My previous flight with Philippine Airlines (PR) left much to be desired where the actual hardware was concerned. But on this occasion, the clean and refreshed interior of the new(ish) aeroplane they used was the perfect setting for an unremarkable flight home.

“Unremarkable” in the best possible sense, in that I had nothing to complain about.

Welcome aboard Philippine Airlines flight PR 469.

Note: The information set out here pertains only to the specific flight reviewed. Cabin equipment, amenities, meal options and so on may be different on previous or future flights, even if operated by the same airline on the same route and/or under the same flight number.

For the sake of brevity, IATA airline and airport codes have been used throughout this report in place of full names (e.g., “PR” instead of “Philippine Airlines”; “MNL” instead of “Ninoy Aquino International Airport”).

This review covers the second, return leg (ICN-MNL) of a round-trip MNL-ICN-MNL journey. Click here to read a review of the first, outbound leg (MNL-ICN).

ROUTE MAP

OVERVIEW

Note: All times are local. There is a 1-hour time difference between Manila (GMT+8) and Seoul-Incheon (GMT+9).

Flight details

Airline and flight number : Philippine Airlines (PR) 469
Route : Seoul-Incheon, South Korea (IATA code: ICN) to Manila, Philippines (IATA code: MNL)
Route type : International
Date : Tuesday, 24 January 2023
Scheduled departure time (ICN) : 20:30
Actual departure time (ICN) : 20:00 [estimated]
Scheduled arrival time (MNL) : 00:05 (+1)
Actual arrival time (MNL) : 23:40 [estimated]

(Note: The “actual” arrival/departure times quoted above are estimates based on the time stamps of photographs taken before/after the flight.)

Equipment and cabin

Aircraft : Airbus A330-300
Manufacturer : Airbus
Registration number : RP-C8783
Passenger capacity : 18 Business, 24 Premium Economy, 267 Economy (309 total)
Travel class flown : Economy Class

Here’s our noble steed parked at ICN T2, getting ready for tonight’s journey to MNL.

RP-C8783 was delivered in 2013 as an all-Economy aeroplane crammed with a whopping 414 seats. Four years later, it was completely refitted as a tri-class airliner with separate Business, Premium Economy, and Economy sections. This explains why its interiors looked more up-to-date than those of the physically newer A321 I’d flown in on the outbound leg.

BAGGAGE

Your allowance will vary depending on route and fare class.

For complete details on PR’s baggage rules, please refer to your ticket and the airline’s official website.

AT THE AIRPORT

Origin

PR flights out of the Greater Seoul area are based at Terminal 1 (T1) of Incheon International Airport (IATA code: ICN).

Check-in and boarding

PR employed at least seven check-in counters at ICN T1. Three were priority lanes: one for Business, another for Business and Premium Economy, and a third for those who had already checked in online. All other passengers joined a common queue for the remaining four counters. There were also two or three additional counters to the right of Business that might have served as priority lanes or special service booths.

At the boarding gate, separate doors and aerobridges were used for Economy and Business Class passengers. The standard protocols were observed: Business and special needs first, everyone else afterwards.

ONBOARD EXPERIENCE

Cabin interior and seating

On the previous leg (MNL-ICN), I flew aboard one of PR’s awful older-generation A321 aircraft. I say “older-generation” not because the aeroplane was long in the tooth; in fact, it was less than a decade old at the time. I say this because it had been ordered by PR’s previous owners who, to put it politely, had a knack for making interesting decisions about how to run their airline.

In any event, they’re out. And good riddance to them.

After some much-needed churn at the top, PR embarked upon an ambitious refleeting programme that saw the introduction of new, better-equipped aircraft. The pandemic put the brakes on these plans, but the airline is now gearing up again to meet the demands of the post-corona travel boom.

The A330 that was to take me back to MNL, RP-C8783, had been ordered under past management as a densely configured all-Economy jet. After just a few years of service, it was gutted and completely refitted in 2017 to the higher standards of “new PR”.

But enough chatter. Let’s have a look for ourselves.

The aft aerobridge through which I boarded fed straight into the Economy cabin, so I wasn’t able to get a good look at either Business or Premium Economy. Let’s jump straight to my part of the plane.

The seat itself was nice and comfortable, with decent legroom and proper cloth upholstery. (Leather, whether faux or genuine, has never won me over where aircraft seats are concerned.) The presence of a personal IFE screen was another key improvement over the previous flight.

My one complaint: the lack of a coat hook.

Now for a quick peek at the forward bulkhead row in the Economy cabin, for the benefit of those who might be thinking of paying extra to secure a place in this area.

Ignore the rubbish on the seat – this photograph was taken after landing.

And as for the ceiling panel…

…we’ve got a bog-standard assemblage of reading lights and indicator signs. No adjustable air vents, unfortunately.

Now for a wider shot of the cabin.

Catering

As I’ve written this report several months after the flight, my recollections of mealtime on PR 469 are hazy at best. I can’t remember what options were offered, or even if multiple options were available in the first place.

In any case, here’s my dinner tray as served…

…and with the main course uncovered. A pasta dish with cream-based sauce and vegetables, that much is evident from the pictures; other details of the entrée escape me. The accompaniments include a pack of snack peas, a small sachet of dried mango, and the usual airline ration of bread and butter.

In-flight entertainment

With just four hours or so separating MNL from ICN, in-flight entertainment is hardly a pressing need. Nevertheless, it’s one of the elements that separate full-service airlines from LCCs, which explains my disappointment at finding no proper IFE system aboard the plane I flew on for the previous leg.

I wasn’t disappointed on this flight, however. Upon settling into my assigned place, I was greeted by the sight of a touch-screen personal TV mounted into the seat back facing me. To go with the display, we were each handed a pair of quite sturdily-built headphones.

OVERALL IMPRESSION

Let’s keep this part short and sweet. A refreshed cabin interior, decent catering, proper IFE, polite service. Not much to complain about, really.

Given the right price and schedule, I’d fly with PR again on this route.

Cheerio.