Other Asian, Australian and South Pacific Frequent Flyer Programs - Cebu Pacific MNL Transit Question

I was planning on buying 2 separate tickets BWN-MNL and MNL-HKG, and was wondering if one needed to do Immi+Customs @ MNL T3? I would not have any checked bags. 5P sells it as a through fare, so I assume I should be OK ... but wanted to check.

Thoughts from the experts?

Thanks.

Come back and tell us about the dancing FA

You should be fine if you buy it as a single ticket: find the transit counter upon arrival and you should be redirected back up to departures. This is standard practice for intra-terminal transits at MNL.

If you buy it as two separate tickets, if I'm not mistaken, they will not issue you a boarding pass to your final destination, and you will have to go through immigration and customs in MNL. This used to be the practice a few years ago (particularly before 5J moved its flights to Terminal 3). However, i find it wise to ask in BWN if they will issue you a boarding pass straight to HKG.

Any other insights out there? Sadly, I bought 2 separate tickets. In T3, won't the transit counters of 5J issue a second boarding pass? Also, has anyone got experience with 5J online check-in? Perhaps, I can issue it in BWN at a hotel PRIOR to commencing journey?

Thoughts?

Any other insights out there? Sadly, I bought 2 separate tickets. In T3, won't the transit counters of 5J issue a second boarding pass? Also, has anyone got experience with 5J online check-in? Perhaps, I can issue it in BWN at a hotel PRIOR to commencing journey?

Thoughts?

IIRC 5J international web check-in only works for flights from MNL (T3 only to be precise).

Terms and conditions websites states that: http://www.cebupacificair.com/aboutus/terms-and-conditions.html

8.5 Flight Connections

8.5.1 The Airline is strictly a point-to-point carrier and is not responsible for any connecting flight of the Passenger or for any misconnection arising from any delay or cancellation of the scheduled flight.

8.5.2 Passengers and Baggage will be checked up to the Sector for which the Passenger has checked-in. Passengers with connecting flights must claim all Baggage and clear through immigration and customs authorities in all airports and check-in to their connecting flights.

8.5.3 The Airline offers connections within its network and these are sold as such. Only Passengers who have availed themselves of the Airline’s flight connections (throughfares) will be treated as connecting guests.

Terms and conditions websites states that: http://www.cebupacificair.com/aboutus/terms-and-conditions.html

8.5 Flight Connections

8.5.1 The Airline is strictly a point-to-point carrier and is not responsible for any connecting flight of the Passenger or for any misconnection arising from any delay or cancellation of the scheduled flight.

8.5.2 Passengers and Baggage will be checked up to the Sector for which the Passenger has checked-in. Passengers with connecting flights must claim all Baggage and clear through immigration and customs authorities in all airports and check-in to their connecting flights.

8.5.3 The Airline offers connections within its network and these are sold as such. Only Passengers who have availed themselves of the Airline’s flight connections (throughfares) will be treated as connecting guests.

You never know: 5J ground crews abroad tend to be much more lenient (and more pleasant to deal with) than 5J ground crews in the Philippines. If PR refused to check me through to NRT just because I bought two separate tickets, yet they were able to do so at NRT for the way back, I don't see how this can't happen with 5J. (Then again, it could, and double check-in might have to happen: in that case, at least Terminal 3 is a pleasant place to be.)

IIRC 5J international web check-in only works for flights from MNL (T3 only to be precise).

The routing is BWN-MNL-HKG, so technically there's still the chance to check in for MNL-HKG online while getting the boarding pass for BWN-MNL at the airport. In that case, perhaps it's possible to just go back through to departures without having to go through immigration and customs.

You never know: 5J ground crews abroad tend to be much more lenient (and more pleasant to deal with) than 5J ground crews in the Philippines. If PR refused to check me through to NRT just because I bought two separate tickets, yet they were able to do so at NRT for the way back, I don't see how this can't happen with 5J. (Then again, it could, and double check-in might have to happen: in that case, at least Terminal 3 is a pleasant place to be.)



The routing is BWN-MNL-HKG, so technically there's still the chance to check in for MNL-HKG online while getting the boarding pass for BWN-MNL at the airport. In that case, perhaps it's possible to just go back through to departures without having to go through immigration and customs.

not sure on that case, dapat it should since I think PR is not a point-to-point carrier and PR site states that. just thought it may be harder to take chances on a point-to-point airline than full service, but that's just me

I will be coming from an international flight connecting to a domestic flight, am I allowed to check through my baggage all the way to my final destination?
Passengers coming from a PAL International flight with an immediate connection to any PAL destination can request for through check in. Your baggage can be checked through if you are holding a confirmed ticket all the way from the your point of origin to your final destination. However, customs clearance will still be in Manila.

If you are a passenger onboard a PAL flight from the U.S.A., Canada or Narita and are connecting to Cebu or Davao, you can proceed directly to the PAL Domestic Terminal at NAIA 2 after clearing with Immigration. You no longer need to have your baggage cleared in Manila, as the appointed Customs personnel in Cebu or Davao will take care of your baggage clearance.

For passengers coming from an international flight via other airlines connecting to any PAL destination are not allowed for through check-in.

Please inquire from your travel agent or PAL sales office before making your reservations.

I will be coming from an international flight connecting to a domestic flight, am I allowed to check through my baggage all the way to my final destination?
Passengers coming from a PAL International flight with an immediate connection to any PAL destination can request for through check in. Your baggage can be checked through if you are holding a confirmed ticket all the way from the your point of origin to your final destination. However, customs clearance will still be in Manila.

If you are a passenger onboard a PAL flight from the U.S.A., Canada or Narita and are connecting to Cebu or Davao, you can proceed directly to the PAL Domestic Terminal at NAIA 2 after clearing with Immigration. You no longer need to have your baggage cleared in Manila, as the appointed Customs personnel in Cebu or Davao will take care of your baggage clearance.


For flights other than terminating in CEB or DVO. It isn't really a check-through in a sense as you would still need to pick your bags from the belt and carry them thru customs and "re-check" them in with the transfer desk.

I did the USA-MNL-CEB flight a couple of times and IIRC, you deplane in CEB at the domestic wing and I needed to go to the international wing to pick up my bags and go thru customs. It took me awhile the first time around as I had to explain to every guard manning the doors why I was trying to go to the other wing.


For passengers coming from an international flight via other airlines connecting to any PAL destination are not allowed for through check-in.


This is because PAL doesn't really have interline agreements with any other airline (at least the ones I usually fly with).

This is because PAL doesn't really have interline agreements with any other airline (at least the ones I usually fly with).

Not true: PR has several interline agreements. However, perhaps PR systems can't access those of other airlines? This was the case, for example, when I flew JFK-FCO-VIE-WAW on AZ and LO: LO was able to check my bag through and issue me boarding passes for my outbound (WAW-MXP-JFK), but AZ refused for inbound because they said they couldn't "access" my PNR for WAW-MXP/VIE-WAW.

My bad, you're right. Maybe PR agents are clueless about it?

Maybe I should look into this again on my next trip. I gave up after being repeatedly told no, we can't check your bags thru from CX or KE or OZ as we don't have agreements with them.

PS You really think PR will join OW?

My bad, you're right. Maybe PR agents are clueless about it?

Maybe I should look into this again on my next trip. I gave up after being repeatedly told no, we can't check your bags thru from CX or KE or OZ as we don't have agreements with them.

PS You really think PR will join OW?

PR with OW? Wouldn't CX try to block that considering that PR and CX compete a lot? I thought this was the reason why Swiss couldn't join OW in the beginning because BA kept blocking them (they eventually joined then left for Star Alliance after Lufthansa scooped them up).

Just a FYI. I took the risk and you CAN transfer without clearing immigration. When you arrive, you tell the person receiving the flight that you are in transit. She/He basically takes your passport and ticket and goes to get you the new boarding pass. You are maid to wait outside Immigration. Like other stuff @ MNL, they are very slow and I had many anxious moments when the woman had disappeared with my passport. Of course, all of this was unnecessary as there is a "TRANSIT COUNTER" for Cebu Pacific, but no one to man it.