QF in Manila

[Orqq]

Not that it's much better, but I use Club Manila lounge when flying out of T1. Costs about PHP 650 but it's usually fairly quiet.

T1 is vastly better after its recent upgrade, almost "pleasant" now

 

[JohnK]

Looks like I will more than likely have an SQ to QF connection in MNL next month. SQ arrives ~3:30pm and QF departs ~8:30pm. Need taxi from one terminal to the other? What is taxi fare likely to be and are there any alternatives?

 

[eminere]

Looks like I will more than likely have an SQ to QF connection in MNL next month. SQ arrives ~3:30pm and QF departs ~8:30pm. Need taxi from one terminal to the other? What is taxi fare likely to be and are there any alternatives?

QF suggests the fare is approximately PHP150.

 

[JohnK]

QF suggests the fare is approximately PHP150.

So double it to include the tip and scam factors?

 

[anat0l]

I think the fact that QF only run this service 4 times a week to one capital city is reflective of their attitude not to move quickly on improving the route, which includes the choice of terminal, assuming they have been offered a choice by the MIAA.

QF can fill up the 'bus four times a week because they have determined that's the sweet spot for them to have the best of loads and frequency for that route. Bump that up to daily and let's see how well they do. Add a second city in Australia while we are at it (how about returning to BNE). Once they are serious about that, they might be serious about upping the service at the terminal.

CX had a much larger incentive to dig in for, well, better digs. Multiple flights a day and intense competition between Manila and Hong Kong from three other players. QF just look like they're operating a bus. They don't even own a lounge at MNL; instead they're just paying a third party contractor (and possibly not even the best contracted lounge at T1). Either that or they are holding out for T1's eventual rebirth through refurbishments, which could take anyone's guess at length given the bureaucracy and corruption in PH.

I guess if you can find enough Filipinos to fill up four Airbuses a week, they know enough about their shambles of airports (let alone getting around and jostling in Manila) that they largely aren't bothered.

 

[anat0l]

So double it to include the tip and scam factors?

Your call if you want to tip or not. I'd guess even if you don't, you'll still be allowed to live.


There is apparently a free shuttle that loops around the four terminals at NAIA. It's hard to find info on it online. The frequency doesn't seem to be high although it has long running hours. There is also a paid shuttle which presumably is more frequent, but otherwise is the same as the free shuttle. Even if you take the free shuttle, you'd better not take a chance and schlep everything yourself and don't give any employee any ideas that they are doing you a favour, if you want to avoid handing over PHP 20 or so.

 

[Sprucegoose]

I think the Manila Airport Authority is still waiting on Qantas to pay a huge transfer fee (aka bribe).

There would be some deal waiting to break no doubt being the corrupt place it is

 

[whughes3]

Most of the airlines still operating from T1 fly much more frequently than does QF; I don't think it is necessary to invoke conspiracy theories as to why QF is still there. (BTW, it appears that QF19/20 has been permanently increased to 5/week, with the extra service on Sunday).

 

[JohnK]

Your call if you want to tip or not. I'd guess even if you don't, you'll still be allowed to live.


There is apparently a free shuttle that loops around the four terminals at NAIA. It's hard to find info on it online. The frequency doesn't seem to be high although it has long running hours. There is also a paid shuttle which presumably is more frequent, but otherwise is the same as the free shuttle. Even if you take the free shuttle, you'd better not take a chance and schlep everything yourself and don't give any employee any ideas that they are doing you a favour, if you want to avoid handing over PHP 20 or so.

Thanks. Didn't know about shuttle being available.

Still trying to work out how I paid ~600PHP for an ~10 minute trip to airport hotel in official taxi. The meter had ~150PHP on it and then surcharge after surcharge was added to come to final price. Qantas would do well to hire that taxi driver.

By the way the tout was offering a taxi for ~550PHP including tip which I thought was twice the going rate. :shock: Thais could learn a bit from the Filipinos.

 

[nauta1]

Thanks. Didn't know about shuttle being available.

Still trying to work out how I paid ~600PHP for an ~10 minute trip to airport hotel in official taxi. The meter had ~150PHP on it and then surcharge after surcharge was added to come to final price. Qantas would do well to hire that taxi driver.

By the way the tout was offering a taxi for ~550PHP including tip which I thought was twice the going rate. :shock: Thais could learn a bit from the Filipinos.

I recently had to transfer at Manila from T3 to QF flight at T1. Admittedly it was peak hour and very hectic, took a tout taxi at large cost but only had 2.5hrs for the transfer. It took 3hrs and the good team at P1 held the flight and was escorted through customs and security onto flight. I wouldn't recommend cheap alternatives unless you have plenty of time. Total cost for cab and tip was about 2000PHP, but I did make the flight. Manila avoid it if you can, better to go thought Hong Kong with feeder services to Philippines.

 

[JohnK]

I recently had to transfer at Manila from T3 to QF flight at T1. Admittedly it was peak hour and very hectic, took a tout taxi at large cost but only had 2.5hrs for the transfer. It took 3hrs and the good team at P1 held the flight and was escorted through customs and security onto flight. I wouldn't recommend cheap alternatives unless you have plenty of time. Total cost for cab and tip was about 2000PHP, but I did make the flight. Manila avoid it if you can, better to go thought Hong Kong with feeder services to Philippines.

Three hours from one terminal to the other? :shock: Is it the other side of town?

I won't pay 2,000PHP for a short taxi trip. That's extortion.

From what I understand the standard yellow cab meter taxi fare should be ~120PHP. There is a coupon taxi which is ~3x higher? That's about as much as I am willing to pay.

Is it possible to walk between terminals? If one takes Andrews Ave it is ~6-7km? Dangerous or Ok to walk? Could be good exercise.

 

[nauta1]

Its not that far from T3 to T1 - you can see it, but the traffic is horrendous and the roads are still being built and sometimes its 5 lanes into 1 lane with big holdups and much tooting of horns and small crashes. I don't know if you can walk it, mostly not a good idea in Manila even in broad daylight. The problem is time taken not the distance travelled.

Best of luck!!.

 

[Orqq]

Even if you tip double the fair - it's still only costing you AU$6 for the trip!

Still trying to work out how I paid ~600PHP for an ~10 minute trip to airport hotel in official taxi. The meter had ~150PHP on it and then surcharge after surcharge was added to come to final price. Qantas would do well to hire that taxi driver.

You got scammed! From the Terminals, take the Yellow Taxis. They generally scam less.

Drivers will tell you there are surcharges for everything from the weather, time of day to traffic levels. Just tell them you won't pay the surcharge and ask to get out. They'll change their mind as they want your fare (and hoping, cause you're white, you'll tip big!)

 

[torks]

Three hours from one terminal to the other? :shock: Is it the other side of town?

I won't pay 2,000PHP for a short taxi trip. That's extortion.

From what I understand the standard yellow cab meter taxi fare should be ~120PHP. There is a coupon taxi which is ~3x higher? That's about as much as I am willing to pay.

Is it possible to walk between terminals? If one takes Andrews Ave it is ~6-7km? Dangerous or Ok to walk? Could be good exercise.

I was there about a year ago and had to transfer from T3 to T1 onto the Qantas flight. We thought we had played it safe by leaving a 4 hour window to change terminals and check in with Qantas however we barely made it. Our inbound flight was delayed and got to the gate about an hour late. Went to the inter terminal shuttle bus and had to pay about 50PHP to get on. It didn't leave the terminal for 15 mins and then went into the Manilla traffic and eventually got to T1 via T4 about an hour and half after we got on the bus. The traffic was just dreadful. We only just made the Qantas flight.

I have heard though that they are building a private road for the inter terminal shuttles which should help take the stress out of the situation.

 

[JohnK]

I seriously cannot believe it is that bad? How is that possible? I thought Thailand was bad until I went to Manila.

I will have ~5 hours between flights.

 

[whughes3]

I seriously cannot believe it is that bad? How is that possible? I thought Thailand was bad until I went to Manila.

I will have ~5 hours between flights.

Unfortunately, it is often just that bad: the road construction works round the airport are making a real mess of traffic flow, particularly in the evenings. 5 hours should be plenty, but be prepared to spend a lot of it on the road!

 

[Limewood]

Manila airport isa national disgrace, probably one of the biggest airport dumps one could go to from.

We went HKG CX J then MNL/DVO Y, lucky we had someone there to guide us through the Int. arrivals maze to domestic, it was so overcrowded one has to see it to believe it, once in dom. hardly a seat left, then over PA gate changes - from memory gate 2 go to gate 7 and gate 9 go to gate 2, about a 1000 people got up at same time, we near got knocked over in the rush. Once seated thought, go have a bite to eat only problem was inside food bar many were smoking, I kid you not, no thanks.

Ready to board was called, stood up and was shuffled out a side entrance to downward steps onto the tarmac in 40c heat into an old bus, got to plane, seated, and a half hour later we took off on Philippine Airlines, once leveled off along came the FA, I said I'd like a coke, none, lemonade none, we only have water, tea of coffee, then passed us a packet of peanuts the size of a 50cent piece, glad to arrive in Davao then off to our friends private Island, was not looking to the return to MNL and it wasn't much better. Next time will be via SIN on CX Dragon Air.

 

[JohnK]

Unfortunately, it is often just that bad: the road construction works round the airport are making a real mess of traffic flow, particularly in the evenings. 5 hours should be plenty, but be prepared to spend a lot of it on the road!

I like adventure. Seriously thinking about walking from T3 to T1. Need to assess how dangerous that walk could be.

 

[piperlance]

Not my kind of adventure... Bear in mind there are no footpaths to speak of, and T3 to T1 requires a circuitous route around the end of the cross runway. You would sort of walk on the road. I agree with the previous posts, the whole situation is just a mess and I have never figured out just when is a good time to find minimum traffic. It can often take an hour or more just to go around the airport from one terminal to the other. It is just such a frustrating place, always crowded and disorganised. Not sure that I will ever get used to living here.

 

[anat0l]

My dad, a Filipino, says that the transfer bus (whichever one, or one of them) uses an internal road and not the common traffic road, resulting in a guaranteed transfer time (subject to general "get your butt moving" whip lashing and so on).

Of course, he has no personal experience as he has had no need to transfer between terminals at MNL.

However, I'd prefer to refer to someone with on the ground experience on this one.

Apparently, the roads are being reworked (general, re-rerouting, new roads, whatever) around the new terminals, which is more than hell for the already horrendous Metro Manila traffic.