Philippine Airlines Business Class a330 From Dubai to Manila

A few months ago I posted about a nice Business Class deal on Philippine Airlines. Just 2830 AED or 770 USD for a return flight from Dubai to Manila.
That’s almost 18 hours in Business Class in total! On top of that it was only bit more expensive than Emirates in economy(!) and almost 3.5 times cheaper than Emirates Business Class. (at the time of my booking)

But can Philippine Airlines live up to the Business Class expectations for such a low price?
Absolutely! You get so much value for money! Note that this was not even an error fare but a normal promotion. And Philippine Airlines launched a new version of their a330 which is even better, more about that at the end of the post.

Let’s have a look what it is like to fly the airline that represents the heart of the Filipino.

The Flight

Philippine Airlines – Business Class – a330 (2015 version) – DXB <-> MNL
My video at the top of my post will give you a good idea of the experience and I will give some more details below.

The Seat / Full flat bed

The configuration is a bit funny with the 2 seats slightly angled towards each other but you get a full flat bed. This is very important if you want to get some sleep. Some plane types only offer an angled flat bed or a reclining seat. Personally I can only sleep in a full flat bed.

 

Comfort wise the seat / bed is perfectly fine. An extra mattress would have been nice but for this price I did not really expect that.
It’s good to know that windows seats don’t have direct aisle access so avoid those if that is important for you.

The Entertainment / iPad

You get an iPad as there is no built in screen in the seats. It did not really bother me as you get a stand to place it at an angle that suites you best. There are not a gazillion movies but enough to keep you busy.

 

The Food and Drinks

During the 9 hour flight there were 2 meal services that each came with an appetizer and a dessert. I could pick from a few different items and although it was nothing fancy the taste was nice. Make sure to give the mango dessert a try!

 

There were more than enough drink options and even champagne! Again, not the most fancy champagne but still I paid 3.5 times less than 5 star airlines and still got champagne.

 

The Amenity Kit

To take care of yourself during the flight you get a L’Occitane amenity bag. Inside I discovered a toothbrush, eye shades, comb, socks, and three L’Occitane products.

The Crew

For me the crew contributes a lot, if not the most to a smooth and enjoyable flight. This is where Philippine Airlines scored very high. If you have been to the Philippines then you know what I mean by Filipino hospitality. And that’s exactly what I experienced on board, a super friendly crew who took good care of me. They created a feel good vibe in the cabin and do everything with a smile. So good job Philippine Airlines!

Wait there is an even better version?

Although this version of the a330 was already nice there is a an even newer version which offers direct aisle access for every seat and built in entertainment screens.
On my YouTube channel, Miggy 1999 told me that the new Philippine Airlines a330 version can be flown on the following routes (info october 2017): Manila to or from

• Honolulu
• Melbourne
• Sydney
• Hong Kong
• Shanghai

and in the future also

• Singapore
• Tokyo (Narita and Haneda)
• Osaka

Please share this review if you enjoyed reading it 🙂 Let me know if you have any questions about Philippine Airlines experience in the comments below?