RAviation PH

30/07/2026

Some ramp action during the arrival of the 2nd Il-96-300 RA-96019 that served as the support / backup aircraft for the delegation of Russian Foreign Minister.

Seen on the background is the RA-96023 that just arrived a day before parked in Remote Bay 23 while RA-96019 is slowly taxiing to Bay 24.

✈️ | RA-96019, RA-96023 | Ilyushin 96-300
📅 | July 2026 | Manila International Airport
📷 | Nikon Z6II | Sigma 150-600C

22/07/2026

CHINA'S FOREIGN MINISTER ARRIVED IN MANILA

Following the arrival of Il-96-300 of Russia, here comes the aircraft carrying Foreign Minister Wang Yi to attend the ASEAN Foreign Minister's Meeting.

The aircraft is operated by DeerJet Beijing which oversees the transport of China's ministers and state councilors. It is an Airbus A320-200 ACJ Prestige that features VIP configuration and powered by two IAE V2527-A5 engines.

FM Wang Yi is expected to hold bilateral summits with Marco Rubio (US), Penny Wong (AU), Theresa Lazaro (PH) and Dr. S. Jaishankar (IN). He will proceed to SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization) after the meetings here in Manila.

✈️ | B-8415 | Airbus A320-200 ACJ
📅 | Jul 21, 2026 | Manila International Airport
📷 | Nikon Z6II | Nikkor AF-P 70-300mm

21/07/2026

IT'S RUSSIAN...

It has been 8 years since an Ilyushin Il96 aircraft graced the Manila skies. This was during the visit of PM Medvedev to attend the ASEAN Summit 2017. This time, it is carrying Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov for ASEAN FM Meeting 2026.

This is not my first time to spot this aircraft since I was able to capture this from their last two visits (ASEAN, APEC Summits). It was nostalgic and it was good to see them flying despite the wartime conflicts Russia have.

Now, time to check those old shots if I already completed them all 😅😆.

Fun fact: This is one of the support aircraft carrying the advance team for Trump-Putin summit in Alaska just recently.

✈️ | RA-96023 | Ilyushin Il-96-300
📅 | Jul 21, 2026 | Manila International Airport
📷 | Nikon Z6II | Nikkor AF-P 70-300mm

20/07/2026

BRUNEI 2ND FM IN MANILA

Brunei’s Second Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dato Erywan Pehin Yusof arrived in Manila today to attend the ASEAN Foreign Minister's Meeting. The summit will take place on July 20-24.

He was aboard the Sultan's own Dreamliner V8-OAS. Unfortunately, their newest ACJ330neo is not yet delivered and not yet ready for use. It departed Manila after an hour of ground to reposition to Clark.

This is only first of many AIRCRAFT due to arrived this week in Manila. Looking forward to catch em all 🥳.

✈️ | V8-OAS | Boeing 787-8 BBJ
📅 | Jul 20, 2026 | Manila International Airport
📷 | Nikon Z6II | Nikkor AF-P 70-300mm

18/07/2026

I would like to ask a small favor. Please like this photo entry of my good spotter friend JC Aviation Photography . Thank you very much!

"After waiting for so long, Qatar Airways has finally sent their Boeing 777-300(ER) with the Formula One livery.

Here she is arriving with the warm afternoon light bathing her stunning livery with all her glory.

A7-BEG was painted on November 2025 to celebrate the Formula One which will be held in Qatar. The Boeing 777-300ER is really the perfect aircraft to be painted with special liveries. "

18/07/2026

D-ALFI ARRIVED IN MANILA

It was initially scheduled for a 0700H arrival but due to late arrival of its Frankfurt - Mumbai (FRA-BOM) flight, its arrival in Manila was pushed back to 0930H. It is bound for LTP for its scheduled maintenance cycle.

D-ALFI is the only special livery under Lufthansa Cargo. It is currently sporting the livery, "Cargo Human Care".

The aircraft is a flying billboard for Cargo Human Care e.V., a humanitarian aid organization founded in 2007 by Lufthansa Cargo employees and flight captains. The charity focuses heavily on sustainable aid in Kenya.

At last, one for the books, no need to fly to neighbor countries to catch this 🥳🥳.

✈️ | D-ALFI | Boeing B777-F
📅 | Jul 18, 2026 | Manila International Airport
📷 | Nikon Z6II | Nikkor AF-P 70-300mm

02/07/2026

AIR MACAU RESUMES ITS MACAU-MANILA FLIGHTS

You heard it right, Air Macau (NX/AMU) resumed its flight to Manila today July 02, 2026 after a long hiatus. It ended servicing this route last August 2024 citing dynamic adjustment in response to market needs.

It was a gloomy day in the airport due to weather and because of the bomb scare occured in flight PR300 (it requires the aircraft to be isolated somewhere in the taxiway leading to runway 06), runway shifted to 24. Good thing the issue was resolved less than an hour before ETA, and the runway is back to 06.

Air Macau started servicing Manila during mid-2000s, way before some of the current spotters were born or made aware of this hobby.

It is nice to see another "not so old" airline resuming flights to Manila. Welcome back Air Macau !

✈️ | B-MCI | Airbus A320-200
📅 | Jul 02, 2026 | Manila International Airport
📷 | Nikon Z6II | Sigma 150-600C

13/06/2026

This morning, a large fire occured in Western Bicutan prompting the Philippine Air Force to render assistance. A Sokol helicopter with Bambi bucket was sent to assist the firefighters on the ground.

11/06/2026

Did you know, Manila has a special place in Cathay Pacific long history? Cathay Pacific was conceptualized in Manila, specifically in Tropicana Bar of Manila Hotel on September 1946.

Since then Cathay Pacific is one of the airlines in NAIA thats has the most flight frequency (5 to 6 flights per day) and also sends its latest aircraft just like the A350. Cathay is bridging Manila and HongKong for almost 80 years and there was a point in time during the Financial Crisis that it flown domestic flights in lieu of Philippine Airlines.

Seen here in the photo are the regular workhorses on MNL-HKG flight, B-HNE arrival and B-HNI departure. They are both Boeing 777-300 aircraft.

10/06/2026

Just in case you missed it, Air India has been operating for 8 months their Manila-New Delhi flights. It launched the route last October 01, 2025. linking Philippines and India.

Seen here is VT-TVC ready to depart just after being pushed back from NAIA Terminal 1. The aircraft sports a Vistara livery with Operated by Air India decals.

✈️ | VT-TVC | Airbus A321neo
📅 | Jun 09, 2026 | Manila International Airport
📷 | Nikon Z6II | Nikkor 70-300 AF-P