Manila

[Soapy Smith]

BTW, Turbo props, antique planes flying in PH, and A319/320's to nearby destinations use the shorter runway.

319/320 to distant places like KL / SG still have to use the longer runway.

My incoming Delta flight (about 2 1/2 weeks ago) got diverted back to Japan when we were within 35 minutes of NAIA. Pilot announced that a plane had skidded off a runway or taxiway and was blocking the movement of other planes. Bummer. We spent another day at the airport in Nagoya and got packed into the next night's flight. After I arrived I read in the paper that the plane in question was Saudi, and that smaller planes "such as A320's" were allowed to land, while larger planes were diverted. Half a dozen or so landed at Angeles and a couple more at Taipei. Our pilot claimed the various airports could not accommodate any additional diverted planes. Really? Angeles, with all its runways and taxiways, couldn't find room for another 747? Methinks some personal considerations on the part of the flight crew came into play.

(On the other hand, packing too many diverted planes onto the taxiways of a fog-shrouded airport in the Canary Islands contributed to the worst air disaster in history a few decades ago.)

At the time I was wondering how NAIA was able to land A320's but not bigger planes. The cross runway now seems like a logical explanation.

[Member #4387]

My flight to Tacloban was in a Dash-8 turboprop, which is fairly short takeoff and landing. We took off on a southeast heading (13) on the shorter cross runway, thus essentially crossing the path of the longer SW-NE runway. It was 5 am, so presumably not much conflicting traffic. Return flight on an A320 landed on a northeast heading on the longer runway. While waiting for my Delta departure I saw a smaller jet take off on a northwest heading on the shorter cross runway. So the shorter cross runway is apparently being used for some STOL planes.

They use mentioned runway not only for STOL aircrafts SK. A couple of times heading for BKK in Cebu Pacific's A320 we have used this runway for take off. I guess windcondition and aircrafts payload comes to play here. The BKK flights in mention was not crowded at all so probably not a to heavy aircraft.

[Econo Tech]

I'm not sure why getting transportation from the airport seems tp be a major hassle. Yesterday, just before exiting terminal 3, I turned on my Uber app and had a very nice Mitsubishi Montero with driver, pick me up within a few minutes. The total cost of getting to my hotel in Makati was Php165 or so. The whole process was efficient, pleasant and prompt. To an increasing extent, Uber is becoming my preferred means of getting around Manila.

GE.

Really 165 by a Montero?

Sounds like steal and cheaper than Grab Taxi app.

BTW, Turbo props, antique planes flying in PH, and A319/320's to nearby destinations use the shorter runway.

319/320 to distant places like KL / SG still have to use the longer runway.

[Soapy Smith]

I have attached a screen capture of the Terminal 3 map provided on their website. It is generally accurate, except that it does not show the location of immigration booths. But signage is generally improved over Terminal 1, so nobody should have a problem finding them. Whereas in T1 passengers clear immigration before picking up luggage, this is reversed at T3.

The cell phone kiosks are not shown on the map, but they are in the outer layer where the information booth and money changers are shown. All of these were open when I arrived at 10 pm.

I came and went via Delta and also took a domestic flight to and from Tacloban via PAL in between, also through T3. I was one of the first off the Delta flight, cleared immigration, luggage, and customs quickly, and was climbing into a yellow metered cab within about 20 minutes of arrival. There was no wait for a yellow cab, although those getting off the plane later may have experienced some wait. Returning from Tacloban at 6 pm was a different story. About an hour long line for yellow cabs. Yellow cab fare to my hotel (near UN Avenue and Taft in Ermita) was about 330 php both times, plus 20 php (which the passenger pays) through a toll gate getting onto the Southern Expressway. I was quoted a price for coupon taxi of 850 php for the same destination and there would not have been any wait. I had a coupon quote of 650 for a sedan and 800 for a small van to Makati, so presumably yellow cab is a little less than 300. Six months earlier I paid 330 for a yellow cab to near the same area in Ermita from T1, but without a toll charge. So I think Ermita and Malate may not be much cheaper from T3, but Makati would seem to be closer from T3.

My flight to Tacloban was in a Dash-8 turboprop, which is fairly short takeoff and landing. We took off on a southeast heading (13) on the shorter cross runway, thus essentially crossing the path of the longer SW-NE runway. It was 5 am, so presumably not much conflicting traffic. Return flight on an A320 landed on a northeast heading on the longer runway. While waiting for my Delta departure I saw a smaller jet take off on a northwest heading on the shorter cross runway. So the shorter cross runway is apparently being used for some STOL planes.

Driver of the white metered cab that brought me to the airport when I left described hanging out on the departure level looking for fares who have ridden up from the arrival level. But he said security guards have caught on and do not let them stick around without paying a bribe of at least 20 php. It's still better than driving away empty.

I believe there is still room for expansion at T3. Looking at it via Google Earth there appear to be 18 skybridges for arrival gates at T3, which is more than at T1. There are also about eight apron parking spaces at the northwest end of T3. My PAL flights, both coming and going, used this apron area, with a bus transporting us between terminal and plane. The departure counters at T3 also seem to be much more efficiently laid out, and departure gate seating seems to be larger. Now if the Philippine government can only improve their security checkpoint so that the airlines don't have to add an additional layer of security check.

[Soapy Smith]

Or for those in a really prickly mood (too much sex, to much beer and too little sleep will often create that mood ").

" Sorr, show me your passport".

" Are you an immigration official, or an official member of the police?

" No Sir, just security.

" Then I can't show you my passport.

" OK Sorr, please proceed ". LOL.

Obiwon: "These aren't the droids you're looking for. ".

Evil Empire Security Police: "These aren't the droids we're looking for. ".

[Wicked Roger]

I came in through T1 late in the evening and straight into a taxi, and left via T3, which was quiet, and (unbelievably) efficient.

Pigs must be flying and the moon must blue CSP as that is rare. Yes I have had the same but as I fly through booth terminals regularly I am fully aware of the horrible list of issues any traveler faces. In the press today it is said the upgrade to the public toilets will be complete by Christmas! Question I why was there no recurring maintenance and why did it take some poor Chinese tourist to be bitten by an inspector's pet dog to get anything done. Answer is total incompetence by the airport management who are regularly criticized by the netziens / bloggers but as the head in charge is one of a famous family no one (not even the President0 will terminate him.

Am happy you had a great experience but 99% of my travels through T1 especially are dire, depressing and sweaty now as the air cons still have to be fitted!

GE is another very regular traveler and he and I share the same views on this. Read his FRs as a seasoned traveler I rank T1 as the lowest of the low (I don't count some African airports as they don't pretend to be first rate or be a developed country).

[Wander Luster]

And just think, it only took this country ten years or so to build a terminal that was totally out of date before its doors opened. Delta now uses it, Cathay will use it as of next month, in addition to Cebu Pacific amd some PAL flights. I think other international carriers are also moving over. Of course there aren't sufficient gates, so, consistent with airport practice circa 1965, buses make up the slack. This may also be the only terminal I've ever seen outside Africa that doesn't have an Arrivals / Departure schedule in the main lobby, so if you enter he terminal with a boarding pass for a domestic flight, lots of luck trying to figure out where your gate might be.

WR is correct. Everything about the airport is inadequate, out of date, and fairly shabby. Only one runway can be used at a time, the ground landing equipment was antique ten years ago, and the amenities are a joke. Further, there are no immediate plans, as far as I know, to build anything new. I guess the country will wait for some donor or other to come give them the money to build something, but for the moment, the air travel situation deteriorates year by year. Together with all of the other transport infrastructure.

NAIA is a virtual meme for political incompetence.

GE.

GF, I've been reading your posts since about 2006. Your post count well over 2 k beats my twitter 140 character posts since 2008. I love that your writing is better than ever. Fantastic commentary here. I love black humor, and maybe that's why the beauty of the PH woman sits well alongside the lowest common denominator that we see so much in the PH, especially at the creepy / scary Manila airport.

WL.

[CallSign Papa]

I came in through T1 late in the evening and straight into a taxi, and left via T3, which was quiet, and (unbelievably) efficient.

[GoodEnough]

I'm not sure why getting transportation from the airport seems tp be a major hassle. Yesterday, just before exiting terminal 3, I turned on my Uber app and had a very nice Mitsubishi Montero with driver, pick me up within a few minutes. The total cost of getting to my hotel in Makati was Php165 or so. The whole process was efficient, pleasant and prompt. To an increasing extent, Uber is becoming my preferred means of getting around Manila.

GE.

[FreebieFan]

The exits are on the far right end of the departure level. The last couple of door are for departing friends / family who went to the airport to say bye.

With the increased airlines utilizing T3 they will have to go to only ticketed passengers allowed to enter like they do in T1 and 2.

And then we have the fun and games of getting past security, who sometimes arent sure of what there job is.

"Sorrr, show me your ticket.

" Its on my tablet".

" Sorr, I need to see your ticket.

" As I said its on my tablet and its just a QR code".

" Sorr show me your ticket.

Or for those in a really prickly mood (too much sex, to much beer and too little sleep will often create that mood ").

" Sorr, show me your passport".

" Are you an immigration official, or an official member of the police?

" No Sir, just security.

" Then I can't show you my passport.

" OK Sorr, please proceed ". LOL.

[Robbaf]

I tried going up to the departure area to get an incoming taxi, but with the guards at the door there it is a one way check valve and cannot get out to the in coming, Yellow cab must have paid a hefty fee or bribe for the rights to service outbound, arrival passengers be dammed.

The exits are on the far right end of the departure level. The last couple of door are for departing friends / family who went to the airport to say bye.

With the increased airlines utilizing T3 they will have to go to only ticketed passengers allowed to enter like they do in T1 and 2.

[Boola Fiji]

I tried going up to the departure area to get an incoming taxi, but with the guards at the door there it is a one way check valve and cannot get out to the in coming, Yellow cab must have paid a hefty fee or bribe for the rights to service outbound, arrival passengers be dammed.

The guards don't really check. I have always breezed right past them and out onto the departures taxi ramp. They only check folks getting *into* the airport. Take the lifts at the left end of the arrivals floor (as you exits customs) and go to floor 2.

[Boola Fiji]

T3 taxis I suspect will be worse when the 5 international carriers all land there, business class lounges I am checking as I am told by a fellow ISG friend that Singapore does not and as he flies SQ a lot he is one very unhappy bunny.

Just saw a newsflash on the Singapore airlines website. They are moving to T3 effective Sep 1.

[Slippery]

LA Cafe is in Ermita. Just a few blocks north of Malate.

Corner of Del Pilar and Salas. Definitely Ermita.

[Fast Eddie 48]

Have recently been through KLIA2 the new low cost carrier terminal in KL. Despite the extremely long walks to the passport / immigration area it makes NAIA T1 look like something from the 1930's and has all the mod cons including electronic sign boards, plenty of baggage carousels etc It is how T3 should be.

Was a lovely experience. Then you go to NAIA T1 and get mightily disappointed in life LOL.

To WG.

I didn't know the new KL LLC terminal is finally open after so many delay it must of just open, thank for the warning I have a Air Asia flight out of KL next month but I travel light should be ok.

Fast eddie 48.