Packing, Travel and Diving Tips for the SB Invasion to the Philippines

[ROXANNE]

Thanks Dennis and Roxanne

Our pleasure! See you soon!

 

[Dubi]

I would just like to comment that the Philippine Air luggage weight restrictions make me crazy.

/Bank of America ordered me PHP's! So i'm golden with money now!

 

[02gluken]

The only real PIA is the inter island flight weight restrictions. Everything else a breeze.

 

[JahJahwarrior]

I'm 1 pound over in every bag, plus 10 pounds over in one carry on...so looks like it's three checked bags for us instead of 2! With a third checked bag, I'll have room to spare, but I do have about 30 pounds of strobes and camera gear in a vest...

 

[jodylynn007]

I would just like to comment that the Philippine Air luggage weight restrictions make me crazy.

/Bank of America ordered me PHP's! So i'm golden with money now!

It's not Philippine Airlines Mary, it's the inter island airline we're flying. Also unfortunately as those inter airline flights were booked separately from our overseas flights (as a group package) we are dinged worse for luggage.

If we booked our individual flights together (international and inter island), the 50 lbs per bag (no extra charge) for the International flight would have applied to the inter island flight. But that's just how it goes on these big group booking things to keep everyone together on the same flight I guess.

 

[ROXANNE]

It's not Philippine Airlines Mary, it's the inter island airline we're flying. Also unfortunately as those inter airline flights were booked separately from our overseas flights (as a group package) we are dinged worse for luggage.

If we booked our individual flights together (international and inter island), the 50 lbs per bag (no extra charge) for the International flight would have applied to the inter island flight. But that's just how it goes on these big group booking things to keep everyone together on the same flight I guess.

Jody, the inter island weight limits do not have anything to do with the big group booking or individual booking, it is the same. That is just the way it is. Everyone was allowed to buy additional weight, which some of you did and some did not.

We are bringing 4 checked bags and purchased the extra weight for $40 x 2
So we can bring 44 lbs in each bag, 2 bags total per person = 88 lbs x the 2 of us = 176 lbs pds
We each have a carry on backpack at the 15 lbs
We each also have a personal bag (which could be another backpack, laptop case , tote or purse) that should not be weighed.
Dennis has a vest and cargo pants with pockets to carry additional items if needed and I have a light weight jacket with pockets also.

This should fit into the criteria for the weight restriction during the inter island flight.
For all the other flights, there isn't an issue.

CEBU PACIFIC
Hand Carry Baggage with Domestic Airlines
Domestic carriers strictly enforce a maximum of 7Kg/15lbs for hand carried luggage.
CEBU PACIFIC
Our domestic tickets on Cebu Pacific include 30Kg/66lbs.
This can be upgraded to a total of:
40kg/88lbs total ‐ $40 round trip add on
55Kg/121lbs total ‐ $105 round trip add on,
60Kg/132lbs total ‐ $115 round trip add on,
70Kg/154lbs total ‐ $130 round trip add on,
80Kg/176lbs total ‐ $150 round trip add on.

 

[Dubi]

It's not Philippine Airlines Mary, it's the inter island airline we're flying. Also unfortunately as those inter airline flights were booked separately from our overseas flights (as a group package) we are dinged worse for luggage.

If we booked our individual flights together (international and inter island), the 50 lbs per bag (no extra charge) for the International flight would have applied to the inter island flight. But that's just how it goes on these big group booking things to keep everyone together on the same flight I guess.

FYI, our flight on Philippine Air from LAX to MNL has 50 lb weight restriction on our 2 bags so my gripe was accurate. We did pay for extra weight on the island Cebu flight.

 

[jodylynn007]

Roxanne, my comment wasn't to criticize (like I said it is what it is, hence why I had a conversation early with Dennis about whether the inter island flight was going to be booked also with Philippine Air or otherwise), but I have friends who quite regularly do these trips from Vancouver to Pines and if you book inter island flights in conjunction with the international one with Philippine Airlines, the same baggage policies apply to all flights - two checked bags at 50 lbs each and the carry Ons, as mentioned.

I have packed as well exactly as you have mentioned with the $40 extra weight allowance for the inter island flight.

 

[cardzard]

Ok let me see if I can state this issue CLEARLY

If we were going directly to Dumaguete from the US or Canada and booking Thru Philippines Airlines then you would be correct Jody. Baggage allowance would transfer...... That is considered a SINGLE flight. Because they are taking you from departure to the final destination.

However since we are going to Puerto Galera the flight you booked from the States or Canada ends in Manila as your final destination. Flight over

You cannot tell the airlines I will be back in a week to fly to another place and want to continue my flight with my old baggage allowance.
This is why we have inter-island flights and must go by their baggage policy.

 

[jodylynn007]

Ok let me see if I can state this issue CLEARLY

If we were going directly to Dumaguete from the US or Canada and booking Thru Philippines Airlines then you would be correct Jody. Baggage allowance would transfer...... That is considered a SINGLE flight. Because they are taking you from departure to the final destination.

However since we are going to Puerto Galera the flight you booked from the States or Canada ends in Manila as your final destination. Flight over

You cannot tell the airlines I will be back in a week to fly to another place and want to continue my flight with my old baggage allowance.
This is why we have inter-island flights and must go by their baggage policy.

Quite likely it is complicated and I don't claim to be an expert, hence why I am doing my first trip to the Philippines with a group and likely will do my 2nd and 3rd with a group also. The message I got from my friend just recently on this topic when I provided him with your response was as follows (however, please note again that it really is fine no matter what as I believe things likely had to be done the way they were done in order to keep everyone on the same inter-island flight):

"Most recently was just last month. On April 23 we flew YVR to Manila, then on to Tagbilaran (Bohol). On May 1st we flew Tagbilaran back to Manila. Still had international baggage allowance. Flew home May 12."

So there was time in-between those flights, however different travel destinations in the Philippines than where we are going... but anyway, we could go in circles around this and it really doesn't matter. Just wanted to make people aware of this option (booking all flights through Philippine Airlines in order to maximize baggage allowance) in case they wish to visit the Philippines again at a later date.