Mindanao to Sabah flight begins - its about time!
 

For those who are down in Mindanao who need to pop over to Sabah previously needed to fly to Manila, then to Kota Kinabalu, then to Sandakan.

Now Zest Air flies from Zamboanga, Mindanao, Philippines direct to Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia. This will save an incredible amount of time and money. Thanks Zest Air. see http://www.routesonline.com/news/29/...ional-service/

And you get to fly on the Chinese built MA60 TurboProp.

Now - do you think we can get a Mindanao to Indonesia service operating? Perhaps, Davao, Philippines to Manado, Indonesia!

5J serves BKI from Manila daily, and given 5J's current schedules for much of Mindanao (except for DVO and CGY) in comparison to BKI, either you will suffer long layovers in MNL, or you will have to do an overnighter.

In addition, MH also serves BKI from CEB 3-4 times a week.

I won't be surprised though if ZAM-SDK gets cut again. This is Asian Spirit/Zest Airways' third (maybe fourth) foray into Sandakan in its entire history, and I hope that it won't get cut, but I have the feeling it will if Zest can't justify sustaining the route. If SEAIR couldn't do it with Let 410s, and Asian Spirit also couldn't do it with Let 410s, what makes you think Zest will change things just by sending larger MA-60s? Unless they seriously lower fares on this route, people will still prefer to take the more affordable fast ferry than the plane (if I'm correct, the difference between the time it takes to get to Sandakan by boat and the time it takes to get there by plane is negligible).

In addition, SDK is not Z2's first international destination: that role is filled by HKG, where scheduled service from CRK (routing of the aircraft being MNL-CRK-HKG and vice-versa) will begin on September 21. SDK won't come online until October 16.

Wings Air currently operates scheduled charters between DVO and MDO. These are operated once a week, if I'm correct, and are only bookable in Davao from the airline's ticketing office (or perhaps from travel agencies, but I haven't tried). The service was previously a revenue service, and this was done through a motley of carriers: PAL, then Bouraq, then Merpati, then Sriwijaya, then Wings Air before shifting DVO-MDO to a scheduled charter service.

Likewise, Pacific Pearl Airways is supposed to start service from DVO to BWN, and AirAsia has expressed interest in opening routes to DVO and ZAM from BKI. All these routes are thanks to BIMP-EAGA open skies.

Wow - great info here. Has anyone got some concrete info on the Wings Air charter flight to Manado, Indonesia?

Any idea about the reliability of Z2 A320 ops? Those HKG-CRK and CRK-HKG flights are perfectly timed for my needs...

I think its too early to tell. The flights are pretty new. The A320 is an Ex Jet Blue aircraft.

That said, this flight arrived a little late: http://www.flightglobal.com/articles...ilippines.html


FYI: Zest Air now has a flight from Clark to Manila for around $8 - Seems like an interesting way to go to Manila. Only one flight per day.

I saw that - seems to be the only fare offered, PHP 350 all in. I guess they can't fly MNL-HKG so need to reposition the A320 to CRK.

I fly mostly TK to HKG and something to the Philippines, then onto Clark. These Z2 schedules would be perfect if they prove some reliability, I hate that road trip through MNL although NLEX is pleasant enough.

They're great domestically. I have a TR here for MNL-CEB on a Z2 A320 if it interests you.

If I'm not mistaken, it has something to do with cheaper landing fees and all that stuff than legal implications over flying to Hong Kong from Manila.

The P700 roundtrip MNL-CRK-MNL leg though could well give bus lines a run for their money. The timing though would be better if it was moved closer to noontime, so more people can avail of the flight.

The P350 ticket seems like their regular price too. This would make it one of the cheapest air tickets and air routes in the world at $8 including all taxes and fees.

I wouldn't be surprised for a 90-kilometer hop on an A320 out of all planes. If CEB-ILO is a 163-kilometer, 30-minute flight, I won't be surprised if MNL-CRK would be this cheap, given the relatively stiff competition Z2 will be up with against bus lines and passengers willing to take the NLEX instead.

I think the Manila - Clark is on a MA60

It's scheduled A320.

I'm booked on it (x2) in Nov.

No it isn't. The A320 which flies MNL-CRK will continue on to Hong Kong. I may go on the inaugural flight on the 24th, but only MNL-CRK-MNL. Although the $70 all-seat inaugural promo is very attractive, I doubt I'd be able to take advantage of it if I'm going back on the same day.

I stand corrected.

I want to go on that flight. It has to be up and down. I wonder what the flight time is.

Block time for MNL-CRK-MNL is thirty minutes in each direction.

MNL-CRK
 

I'm booked on the MNL-CRK segment on the 24th of October. I'm excited! As of this writing, I believe a lot of seats are still available on that day. Kinda expected it to be fully-booked as this is the inaugural flight...