Manila Flights

Manila is one of those weird countries where the airport departure tax is not included in your air ticket. Set aside PHP750 for the tax to be paid just before the immigration counters. Also, be sure to fill up your departure form to be handed over at the immigration counter.

I left by Cebu Pacific Airways at Terminal 3. This spanking new airport terminal is definitely less crowded and more comfortable than the main Terminal 1. It is also conveniently located just off the SLEX highway as getting to the terminal is faster. However, there are quite limited food outlets available. Perhaps it's still quite new.

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The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) is the primary gateway entering the Philippines. It is located roughly 30 minutes away from the main business district of Makati. The airport is divided into three terminals: Terminal 1 (servicing all foreign airlines), Terminal 2 (servicing Philippine Airlines) and Terminal 3 (servicing PAL Express and Cebu Pacific). Be sure to tell your taxi driver to bring you to the the right terminal so that you will have enough time to board your flight. Unlike other airports the terminal fee and travel taxes are not included in the price of your ticket but is to be paid in the airport so you should set aside some money to pay for it.

I recently used Terminal 3 for an international trip. The interior of the terminal was clean and there was adequate trolleys to bring luggage. However the facilities are limited to a small number of shops and restaurants to cater to travelers waiting for their flight.

The answers actually depends on your travel details/intent. Tiger is offering 50% off for a certain period so it's a no-brainer if you are comparing price with other carriers. I sampled a Clark-Sin/RT via Tiger and it came out US$156 + PHP1,620 travel tax + PHP550 Clark taxes/fees and Manila-Clark/RT surface PHP700. Same route with Cebupac tallies US$245 plus same travel tax PHP1,620 and PHP750 Manila airport fee. So, if cost is your consideration, choose Tiger.

But if you find the extra surface travel as cumbersome or wasteful, take the out Manila flights. The equipment configurations are not too different from each other. I find the Cebupac crew very cheery however their refund procedures are truly designed to hassle travelers.

I hope this helped.

From the airport you can wait for a bus but there is little information and many choose to take a taxi, but you shouldn't pay more than 200 pesos for Ermite (15 minute drive). Take care when flying out there are 3 terminals and terminal 3 is far away from 1 and 2.

This is the new ( relatively ) airport. Better than the Terminal 2 ( that is too old ), more space inside it, but not much shop and other facilities. Nevertheless, it is clean and more natural light.

By the way, the security check need some time, so go to the airport a bit early to save you out of trouble.

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After A Few Years of Legal Wrangling, It Finally Opened! Naia Terninal 3 was a source of controversy since it was started and at present the Philippine Government and the Builders are still engeged on a court battle for it. The Not so spanking New Terminal Terminal 3 began commercial operations for domestic flights in July 2008, after a near six-year delay (initally serving domestic carriers Air Philippines, Pal Express and the Domestic and International Flights of Cebu Pacific Airline). The terminal is expected to be running full international flights by March 2009. Terminal 3 is built on a 63.5-hectare lot that sits on Villamor Air Base. The terminal building has a total floor area of 182,500 square meters, having a total length of 1.2 kilometres. Departure fee for domestic flights is 200 pesos and for international flights at 750 pesos.

address: Pasay City 1300, Philippines

You should not have any problems finding a flight to Bangkok from Manila at short notice. Another airline to keep in mind is Kuwait air. I have flown the same route with them and they are pretty good, definitly cheaper than PI Air. Not sure if you are flying R/T either OR if you have to go into Bangkok. I ask becasue if not there are flights with Asia air out of clark and Tiger airways out of clark into KL or Singapore and the into Phuket or Krabi. Even with the stop they are pretty cheap flights. But if you have to go into Bangkok then the fastest and easiest is direct MNL to BKK.
www.travelconnecxion.com
www.airasia.com
www.tigerairways.com
As far as baggage, NO. Inter-asia flights have a smaller wieght restriction. When I flew the last time I "assumed" that because it was international the weight would be the same, it's not. Inter-asian flights are limited to about 2/3'ds or half the weight that you would normally get from the states. You want to definitly check that. No matter what I said didn't matter, I still paid, a lot! and that was before the fuel prices went up. So, if you are flying R/T just have the hotel you are staying at in Manila keep your bags until your return and only take what you need. No sense in dragging around extra bags anyway. If you are not flying R/T and going on from BKK to somewhere else, then I'd pack lighter!
Good luck, enjoy Bangkok and Manila!

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PAL, what philippine airlines is called is older than cathay pacific making it Asia's Oldest Airline (and trivia-only PAL and Other Philippine Carriers are not subsidized by the Governent, bucking the trend in the rest of asia wherein other National carriers are heavily subsidiez by their Governments like Singapore Airlines, Thai Air, Malaysian Air, Royal Brunei, Emirates, Japan Airlines and others).

Philippine Airlines was founded on February 26, 1941, making it Asia's oldest carrier still operating under its current name. The airline was started by a group of businessmen led by Andres Soriano, hailed as one of the Philippines' leading industrialists at the time, who served as the General Manager, and former Senator Ramon Fernandez as Chairman and President. Government investment in September of the same year paved the way for its nationalization. Its main hub is at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in the city of Parañaque with all its passenger flights involving Manila in Centennial Terminal 2.

Philippine Airlines location
PNB Financial Center
Pres. Diosdado Macapagal Avenue
CCP Complex, Pasay City
e-mail : webmgr@pal.com.ph

Reservations
Manila, Philippines (24 hours)
Tel : (632) 855-8888
(632) 855-7888 for First Class, Mabuhay Class,
Mabuhay Miles Elite and
Premier Elite Members

For USA and Canada: 1-800-I-FLY-PAL
For Australia : 1-300-888-PAL