You know how most planes feel pretty packed? Well, try cramming 459 people into one aircraft — yep, you read that right, 459! That’s what we signed up for flying Cebu Pacific from Manila to Melbourne.
Most airlines would put maybe 260-300 people in this same plane, with some fancy business class seats up front. But nope, Cebu Pacific went all in with economy seats in the whole plane.
Why did we choose Cebu Pacific? Simple — it was way cheaper than Philippine Airlines, the only other direct option. Plus, we managed to snag one of those rare two-seat rows at the back of the plane (definitely a pro-tip if you’re travelling as a couple). They cost a little extra but way worth it if you are a travel couple.
So what’s it actually like to fly on one of the most densely packed commercial flights in the world? Let me tell you about our eight hours flying in this unique Airbus A330 Neo.
Checking into our Cebu Pacific flight
Our flight back to Australia leaves from Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila. Upon arriving at Manila Airport, we lined up to check into our flight and came across something we had never seen before. Before you can check your bags actually in, Cebu Pacific staff are opening and inspecting all bags that come through before you actually get to the counter. I later learned that this is an Australian Government Regulation — they want to catch any prohibited items before they even make it near the plane.
Anyway, we checked in and headed to our boarding gate where this whole process was repeated with hand luggage. As we boarded, the hot air slapped us in the face immediately as we made our way to the back of the plane to find the seats we’d reserved.
The crew informed us all that the air conditioning was not currently working, but upon take-off it would certainly start. After five minutes of sweating it out while waiting to push back for departure, we pushed the assistance button and ordered a cold drink from our air hostess.
Cebu Pacific is a little funky and aimed at a younger audience. They had Taylor Swift, among other popular modern-day singers, playing on the PA. They run competitions where you could win prizes onboard and i won a Cebu Pacific pencil case. I found this to be really good and created a fun and relaxed atmosphere onboard for flying — it maybe even made flying easier.
Takeoff couldn’t come soon enough for all of us on board who were really, really sweating by this stage. There was a sea of passengers waving the onboard menu as fans to cool themselves off — it sort of looked like the Mexican wave at a sporting event. By now I was thinking I should have coughed up for the Philippine Airlines tickets.
Flying to Melbourne with Cebu Pacific
The Cebu Pacific flight finally pushed back to the runway, leaving 10 minutes late and took off smoothly into the skies above Manila. There are 57 rows of seats on Cebu Pacific’s A330 Neo, the first 49 rows are configured 3-3-3 while rows 50-57 are configured 2-3-2. Our seats were towards the back of the plane, which was by choice because on a plane that fits 459 people we thought it would be quieter towards the back.
I found there to be a good amount of legroom on this Cebu Pacific flight. I was really surprised by it, in all honesty. However, where they excelled with legroom, they failed with seat width, which was a little tight. The seating has 30-31 inches of seat pitch and 16.8-inch wide seats.
The seat pitch of 30-31 inches on Cebu Pacific is pretty standard as most airlines have a 30-32 inch seat pitch. As mentioned, I found seats a little tight — 16.8 inches wide is smaller than the standard 18 inches on most airlines. It was certainly enough to stretch out a little bit on an 8-hour flight.
Cebu Pacific, being a budget airline, had no inflight entertainment or even the option of purchasing inflight entertainment. We came prepared with podcasts, eBooks and movies downloaded on our phones to keep us entertained for the next 8.5 hours until we got to Melbourne. There were USB plugs to power your own devices if you started running flat.
When we booked our flights online prior to departing, we’d pre-booked two different meals. There would be 2 services during the flight and we chose to share a meal at each food service. We ordered Chicken Char Siu and Beef Adobo.
Search latest prices with Cebu Pacific
We found the meals were quite good actually. I really liked them and they were really good value for money. So if you can, we suggest definitely pre-book your meals before you board. There was more variety of choice if you ordered online and the prices were cheaper.
What did we think of the staff? First, I must state that the staff were very efficient. They would come to the seat when requested, answer any questions and take your orders for food and drinks. Just don’t expect any small talk or smiles. As we said, they were a little sassy — not rude, just aloof, I would say.
The bathrooms on board were really, really small and it would have been a struggle to sit down in there for anyone bigger than Asian size. The toilet area was clean and there was hand soap to help you clean up.
So what did we make of this flight? Well, for an 8.5 hour flight from Manila to Melbourne for under $300 Australian, it was fine for realistic couples travel. The seats were comfortable enough, the onboard service was efficient. Just don’t expect many smiles.
I think we’re pretty lucky that this Airbus monster fitting 459 people was not full. Would we fly Cebu Pacific again? Yeah, for sure. I thought it was really good for the money. And let’s be honest, most people are flying Cebu Pacific because of the price. For us, they were certainly good enough.
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Is Cebu Pacific good for long haul flights?
Cebu Pacific is a budget carrier and the experience reflects that — no inflight entertainment, narrower seats than most airlines and a no-frills service. That said, the legroom was better than expected, meals pre-booked online were decent value and the staff were efficient. For the price, particularly on the Manila to Melbourne route, it is a reasonable option if you come prepared with your own entertainment.
What is the Cebu Pacific Manila to Melbourne flight like?
The Manila to Melbourne route with Cebu Pacific takes around 8 to 8.5 hours on an Airbus A330 Neo configured with 459 all-economy seats. There is no inflight entertainment so bring downloads. Meals can be pre-booked online and are good value. The two-seat rows at the back of the plane (rows 50-57 in a 2-3-2 configuration) are worth paying extra for if you are travelling as a couple.
How big are the seats on Cebu Pacific?
Cebu Pacific economy seats have a pitch of 30-31 inches and a width of 16.8 inches. The pitch is similar to most airlines but the seat width is slightly narrower than the industry standard of 18 inches. Legroom was better than expected but the seat width was a little tight, particularly on an 8-hour flight.
Should you pre-book meals on Cebu Pacific?
Yes — pre-booking meals online before your flight gives you more choice and cheaper prices than buying onboard. We ordered Chicken Char Siu and Beef Adobo and found both to be good value and better than expected for a budget carrier.
Is Cebu Pacific cheaper than Philippine Airlines?
In our experience yes — Cebu Pacific was considerably cheaper than Philippine Airlines on the Manila to Melbourne route, which was the main reason we chose it. For couples travelling on a budget who are happy to bring their own entertainment and pre-book meals, Cebu Pacific is worth considering.
