I'm reviving this thread in hopes someone with experience can guide me out. My plan is to take Kuwait Airways from BKK to MNL, arriving at 4:25 pm. My departure flight from MNL is on CX at 5:55 pm. My CX ticket is ex-MNL so I won't have a BP until I get to MNL. Is that too tight to connect? No checked bags.

That 'should' be plenty of time. Then again it's MNL, but you will probably be fine.

It's in the same terminal so you should be fine. You need to clear immigration and customs and go check in again though.

Thanks for the replies. Is there no airside transit or transfer desk?

There are two other international flights arriving within 10mins of you (both after). If your plane is 10mins late, you will add a further 20mins+ on to the time it takes to get through immigration. The lines can be long and slow.

There is no real need for an airside desk as MNL is not a transit hub. I think I do recall seeing a CX desk there, but it definitely is not manned - it might have just been a phone?

You should make the connection ok. Otherwise you might have to get the 8pm flight.

Yes there is and I have used it. The desk is obvious as you arrive. Tell them what you need to do. When I did it they took my passport and e-ticket to the CX desk landside to get my boarding pass then brought them both back to me. There was then a transit "Security" with a very minimal amount of theatre to go through. 90 minutes should be OK - I did it on a same plane turnround with CX if I remember correctly (CX can't, or couldn't, do return check-in for MNL at HKG). You don't need to clear immigration, and I don't recall having to pay the airport tax (PHP750).

I don't know if this will help, and I have never been to MNL airport, but regardless, here you go.

[KVS Availability Tool 5.4.7/Diamond - Reference: Minimum Connection Time [MCT]: MNL]

Airside transfer desk is just before immigration. No need to clear immigration. The only potential sticky point is getting the transfer desk to be manned if it is not, but 90 minutes should still be plenty of time to roust someone out of their slumber if need be. Other than that, it is a 5 minute process to re-clear security and head upstairs for the next flight.

Thanks!
 

Thank you everyone! This is a great example of how FT can be an incredible resource -- no way I could have found any of this out by myself. Again, thanks -- and I'll practice my best "hey, wake up!" in Tagalog!

I've done this transit as well and it works fine. As CX check-in was not yet open when I arrived, I waited in the CX lounge (admitted by showing reservation). Later they came with my BP to me in the lounge.

The transfer counter is before immigration and is easy to spot.

The transfer security is the smallest security I've ever seen, and really tells you that this airport does not get much in the way of international transfers. They were pretty lax, didn't even have to take my laptop out for screening.

FYI, flight MNL-NGO required the following steps last week:

1. Security at the door
2. Check-in counters to get ticket/check bags
3. Pay airport terminal fee
4. Customs/immigration
5. Security check #2
6. Security check #3 at the gate
7. At NGO, with an international connection I had to do security check #4