Budget Airlines in the Philippines

Posted by Ian Galliguez in Tips and Tools | 0 comments

With 7,107 islands, it could be a very expensive and arduous task to go around the Philippines, but not to worry – there are budget airlines that fly around and even outside the Philippines that won’t break your bank account. DiscoverPH takes a look at the different budget airlines in the Philippines for you.

1. Cebu Pacific – Cebu Pac, as it is fondly called, is the most popular of the budget airlines in the country. It flies to almost all the major airports in the country and also in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan and Taiwan.

Cebu Pacific has year round Go Lite fares and other seat sales that can cost less than a thousand pesos (without taxes, of course). You can also book online and pay online using your Visa or Mastercard credit card. If you don’t have a credit card, that’s still okay. You can book it over the phone or online and then pay at their Robinson’s Galleria office within 24 hours.

They don’t usually provide refreshments on local flights but they do give you an option of purchasing it. The only thing I find annoying is the “games” they play on board. I’m sure they’re just trying to make it more fun for the passengers but it’s actually very annoying for some who would just like to relax or concentrate on not freaking out during a flight. (Some of us have a morbid fear of flying)

Website	http://book.cebupacificair.com/
Contact information	(+632) 290 5271 (+632) 290 5272 More contacts
Address	Airline Operations Center Building Manila Domestic Airport Complex Old Domestic Road Pasay City Philippines 1301

2. Zest Air – Zest Air used to be called Asian Spirit (and yes, we know the joke already – Fly to Asia, land as a Spirit…) Before it was bought by the Zest-O people (yes, the juice drink), their planes were known to be very small and bumpy, thus creating a very uncomfortable ride. Although they only cater to domestic trips, the new Zest Air have improved their services and have ensured that their flights are now a little bit more comfortable.

Zest air has now tour options and the notable Voyager Pass – which is like a frequent travel booklet for those who travel domestically almost all the time. You can also book your flight online, choose to pay with your BDO credit cards or book it online and pay at their ticketing office.

Website	http://www.zestair.com.ph/
Contact information	(632) 855 3333 (for booking/rebooking) [email protected]
Address	Zest Airways, Inc. Asian Aeronautics Hangar General Aviation Area, Pasay City Philippines

3. SeaAir – SeaAir is actually the second oldest airline in the Philippines and is known for its “paradise to paradise” flights. Most known for its almost daily flights to Boracay, they have now expanded to Batanes. Palawan and Clark.

What’s impressive is the way they think about their passengers, thus offering a leisure package to Batanes. We honestly have to give them proper credit in their efforts to bring and increase tourism in Batanes. Their Batanes leisure package is relatively affordable – at 17,000++ per person, you get a round trip flight, accommodations and a tour.

4. AirPhil Express - AirPhil Express is actually a sister company of Philippine Airlines that used to be Air Philippines until it merged with PAL Express. They also have fare promos year round and travels to major domestic airports in the country.

However, it seems that most of the reviews that you see online are negative. The very first of which is this. In my opinion, the service that they gave was terrible and that manger ought to be fired for what he has done. Another review was about how there was no online or phone support. Read about it here. Their website is also appalling. Perhaps PAL should look into this and improve on their customer service before they start flying people. Although there is that saying “You get what you pay for” and since it is a low budget airline, one has to expect this kind of service. They do claim that they are Cebu Pacific’s most serious competitor, so you kind of expect that they’ll be better in terms of fare, service and support. Failing miserably there though.