The distance between Perth and Manila is approximately 5,200 Kilometres. Siri will probably does not have a clue how to take you there. So outpost Siri and here is the list of Airlines that can take you to Jollibee for those crunchy chicken joy.
Most Airlines do have an ‘Early Bird Sale’ that is usually released around August to October for travel the following year between March to November. Also consider traveling on weekdays like Mondays to Thursdays or Red Eye (Midnight) flight as it will be a bit cheaper and more seats are available.
If you are considering going home during Christmas, the best time to buy the ticket is around July to September or earlier as the flights tends to get more expensive and the seats goes fast closer to ‘BER’ months.
My Top 3 are definitely the budget Airlines which you can take if you are on a tight budget. You don’t really need the add-ons like baggage and Meals. Just take a 7-kilo hand-carried luggage for free and cook some adobo the night before and take it with you on the flight.
These Budget Airlines do not have good connections in their Hubs, so make sure the battery of your gadgets is fully charged, as you need it to spend some time at the Airport. Or you can also spend it at their transit Hotel which is around $50-100 per room. A better idea is to actually explore the city and spend couple of days there and you have yourself an additional trip to your holiday.
If you will end up buying the add-ons, then might as well go for full-service Airlines like Singapore and Cathay Pacific. Not only they provide excellent service, but they also have in-flight entertainment and full board meals. Very good connections at the airport and earning frequent flyer miles to lessen the price for next trip is always a plus on these Airlines.
Now, there are other Airlines and you can try a combination of flights, but be mindful to have sufficient time to do connections. Allow at least 3 hours or more. Most airlines cannot check your bags all the way through. Also sometimes, flights may be delayed or cancelled. So it’s a bit risky but sometimes worth it.
Here are some Important Tips:
1 . Make sure to subscribe to all the Airlines special offer going to Manila, so you can receive an update every time they go on sale.
2. There is really nothing wrong with booking the flights with online travel website, but please do not tick that you have agreed to the terms and connections if you have not read it. It may be really cheap to begin with, but they tend to have surcharges and service fees especially if it’s time for rebooking.
3. Booking through a travel agency is a plus. Not only can they get you the cheapest prices but they also give you travel advice and good add ons like travel insurance, free hotel for the long stop etc.
4. If the prices on the travel website or travel agency is similar to the Airlines’ direct website, I highly recommend to book your trip with the airlines website directly. Not only is it very easy to book, but you will also find them very convenient to deal with if changing your plans becomes
necessary.
Good luck on booking your flights and I hope I saved you a bit of researching!
by Trixie Batoon-Balane
About the Contributor: Trixie came to Perth 5 years ago to be with the love of her life. Often homesick, she prefers to fly back to Manila for holidays. She says she doesn’t mind the traffic at Edsa, and would explore the streets of Makati for the fish balls on a stick or go up to Tagaytay for a soulful soup of nilagang bulalo. Trixie is a tourism major and has worked with the travel industry for almost 9 years now. She shares the experience she has gained from working at the airport, travel agency and airlines.
