Philippine Airlines review by Rhys 2013-02-12

November 2012, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam to Manila, Philippines on PR592 then transit through Manila onto domestic PR864 to Cebu. I have never had a good experience flying Philippines Airlines. The last time I flew it was about 4 years ago. The flight was delayed by five hours and I missed my connection and was left stranded all night at Singapore airport. Unfortunately my latest experience was not an improvement. I travel a lot through Asia and always like to be organised. On this occasion I went to the Philippines Airline website to do online checkin like all normal people do. Unfortunately Philippines Airlines does NOT have an online checkin website facility. What the????? Therefore I got out to the airport in Ho Chi Minh City 2 hours early to manually checkin. Unfortunately in the months between me paying for my flight and checking in at the airport Philippines Airlines had introduced a new computer booking system so my booking no longer existed. After 30 minutes of discussion and several levels of escalation I was able to get a ticket and off I went to the departure lounge. As passengers are starting to board my name is announced over the loud speaker. I am then escorted all the way back through immigration and ultimately back to the same ticketing counter where I'm told they need to open my suitcase. I open it up so they can inspect "The Good Wife" dvd collection I purchased for my wife and then off I go again through immigration and ultimately on the plane. I then sit there. The plane is delayed although this time only 30 minutes. On arrival in Manila I'm trying to find where I should go to get to my domestic flight. I follow the signs that say "transfers to domestic flights" go through immigration, pick up my luggage and walk through the doors and low and behold, I'm standing on the street. After asking several dodgy looking people for directions I carry my samsonite case on my back up about 80 stairs to the next concourse. Walk 500 metres along the sidewalk to the "domestic airport" go inside and am met with about 50 check in counters. Finally I manage to offload the luggage and get my boarding pass. To my delight there was no air conditioning, nothing edible to eat and no toilet facilities to be seen. At least my flight to Cebu left on time and ultimately I got to my destination. NEVER AGAIN!