Trip to Manila, Philippines

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Buzz
Posts: 1297
Joined: 04 Mar 2003, 00:00
Location: Hasselt

Trip to Manila, Philippines

Post by Buzz »

My parents are looking to travel to Manila, Philippines in the Christmas holiday (21dec07-5jan07).
Can anyone suggest some websites to look for good fares? Wich airlines should I check?
So far I'f found around 1500 euro's per person.

All tips are welcome!

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Ozzie1969
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Joined: 03 Sep 2004, 00:00
Location: Brugge, Flanders + Annan, Scotland + Ormoc,Philippines
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Re: Trip to Manila, Philippines

Post by Ozzie1969 »

Buzz wrote:My parents are looking to travel to Manila, Philippines in the Christmas holiday (21dec07-5jan07).
Can anyone suggest some websites to look for good fares? Wich airlines should I check?
So far I'f found around 1500 euro's per person.

All tips are welcome!
Go KLM.

Fly KLM Cityhopper from Brussels to Amsterdam, then fly straight from Amsterdam to Manila. That's what I've done on my last 2 trips to Manila (actually, I still have many hours to go before I reach my destination, including a boat trip), and it's much better than flying another airline (like Singapore Airlines or Malaysian) with a long stopover somewhere. I spent 17 hours in Kuala Lumpur Airport last November : never again. If it hadn't been for the free internet there, I would have gone berserk.

If a stopover is no objection, you might even try to book a flight to Hong Kong or Singapore, and then use Cebu Pacific to fly onwards to Manila.

And 1500 euros is way overpriced.

regi
Posts: 5140
Joined: 02 Sep 2004, 00:00
Location: Bruges

Post by regi »

My experience with long haul tickets is that I get always the best result by going in person to Joker.
They have an office in Hasselt:
Leopoldplein 4
3500 Hasselt
Tel. 011/ 23.25.88 - fax 011/23.28.69
hasselt@joker.be

Don't email, don't be lazy, just go in person. Than you can discuss flexible departure dates, seating, waiting time etcetera.
Joker each time beat Connections on price, for exactly the same flights. Just try it.
Best advice: be flexible with travelling days. A day more or less on holiday can easely save you between 50 and 150 euro a person.

bert_want_to_fly
Posts: 6
Joined: 04 Jul 2007, 18:38

Post by bert_want_to_fly »

i've been travelling for more then 2 years an i booked most of my tickets on airstop.be
if you go manilla, check out flights who stop over in Bangkok, Bangkok is the center of asia and cheap to fly to
btw, the phillipines are really nice, take some inland flights.... really exiting...

MHG
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Joined: 21 May 2005, 00:00
Location: near Mannheim, Germany (MHG/EDFM)
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Post by MHG »

Since you are from Hasselt i suggest you may consider flying ex Germany.

There´s a specialist travel agency in Köln (Keulen/Cologne) for travel to the Philippines. It´s almost an institution in the german Phil. community...

They also have a website: www.kirschner.de

If one of your parents is Filipino they will even offer so-called "Balikbayan" fares! These are slightly cheaper than the regular ones but most importantly offer higher free baggage allowances (e.g. 30Kg or even 35Kg instead of the common 20Kg only...)

There´s another "specialist" travel agency in Rottenburg (near Stuttgart)
Find out more here: www.vollmer-reisen.de

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Buzz
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Joined: 04 Mar 2003, 00:00
Location: Hasselt

Post by Buzz »

Thanks for the replies guys! Apperently Manila is popular around chrismas, so there weren't many options any more.
They booked EK from DUS, wich was the only available option that was somewhat reasonably priced...

regi
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Location: Bruges

Post by regi »

EK from DUS is okay, certainly when you are from Hasselt.
The airport is modern, clean and very convenient.
But I doubt if your parents will like the trip.
I used EK to BKK, and honestly speaking, I am not wild about it.
narrow seats combined with a small seat pitch.
arrival at Dubai can be hectic. Unpolite airport staff. If your parents have to wait a long time, they could use one of the lounges . Check the website of Dubai Airport for it. We used the hotel in the airport itself. It is costly, +- 120 euro. But it is worth the money , imagine 8 hours waiting in the terminal!
There will be no chance for a free upgrade. All seats will be occupied.
The food with EK is good and diverse. But it is spoiled by the little room to move your arms , just to eat.

I hope it will not spoil their trip.

By the way, can you tell how much they paid?

SabenaForever
Posts: 510
Joined: 24 Dec 2003, 00:00

Post by SabenaForever »

try "gofly" or "tavelstore maker"

greetz christophe

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Buzz
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Post by Buzz »

I believe it was somewhere around 1100 euro's pp.

regi
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Location: Bruges

Post by regi »

wow, 1100 euro to go see Anak sing his song in the barrio.
I assume it is the right price for that time of the year. Some weeks earlier or a month later might have been 200-300 euro cheaper.

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Buzz
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Location: Hasselt

Post by Buzz »

regi wrote:wow, 1100 euro to go see Anak sing his song in the barrio.
I assume it is the right price for that time of the year. Some weeks earlier or a month later might have been 200-300 euro cheaper.
Indeed, but my mom is a teacher (has to be chrismas holiday) and it is more a family visiting trip, since I have a 'tante nonneke' who is working there in a handicapped shelter...

Thanks for all the replies!

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