General Info

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojFGo9RN5mY[/url]

Look for 2:20 onwards, when you see a clumsy guard cocking his gun, and then at 12:00 onwards, when Private security 'volunteered' to go to the Police station to show proof of their guns (as per the police.) or, to chit chat with the Makati police (as per the sister of the security company owner). While the Dasma management team says they were plain simply arrested.

Binay junior, in his defence, says, he told the cops not to treat the private security bad. And just tell them to show courtesy and Binay Sr says the private security Didn't follow protocol. And then, Miss Binay says the video is proof of haters of her family.

It is Fun in the Philippines.

Three dead. Probable assassination. If you're flying Cebu Pacific wear your body armour. Stray bullets.

[url]http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/340628/news/metromanila/zambo-sur-town-mayor-shot-dead-at-naia-terminal-3[/url]

[QUOTE=Hutsori; 1509864]Three dead. Probable assassination. If you're flying Cebu Pacific wear your body armour. Stray bullets.

[url]http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/340628/news/metromanila/zambo-sur-town-mayor-shot-dead-at-naia-terminal-3[/url][/QUOTE]Wow my gf just arrived in the same terminal 30 min before that.

[QUOTE=Radical Guy; 1509729]I am flying to the Philippines from the US next month, taking Delta. They charge $159 extra to upgrade to an "Economy Comfort" seat for the international part of the trip. They say there is a bit more legroom, more seat recline, and free drinks. Does anyone know if the Economy Comfort upgrade is worth the extra cost?

RG[/QUOTE]I flew Delta for the first time last month to Manila. I was able to find a seat with an isle on one side and an empty seat next to me by checking the seating chart online. I prefer doing that than spending $200 each way for a couple of extra inches.

[QUOTE=Bob Bowie;1510111]I was able to find a seat with an isle on one side and an empty seat next to me by checking the seating chart online.[/QUOTE]I've done economy upgrades a few times and the aisle seat option is adequate enough I do the same thing; gives you plenty of room to stretch your legs into the aisles as needed. Exit rows are also great economic options if you can get one.

Either way, it's advisable to get up and walk at least a few paces regularly especially if you are big, overweight, diabetic, smoke, hypertensive etc which are all risk factors for developing a leg clot (deep vein thrombosis) and its potentially lethal brethren (pulmonary embolus or clot thrown to lungs). I don't have any of these risk factors but age over 40 is another risk factor so I take a baby ASA or single 325 mg aspirin the morning of any very long flight to prevent clots. Short of that, staying hydrated, moving around regularly and avoiding your legs latched (eg in middle seat) for long periods helps avoid leg clots. That said, upgrade seats do give you more room and if you're 6 feet or above, on a full flight and can't get an aisle seat, $159 might be a very good investment.

[QUOTE=BeerCans; 1509620]Hi mate,

Keep a look at Philippines air lines the do good deals out of Manila to Darwin then to Brisbane its almost a dricet flight. Jets star are now going to stop flights from drwin to Manila as air Philippines taking pepole of them. Air Asia ok in to gold coast but if she going to be living in Brisbane better to get flight to Brisbane as its a pain getting from gold coast airport to train station. Then she looking at a over one hour train trip to central station. Is this going to be her first trip to Australia. My gf tried to get work here in Brisbane as nurse but no luck. If your daughter or your self need any help or in fo on Brisbane drop me a line I may be able to help.

Ps I live in Brisbane.[/QUOTE]Thanks BeerCans. I will do just that. I may have been a bit premature here as she is still in the process of having her credentials verified which has been a rather slow process. She has her youth working holiday visa approved, but won't go until agency confirms her RN status and that she can work as a nurse there. She applied to agency in Brisbane but wants to work on gulf coast. I am going to have to brush up on my geography.

[QUOTE=Pete Benetar;1510154]I've done economy upgrades a few times and the aisle seat option is adequate enough I do the same thing; gives you plenty of room to stretch your legs into the aisles as needed. Exit rows are also great economic options if you can get one.[/QUOTE]I recently made the mistake of paying extra for an exit row seat so I could get extra leg room since I'm 6'4". The problem was the tray table was one that flipped down in to the side arm rest making the seat width another 2" or more narrower. It was an uncomfortable 13 hour flight.

[QUOTE=Tally Wacker;1510166]I recently made the mistake of paying extra for an exit row seat so I could get extra leg room since I'm 6'4". The problem was the tray table was one that flipped down in to the side arm rest making the seat width another 2" or more narrower. It was an uncomfortable 13 hour flight.[/QUOTE]Best solution I have found is Seatguru.com

I have been trying to plan a trip to the PI, but in my research, have been shocked by the travel times everywhere. It seems like everything is an 8 hour bus ride. Why is that? Is it that the roads are bad? Traffic slow?

The Rice Terraces are a 9 hour bus ride from Manila. NINE HOURS!

Has anyone ever rented a car in the PI? Why aren't more people talking about that?

And before anyone comments on it, I would NOT drive in Manila. Just from the airport to everywhere else.

Thanks in advance!

[QUOTE=Manny51; 1510219]I have been trying to plan a trip to the PI, but in my research, have been shocked by the travel times everywhere. It seems like everything is an 8 hour bus ride. Why is that? Is it that the roads are bad? Traffic slow?

The Rice Terraces are a 9 hour bus ride from Manila. NINE HOURS!

Has anyone ever rented a car in the PI? Why aren't more people talking about that?

And before anyone comments on it, I would NOT drive in Manila. Just from the airport to everywhere else.

Thanks in advance! [/QUOTe.

To many cars and buses not enough roads and highways. The bus stops along the way makes the trip longer But the bus is the way to go most places and I never thought it to be a hassle even on times when I got on some pretty packed buses

[QUOTE=Radical Guy; 1509729]They charge $159 extra to upgrade to an "Economy Comfort" seat for the international part of the trip. They say there is a bit more legroom, more seat recline, and free drinks.[/QUOTE]I don't think the seats recline that much more then the standard ones, you get about 3 to 4 inches of extra leg room and beer & wine are already included in your fare on the international leg. For me it's not worth it, but if you're over 6'2" tall and / or really fat then it might just be a viable option.

But here's another way to think spending your hard earned cash. At the current FXR, USD 159. 00 equals about 6, 900p. That equates to about 8 ST bar fines plus about 500p left over for a dinner and / or a few drinks; or 3-4 LT barfines and about 900p left over. So what's more important, a few inches of leg room or hours upon hours of pleasure? And that's just if you pay for the seat upgrade for one way; double it for the round trip or you can double your pleasure too, LOL.

For me the choice is obvious. I'd grab an aisle seat at the standard fare and add the $159 (or $318 for RT) to my mongering budget.

I'm 6'5" and I always fly Delta when I go back to the States. The best thing to do is download the delta app. Right before they start boarding, check the seating chart and make a change. The exit row seats, unless you get one with no seats in front of it, do not have any extra space. On long flights there are usually empty seats, I just change to a seat that has another empty seat next to it using the app. Much better than the exit row. Also, the flight staff is always very accommodating, especially to tall people. They will always look for something better for you, with the exception of an upgrade.

FLT.

[QUOTE=Pip Jaeger; 1510252], but if you're over 6'2" tall and / or really fat then it might just be a viable option.

For me the choice is obvious. I'd grab an aisle seat at the standard fare and add the $159 (or $318 for RT) to my mongering budget.[/QUOTE]What if you are both Pip? Don't answer that it is rhetorical LOL.

For me Delta is not an airline I call first class. I have flown the carrier and never enjoyed it especially long haul. But I appreciate those who live in the USA have limited choice if one wants an affordable option.

I agree with Pip that regardless of size etc save the see ash for more important matters LOL.

I have done them all from the states. Cathay Pacific is by far the best Airline servicing the US to Manila. Thru Hong Kong, plus we get to stop over in HK at no charge to play in Wanchai for a couple of nites. US United and Delta carriers suck long haul with their Bitchy Grandma Flight Attendants and charging for drinks and other things. I am going to Asia to forget about bitchy American ladies I don't want to be reminded of them in flight. ANA is not much better and food sucks too much Japanese. China Airlines suck also. For me and my travelling companions for about $200 more than US carriers you can't compare the service food and comfort of Cathay Pacific. Their Flight Attendants look like Porcelain Dolls and are so friendly and accommodating. Cathay is indeed in a different league.

For some, Philippine Airlines may offer an answer. They have a flight out of Las Vegas with a short stopover in Vancouver then direct to Manila. If you book on Monday, Wednesday or Friday they use their 777 which is never full. As soon as the doors are closed tell the flight attendant that you are looking to sit alone and they will let you move to the back to chose another seat. Any time I have flown on this flight I have had all four seats in the center row to myself and stretched out. It leaves Vancouver around midnight arriving Manila at around 05:00 so immigration is pretty quick at that time of day with no other flights arriving. I could save a few dollars with other airlines but like the idea of getting there by a direct flight. The rest of the fleet, at least from Canada are pieces of crap.

They will also let you have an exit row with lots of leg room for $50 which I have tried but I found out the arm rests in those seats do not lift up and ended up moving back anyway.