Is MNL Airport really as bad as it is reported in the media?

[BensAdventures]

I'm seriously considering a MNL-HKG-DXB-HKG-MNL route in May, but when you read a few recent articles about MNL airport it sounds like hell on earth.

Considering the price difference, I'm seriously keen. I'll be flying J, and there seems to be lounges there, but how hard it it to get to them?

Also is the main CBD far from the airport? I might be flight Deathstar into Manila, so I need to give myself plenty of buffer, so a night either side might be best.

Any thoughts?

 

[reductionist]

Can you post some links to those articles?

I'm considering a flight route through there too. Now you've got me worried.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Yes it's a mess, but a workable one.

Traffic, count on two hours depending where and when you are staying. Only pax allowed in the terminal.

Lounges are rubbish, but better than outside.

Security is a nightmare, all shoes off regardless. Remember the shoe bomber originated in MNL.

You still need to pay departure tax in cash.

Ah MNL you have your delights,, but are still the sick man of Asia

 

[drron]

Hopefully it has improved since we were there in the 90s.It really was wild west stuff.An Aussie businessman on our flight was kidnapped at the airport,30 minutes after checking in at the then Sheraton a fellow was shot dead on the front steps.And we were there when the police did a famous sting.In the USA cops had invited felons with an outstanding warrant to a party at the club then arrested the lot.The Fillipinos did it slightly differently.When the felons were all assembled they raised the curtain and machine gunned the lot.
Needless to say we have never found a reason to return.However there are a lot more recent reports on here.Try a search for Manilla.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Hopefully it has improved since we were there in the 90s.It really was wild west stuff.An Aussie businessman on our flight was kidnapped at the airport,30 minutes after checking in at the then Sheraton a fellow was shot dead on the front steps.And we were there when the police did a famous sting.In the USA cops had invited felons with an outstanding warrant to a party at the club then arrested the lot.The Fillipinos did it slightly differently.When the felons were all assembled they raised the curtain and machine gunned the lot.
Needless to say we have never found a reason to return.However there are a lot more recent reports on here.Try a search for Manilla.

You were there during low season!!

These days you have to check your firearm in at the pub!!!

 

[Fantic125]

I've been through the international terminal 4 times and it's pretty average.
One trip was a 7 hour transit and the check-in counters didn't open until 3 hours before the flight, so had a 4 hour wait in a coughpy little waiting area inside the terminal. Once checked in and through to the lounges they weren't much better.

Last time I was there was in 2010 & they x-ray-ed your bags as you enter the terminal so the queue in was fairly long. One of the baggage handlers offered me to jump the queue for 100 pesos (about $2.00 AUD) which given I was running a bit late due to the traffic I utilized.

As noted above, departure tax is paid in cash after check-in but before immigration and security. 750 pesos last time I was there.

It is worthwhile visiting though. Manila is an interesting place.

 

[whughes3]

Well, having being through MNL T1 > 100 times over the years (which I think should qualify me for fast-tracking to the Congregation of Saints) I will readily agree...it is indeed a bit of a dump. There have been signs recently of some attempts to improve things (eg most of the toilets now seem to work!) and I saw some media reports that a team from SIN Changi had been engaged to oversee further improvements, but the only things will improve substantially will be to move international ops to T3, which will hopefully occur sometime in the present millenium...

 

[Limewood]

Thankfully our trip from HKG via MNL to DVO (Davao) return, bags are checked in all the way and will only be there in MNL airport 2 hours, will hop of one flight onto another all in International terminal.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Yes it really is a shocker - 3 Terminals all equally as bad as each other.

PAL lounge in T2 so very basic - I have been there when both men's toilets not working - had to have a dude on the door to police male / female usage of female toilet.

SQ and CX Lounges in T1 are better but food and drink on offer very limited.

There is another lounge upstairs in T1 that PP will get you into and I think you can pay to enter also - the elevator to get you up there has been out of commission I think for 5 years - but that is typical Filipino.

If you have an APEC card will be a huge bonus - I have seen guys wait 2 hours to clear immigration when it is busy.

Manila traffic in general horrific - but there are good hotels close by - whatever you do just plan ahead.

Do not forget you cannot enter any terminal unless you have printed itinerary.

If I could dodge MNL anytime in future I would - but then again I have been through their many times and I think Manila is a city worth visiting - just lovely people - so go do it and have some fun - every trip you undertake should be an adventure and Manila will provide ample fodder for you.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Thankfully our trip from HKG via MNL to DVO (Davao) return, bags are checked in all the way and will only be there in MNL airport 2 hours, will hop of one flight onto another all in International terminal.

Apply the usual security when transiting a developing country.

No valuables, locks and ties. Depending on season, highly water resistant baggage or better.

 

[anat0l]

I'm seriously considering a MNL-HKG-DXB-HKG-MNL route in May, but when you read a few recent articles about MNL airport it sounds like hell on earth.

Considering the price difference, I'm seriously keen. I'll be flying J, and there seems to be lounges there, but how hard it it to get to them?

Also is the main CBD far from the airport? I might be flight Deathstar into Manila, so I need to give myself plenty of buffer, so a night either side might be best.

Any thoughts?

MNL airport (or NAIA - Ninoy Aquino International Airport) does rate as one of the worst in the world, more particularly because most people know it by its "main" international terminal, Terminal 1.

Terminal 1 was a fine terminal in years gone by - not any more. The other terminals built were supposed to take the place of Terminal 1, but legal issues and other bureaucratic blah-blah have impeded this from happening. So international operations stuck with Terminal 1.

The decor is quite old. It's all quite plastic like inside. It's small, shops are quite old.

Security is paramount all over. Bring a printout of your itinerary with you - no one except passengers are allowed inside the terminal. Not even guests or relatives. To get in through the front doors of the terminal, you should have your ticket and passport ready.

Your bags will be screened before you proceed to check-in. Pack your bags judiciously, for some of the check-in agents may be very strict with weight (down to the last kilogram - this is not a joke). It is not uncommon to have your bags weighed before you queue to check-in (you may receive a written tag or something you must present to the check-in counter which shows what your bag weight is).

You will also be screened either once or twice before you get to your gate - once after outbound immigration, and possibly once again before you actually get to your gate waiting area. In both cases, remove your shoes, belt etc. and you will be frisked - the final part is non-negotiable.

You must pay the departure tax separately before immigration. Try to keep some Philippine Pesos spare for this. You can pay in US Dollars if you must. I'm not certain but I believe cash only will be accepted. In any case, you're better off paying in only cash to save any hassles.

Don't draw attention to yourself and don't try anything funny, period. All the authorities inside carry live firearms and will not be afraid to use them.

In all, try to keep your flight plans as simple as possible. Given that MNL is rarely the place for international transfers, and most interlining arrangements are simple to arrange ex-MNL, this should not be a problem. In general the simpler you keep your plans, the less you have to rely on the officials. The staff at NAIA (across all airlines) are generally very competent in what they need to do in standard procedures, but when you start complicating things and they need to bring in their managers etc. then if it's the result you don't need to pray for then time will be of the essence.



In saying all of that, it's not like a war zone or anything. The airport is old, strict, but functional. The airport is clean and there's nothing wrong with waiting in the common areas, provided you can put up with the noise and the compactness of the areas. You don't need to get a full physical after you go through NAIA.

If you use the toilets in the terminal, do everything yourself. There is no need to tip the cleaning attendant just because he offers you a drying towel, but don't give him the wrong impression by taking it off him. (Leave with wet hands if necessary).

There are lounges at MNL which will be clearly signed. If you want to, ask your check-in agent where the lounge is - they will gladly tell you. Note that both QF and EK use contracted lounges at MNL. (I've never had the experience of going into the QF contracted lounge with a JQ ticket, so not sure how good they are in letting you in). The lounges are basic (at least the QF and CX one which I've tried), but are a tranquil change from the outside. Enjoy a drink and a few little nibbles; don't expect substantial food (and at that, decent substantial food). Wifi should work if a bit patchy.

Allow yourself plenty of time to get to the airport. MNL is a parking lot, like other Asian capitals (Jakarta comes to mind). There are no trains to the airport so being driven is the only way to get there. Try to get your hotel to arrange a reputable taxi to get to MNL to avoid being ripped off (a good tip to your concierge when and if they do this is advisable and deserved). If they have a shuttle instead that is the best option by far. If time is an issue for you as to when you get to the airport, consider staying near the airport the night before.


All in all, MNL may be one of the world's worst airports, but it is not as bad as a third world war zone. To say "you will survive" is being too harsh - it is more than OK. Just a very dated airport in a country where procedures and bureaucracy are rampant.

 

[BensAdventures]

Thanks for the incredible feedback! I'm a relatively adventurous traveler, and well versed in surviving airports and it seems I'll need all my skills to pass through MNL, but I think it will be worth it. I love seeing new places, experiencing something different, and this will tick all the boxes!

Cheers!!

 

[anat0l]

Thanks for the incredible feedback! I'm a relatively adventurous traveler, and well versed in surviving airports and it seems I'll need all my skills to pass through MNL, but I think it will be worth it. I love seeing new places, experiencing something different, and this will tick all the boxes!

Cheers!!

Enjoy, though I think you're still being a bit too extreme with this comment. It's not all that hard, just be aware of it.

I should know - my father is from the Philippines, so when we had our annual family trip when I was younger, we had to pass through MNL airport.

I passed through MNL twice last year - once for family trip and another time an International transit. Both times were alright as usual, though the International transit proved to be somewhat an experience. To compensate, however, it was rather unorthodox circumstances.


I'd say you'd need "more skills" passing through countries which need visas, and stringent visa policies for that matter. Russia comes to mind. Some people need skills just to enter the US, even if they passed ESTA.

 

[petermac123]

I've been through there 4 times this year... Yeah it's coughpy and old... First time, no queues at immi or scanning... second time 1 hour queue for immi. SQ lounge 'OK'...

You can pay the departure tax via Credit Card now...

Scan on the way into terminal.. Didn't need printed itinerary - just my passport.

P

 

[extracta]

You were there during low season!!

These days you have to check your firearm in at the pub!!!

A lot of places have signs that say NO FIREARMS OR BODY GUARDS ALLOWED INSIDE.

You can buy tasers off the touts in the streets if you want some protection.

 

[dajop]

Pass through 2-3 times per year, usually with overnight stay before connecting to domestic, and change from Domestic to international same day on the return. Whilst yes it is old, appallingly ugly and seems somewhat dysfunctional it's not the end of the earth. It is one of the worst major airports in SE Asia (or East Asia for that matter), but there are lot of airports that aren't busy hubs that wouldn't be that much better (to be honest, Bali is right down there too).

The last couple of times they've let me into terminals with my blackberry itinerary which was great (as I had changed my original flights, and thus my printed itinerary showed the incorrect day). And it does depend on the time of day whether queues are long, the last few times on mid afternoon departures, security has been all of 10 minutes. But above all make sure you have at least 750 pesos on you to pay the departure tax. Cash is the only form of payment accepted. {Stand corrected on this one after reading above posts, which is great news, last time I was there was August}

Also taxis- there is a reputable taxi company (yellow IIRC) that has metered taxis, and I uses them whenever I need to (to hotel, back to airport and between terminals), and I've never had a problem - much better than taxis in Bangkok which see you are white and automatically turn off the meter and want to charge double or triple of what it should be (well some of them anyway). Having said that I've never ventured further than Makati or our office to the south of MNL (not to far from the airport).

If you don't think you can survive MNL airport, then perhaps you should just stay a home, there are lot worse travel experiences that you could be exposed to than that.

And besides all of that, it's the only place in the world I've been sitting in the lounge (SQ lounge) and enjoyed an impromptu A cappella performance by ground staff prior to boarding (2 songs). Brought a smile to everyone's faces. Only in the Philippines!

 

[Limewood]

I'm going HKG to Davao via Manila Philippine airlines, changing flights only, will I still need departure money.

 

[dajop]

I'm going HKG to Davao via Manila Philippine airlines, changing flights only, will I still need departure money.

Yes in both directions. You need to pay a 200 Peso fee for domestic flight (I assume this still applies) and then a 550 Peso fee on international flight departure. (It seems to have been reduced on 1 Feb from the 750 it has been.)

 

[whughes3]

Interesting article today in the "Business Mirror"...

THE Transportation department on Monday named five companies that expressed interest to undertake the P1.6-billion rehabilitation project for the 30-year old Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) Terminal 1.
The agency has set aside P1.5 billion to undertake structural and aesthetical improvements of the country’s current gateway. But Secretary Mar Roxas of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), said a bidding will take place to determine which company will undertake the project. Only one will be chosen.
The five companies which expressed interest in the Naia project are DMCI, DDT Konstract Inc., Hillmarcs Corp., EEI Corp. and Datem Inc.
A team of consultants from Singapore’s Changi Airports International inspected the terminal recently to study the passenger flow and identify key areas and facilities that need improvement.
“They made recommendations as to the relocation of facilities. They noted certain choke points and made recommendations where to relocate and open new areas as well,” said the DOTC chief.
The DOTC also harnessed the best architects, engineers and designers available, including P2, an engineering firm that did the initial structural studies of Naia 1; the Asian Institute of Technology, which made the computer simulations relative to the airport’s structural integrity; the Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines; and Aliling and Associates, the DOTC’s principal consultant for the rehabilitation plan.
The project is expected to take 18 months to complete. “There will be a partial completion by December [2012] and [the contractors] work will continue until middle of next year,” said Roxas.
Part of the upgrade includes minor works such as the construction of a two rapid-exit taxiway, an arrival extension area, replacement of tiles and fixtures, as well as repiping of the water line, removal of escalators, among others.

5 firms keen on Naia 1 rehab project

 

[anat0l]

Interesting article today in the "Business Mirror"...

5 firms keen on Naia 1 rehab project

The language in that report doesn't fill me with a lot of hope for a decent makeover on the terminal. Feels more like a wall removed here and a rejigging around things.

They really have to get rid of that plasticky, glorified bus terminal feel. I know that's tough with a small space to contend with, but that's what it is going to take.

The utility of the airport is mostly OK, except for perhaps immigration areas which can be a mess. International transit is a minor issue.

I'd add a 200-300% markup on the budget price, just to cover bribes etc.