Caticlan Airport rip off

[PumaPilot]

A warning to all you travellers out there. Just back from a friends weeding in Boracay and was stung on the way home. Got dropped off at Caticlan Airport for my flight to Manila with Philippine Airline Express (PAL) and was charged 1000 peso excess baggage THEN 200 peso each airport tax. NO mention of this was made when we made our booking. All this is on top of the 50 peso environmental tax and 100 peso harbour tax you have to pay. Just add insult, PAL checkin staff booked us the earlier flight but did not tell us so we heard out names being called as the "last 2 pax" to board.

A truely sh&t airport

 

[Deleted member]

A warning to all you travellers out there. Just back from a friends weeding in Boracay and was stung on the way home. Got dropped off at Caticlan Airport for my flight to Manila with Philippine Airline Express (PAL) and was charged 1000 peso excess baggage THEN 200 peso each airport tax. NO mention of this was made when we made our booking. All this is on top of the 50 peso environmental tax and 100 peso harbour tax you have to pay. Just add insult, PAL checkin staff booked us the earlier flight but did not tell us so we heard out names being called as the "last 2 pax" to board.

A truely sh&t airport

So about AUD $50.00 all up?

Or have I missed something?

 

[PumaPilot]

Yep, about $50, the money's not the point, the point is that at no time were we informed that we would have to pay another departure tax. We left Manila with a combined bag weight of 19.8kg and we left Caticlan with 25 kg and in that time we bought NOTHING !! I asked when the scales were last calibrated but was fobbed off with some BS. We were both fully aware the enviro tax and harbour tax and we were under the impression that when we booked our tickets, it included ALL taxes

 

[Deleted member]

Sorry. My point was, you are travelling in a country where "corruption" is a way of life , and you are surprised.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

A warning to all you travellers out there. Just back from a friends weeding in Boracay and was stung on the way home. Got dropped off at Caticlan Airport for my flight to Manila with Philippine Airline Express (PAL) and was charged 1000 peso excess baggage THEN 200 peso each airport tax. NO mention of this was made when we made our booking. All this is on top of the 50 peso environmental tax and 100 peso harbour tax you have to pay. Just add insult, PAL checkin staff booked us the earlier flight but did not tell us so we heard out names being called as the "last 2 pax" to board.

A truely sh&t airport

Aside from the excess baggage charge, a quick google shows the other charges are about right, and not included in the ticket. Tripadvisor mentions them in multiple threads. Easy once you know about them I guess.

 

[Ansett]

Try going through Russian airports as a foreigner, amazing what extra charges may be levied rather unexpectedly . Turkey is also renowned for extra charges. Know many people travelling from Sharm El Sheikh pulled in by police and fined for what can only be described as trumped up charges even had a mate mine escorted through customs etc by check in given a bill which had to pay straight away as the check in girl threatened to call police and have him arrested. These things happen hence why I always do research on what extra charges I am likely to see at an airport legal or otherwise.

 

[RooFlyer]

Aside from the excess baggage charge, a quick google shows the other charges are about right, and not included in the ticket. Tripadvisor mentions them in multiple threads. Easy once you know about them I guess.

And thanks to PumaPilot, I now know about them .

 

[MEL_Traveller]

And thanks to PumaPilot, I now know about them .

yes, I probably should have added my thanks for the heads-up as well

 

[Mark3000]

Interesting. We got stung for excess baggage there last September. I wonder if it is the scales
Much better though than flying through Kalibo

 

[PumaPilot]

Also watch out for baggage touts, they touch your bag for 5 seconds then want payment for handling them.

I have traveled to third world countries many times in the last 40 years but sh^t service is still sh^t service.

 

[dajop]

Apart from MNL which changed a couple of years ago, most airports in Philippines require payment of modest departure taxes at the airport - it has been like this for a long time. I would hardly call this a ripoff. It just is what it is. The excess baggage sounds a very dodgy - was there any opportunity to transfer some to hand baggage?

 

[Simo]

My mantra in Philippines is expect the unexpected... I had to pay $30 for a hand towel that wasn't in my room... They offered to get me the manager and I knew that would make the situation better so just paid up and left... It wasn't there when I checked in and wasn't there when I checked out offering to have my luggage inspected meant nothing

 

[PumaPilot]

I did ask to see the calibration certificate for the scales at the customer service desk but was fibbed off with some sh%t. I was given the usual line "they were calibrated earlier in the year" to which I said "then you will be able to provide a certificate then" but more sh^t. It's easier traveling into and out of East Timor, far less corrupt. Last time I visit the Philippines.

 

[JohnK]

Sorry. My point was, you are travelling in a country where "corruption" is a way of life , and you are surprised.

LOL.

Going to Kanchanaburi next week and playing golf. Thought it would be fun to try somewhere different. What a huge mistake. Brain fade. Taxis there and back and taxis for 3 days of golf are at least AUD350 possibly more. Golf not cheap either but decided to play the cheaper courses.

Anyway got wife to call this morning and book the tee times. Then she told me this "Must be careful. Thai people some time when we make phone call they tell us this price and then when we go there and play then they will say other price and say oh sorry now the price change."

So true. Happens so often it's not funny.

 

[travelislife]

Why use taxis John? You should be able to get a driver and car for about 2500 baht per day if you are going to do that for multiple days.

 

[JohnK]

Why use taxis John? You should be able to get a driver and car for about 2500 baht per day if you are going to do that for multiple days.

No drivers in Kanchanaburi so a Bangkok driver would want accommodation as well.

I am actually referring to private cars and call them taxis. The cheapest I can possibly do it is 1,800 baht each way Bangkok to Kanchanaburi and 1,500baht-1,600baht per day to get to golf. I have managed to get the golf down from 6,950 baht to 3,500 baht by playing cheaper courses.

Overly expensive for a cheap country. Need to try and stick to a budget. Although it's all a learning experience.

 

[travelislife]

Accom for a driver is like 300-400 Baht a night plus 100 baht for meals.

 

[JohnK]

Accom for a driver is like 300-400 Baht a night plus 100 baht for meals.

Brings it up to ~3,000 baht/day. Oh and usually they charge fuel extra. Not cheap.

I have been used to playing golf with larger groups where transport costs are shared between a large group.

 

[JohnK]

Accom for a driver is like 300-400 Baht a night plus 100 baht for meals.

Funny end to that story.

We ended up striking a deal with the driver that took us to Kanchanaburi to take me to golf each day for ~800 baht/day and bring me back to hotel then take us back to Bangkok. He stayed in a cheap hotel and paid for his own meals. He obviously thought it was worthwhile in low season.

 

[FL360]

that's why I only use public transport with these corrupt - I mean developing countries, I also will just avoiding these countries altogether if I can.

the risk of being rip off / robbed and the pain of bargaining is just not worth the savings,

you think it is cheap - you end up paying much more.