d is a small Bangkok-based hostel group. The group has properties in 3 Southeast Asian countries. The hostel group has 3 properties in Thailand (Bangkok, Phuket & Koh Samui), 1 property in Cambodia (Siem Reap) & 1 property in the Philippines (Makati – today’s hostel of the day feature).

Lub d Makati is the hostel group’s first property in the Philippines. The hostel opened in 2018 in the heart of Makati City – one of the metro’s busiest cities. It features 153 private rooms & 10 dormitory rooms in a simple multi-storey building (from the outside) with beautifully designed interiors. The hostel has various features & amenities which will all be discussed below.

Location & Access

Lub d Makati is located at 7820 Makati Avenue, Makati City. The hostel is in a busy commercial area full of restaurants, bars, hotels, offices & condominiums. It is accessible to the public via jeepneys & taxis. The nearest shopping malls are about 2 kilometers. The airport is about 20-30 minutes away without traffic.

The hostel’s location is a 10 out of 10. The nearest convenience store is a few meters walk from the property. Restaurants are found in front or beside the hostel building. The nearest supermarket is a few meters walk from the hostel. The hostel is 300 meters away from Poblacion – Makati’s famous night out spot. The only downside of its location is the traffic congestion (which I don’t mind) outside the hostel’s doors.

Room Options

Lub d Makati caters to all kinds of guests – whether you’re a solo traveler spending a night in Manila before going to the islands, a couple leaving after a long holiday in the Philippines or groups who just want to go on a staycation. The hostel has 153 private rooms divided into double, twin & barkada rooms. It also has 10 dormitory rooms with 8 beds each. These rooms are configured either as female only or mixed dormitory rooms.

My friends & I would usually book the 16 sq m barkada room for 4. This room has either a double or twin beds & 2 single beds in the mezzanine. The room has a private shower & toilet, complete with towels, shampoo & liquid soap. Each baraka room has air conditioning, a cable television, a small refrigerator, a safety deposit box, an electric kettle, glasses, cups & 4 free bottles of water. All private rooms have almost the same layout, except for the additional mezzanine beds in the barkada room.

I never tried staying on their dormitory rooms but I’ve read from their website that each air-conditioned room is spacious at 36 sq m. Each bed has a private reading light, privacy curtain, universal power outlet & USB charging port, individual locker, a complete bedding set & bath towel. Guests staying in a dormitory room have access to shared shower area & toilet.

A bed in the dormitory room can cost as low as below ₱500 per night depending on season & length of stay. The private double & twin rooms can cost as low as a little over ₱2,000 per night while the barkada room can cost as low as a little over ₱3,000 per night during low season. To be honest, I never paid more than ₱3,000 during my previous stay with Lub d Makati. I always book my stay with 3rd party companies like Agoda, Booking.com & Traveloka & avail of their promotions & discounts for lower room rates.

Guest Facilities & Amenities

Lub d Makati boasts a long list of facilities & amenities their guests can enjoy. It may not have a swimming pool unlike their properties in other countries, but it surely has other perks which guests can still avail.

Free Wi-Fi – All guests have access to free high-speed wireless internet connection in common areas & inside the rooms.

On-site Café & Snack Bar – The hostel has an on-site café & snack bar near the reception area. This café serves coffee, breakfast & snacks.

Rooftop Bar & Restaurant – Lub d Makati has a rooftop bar & restaurant which offers a good view of Makati skyline. Essential goodness, for the pilgrims is found in the 13th floor of the hostel building & is open to serve customers from breakfast to dinner.

Communal Social Area – The hostel as a large communal social area by the reception area. The area has cozy chairs with a view of Makati Avenue.

Media Room – Lub d Makati has a media room where guests can chill & watch something.

Co-Working Space – The hostel has a co-working space open for everyone. Rates include the use of spacious tables & high-speed Wi-Fi connection. Check out the hostel’s website for the updated rates & membership fees.

Private Meeting Room – Guests who need to host meetings can use the hostel’s private meeting room. Please approach the hostel reception if you want to use this room.

Guest Activities & Tours – Lub d Makati hosts daily activities & games for the guests. Check out the latest activities in the activity board near reception. They also offer different tours around Metro Manila. Feel free to ask reception on what are the available tours during your stay.

Communal & Private Amenities – The property has clean & well-maintained toilets & amenities both inside the rooms & in the communal areas.

Games Area – The hostel has a small games area where guests can freely play pool, table football & other games. There are also board games to borrow & enjoy!

Luggage Storage – Lub d Makati offers luggage storage for their guests both before check in & after check out.

Laundry Service – The hostel also offers laundry services. Check out with reception on where these facilities are found.

Private Room Amenities – Private rooms have small refrigerators, safety deposit boxes, in-room telephones, bottled waters, water kettles, coffee, glasses & cups.

24-Hour Reception – Lub d Makati’s reception is always manned. It is open to help guests & address guests’ concerns 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Welcoming & Friendly Staff – Lub d Makati’s staff are very friendly & welcoming. They make sure they talk to their guests & even briefs guests about the hostel’s facilities upon check-in. The hostel’s housekeeping staff are also friendly. They always greet guests in the hallways & in the lifts.

Free Parking – The hostel has free parking in the ground floor. Free parking is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Lift Access – Guests who have luggage & big bags don’t need to worry about bringing their bags to their rooms. The hostel has 2 lifts which only work with the use of the room key cards.

Secured Hostel Access – Lub d Makati guests are the only ones who have access to the hostel’s rooms. The room key cards only work on the assigned rooms, assigned floors (in the lifts) & in the communal floors – 2nd floor reception & communal areas & 13th floor rooftop bar & restaurant.

Experiences

I stayed with Lub d Makati for a few times in the last 2 years – all stays in their barkada room. I like the room layout – 2 beds in the ground & 2 beds in the mezzanine. All beds have a pillow, blanket, bath towel, personal light, 1 universal power outlet & 1 USB plug. The pillow & bed are comfortable.

The private rooms are well-designed & well-lighted. I fancy the small table between the beds & the powder / preparation area. I also like that the sink is outside the toilet & shower room, making it possible for people to use these facilities simultaneously. The rooms have cable television & cold air conditioning. All private rooms have a small window with dark curtains.

Check in & check out process are quick. The 2nd floor hostel facilities are free to use for all guests. My friends & I played pool, table football & jenga during our stay in the hostel. The 2nd floor communal area is spacious enough. I haven’t joined any hostel activity but I’ll be down to in my post-covid stay. Believe it or not, I haven’t tried the on-site café & snack bar & the rooftop bar & restaurant. My friends & I always go out of the hostel to eat.

Lub d Makati may not be the cheapest option in the area but it’s where you actually get the worth of every peso you paid. Their rates are still affordable compared to the properties of the same class or level. The rooms & communal areas are simple but well-designed – very instagrammable! With its long list of perks & facilities, it is the perfect property for your post-covid staycation with friends. I cannot wait for the situation to get better; I will bring my friends here for a night of catch-up.

In case you have questions to the hostel, you can contact them at the following platforms:

Lub d Philippines – Makati
Address: 7820 Makati Avenue, Brgy Poblacion, Makati City, Philippines 1210
Phone Number: +62 8542 6358 / +63 915 546 3309
E-mail Address: contact.makati@lubd.com
Website: www.lubd.com/makati
Facebook: www.facebook.com/lubdphmakati
Twitter: www.twitter.com/lub_d
Instagram: www.instagram.com/lubdmakati

Have you been to Lub d Makati? What do you think of the hostel, its rooms & facilities? Feel free to share your thoughts & comments below. For me, it is the perfect hostel for your barkada’s staycation. The hostel is posh; it has affordable rates. Its location is perfect & it has a long list of amenities to enjoy.

Do you have questions about the things & features mentioned above? You may also send these questions via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Please please please also follow me on my social media pages – Facebook & Instagram.

I hope you also check out my other hostel of the day features! Thanks for joining me today. See you in the next one. Stay safe! ❤️

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.