MNL Transit
 

Is there a transit area in Terminal 1 or will transit passengers have to clear Philippine immigration/customs before continuing on to other flights?

I've entered the Philippines via Terminal 2 once and know that multiple security checks just to get into the terminal and gate area can be lengthy.

If there is a transit procedure at Terminal 1 that keeps passengers airside, it would help immensely; otherwise, going through all the motions (getting back up to the departures level, getting checked twice before reaching outbound immigration, and checked another two times before reaching the gate seating area will be a real PITA.

Thanks!

There is an airside transit desk just before immigration with placards of all the major airlines where you should be able to check in. There is an airside stairway from the arrival level to the departure level manned by security guards who will let you upstairs if you have a boarding pass and ID. I have never personally done a strait transit there but those are the facilities that exist.

OK I'm stupid I admit it. But I'm confused by the post and the first response. Please clarify your terminals for me as I've heard them referred to differently. Terminal 1 is the old international airport... the piece of junk with 5 different security points and dirty disgusting piece of ****** Terminal 2 is Centenial the newer international airport that only Philippine Air flies from generally and Terminal 3 is the domestic terminal ????

I fly into both and out of the other one every other month. If you land at Terminal 1 the old junky one... and depart out of Terminal 2 you must clear immigration and your bags and get them over to Terminal 2. If you land at night and leave the next day (under 24 hours) when you check in at Terminal 2 you tell them you are transit reboard and you not pay your exit fee and other items and they don't bother with your luggage (weight and such). When you fly into Terminal 2 the new one on Philippine Air and you depart out of Terminal 1 the old piece of junk there is a tranist desk but you get your items and you are taken over. Now Philippine air will transfer you via vehicle and if you are first class you get your own vehicle to transfer your items.

Or are you going through a straight transit at the same terminal?? Your mention of hte different terminals have me confused as to what all you are doing as Manila has more then one terminal.

My response was based on international to international transit, without leaving NAIA terminal 1. My take was that the original poster had previously arrived at terminal 2 on a different trip and was familiar with that one, but this time was making a strait transit of terminal 1, since changing terminals was not mentioned.

Based on that scenario, at NAIA Terminal 1, a transfer desk exists shortly before immigration and a stairway is manned to facilitate getting back up to the departure level airside without clearing immigration.

Just to be pedantic, Manila Terminal 1 has been down to two security checks (beyond paperwork) for at least a year now: one just inside the terminal entrance before check-in, and one just after immigration. I haven't seen any baggage checking at the gate area for many months now. For me the most irritating bit is the "shoes, belts & jackets off" routine at the second one, for no real purpose whatsoever.

Northwest certainly still does baggage checks at the gate as of about a month ago, although now that you mention it, EVA did seem to skip it last time. MNL is also the only airport I have ever been to where you have to go through a security checkpoint with a WTMD and have your bag x-ray'd just to EXIT a lounge. I presume they figure you may be able to procure a pointy thing upstairs around the PAGS lounge.

Yeah Yeah Yeah... I was being a sarcastic SOB because of my love for that airport :p CO has the gate check still and they are VERY VERY invasive. Everything out of the bag and on the table and going through pockets of clothes in the carry on etc... This was still the case up until last month and I'll be going through Terminal 1 transfer to Terminal 2 on Saturday and return in a few weeks so I'm so overjoyed that I get to go back through MNL. I wish I could just stay in Terminal 2 and avoid Terminal 1 all together.

I agree the second inspection with the male / female lines and pockets turned inside out and the guy cupping your crotch is way overline. I love when they try to make a big deal out of the multiple currency I carry.

Thanks for the replies, all. I was hoping to collect some passport stamps, but a tight connection (75 minutes) and the time involved to get through T1 wouldn't be worth entering and exiting.

I will be doing a same-plane transit at MNL on CX...arriving to end a RTW, then immediately departing to start another one. It seems like everything should work out. I am planning on having a CX agent in HKG check me in for my return MNL-HKG segment, so if I have a BP in hand, can I skip the transit desk? Or is there something else that they do at the transit desk (I seem to remember at TPE you need some stamp on your BP...don't recall this anywhere else). Thoughts?

I just went transited Manilla with a 65 minute connection from CO to CX in terminal 1. It was enough time, but a delay of 20 minutes or more would have made it impossible. We waited for a CX agent to come to the transfer desk, then he went back to retrieve boarding passes. No checked baggage.

The actual transit is no issue if you already have BPs - the line at transit security was less than 2 minutes and it was incredibly un-thorough ( I went through the metal detector with my backpack on as instructed from the security agent)

slow on the uptake here:

What is transit at MNL like if I am traveling from a Phillipine Air (domestic economy flight from Cebu) to Asiana (international business to Seoul)? How much time should I allow?

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Terminal 2 landing... getting your bags... bus or taxi (bus goes every twenty minutes they say but is not really true) over to Terminal one, go through screening, enter line to check into Asian... go through immigration... go through screening... board plane.

Going Terminal Two on PR from BKK (international of course) to Terminal 1 to CO Business Class I am not comfortable with an hour due to the numerous potential problems the airports or airport employees can create.

How much time do you have scheduled now?

All PAL Express and Air Philippines flights operate at the new Manila NAIA Terminal 3. Philippine Airlines uses NAIA Terminal 2. So, not sure exactly which airline you mean when you say "Philippine Air".

http://www.philippineairlines.com/pr...n/check_in.jsp

A yellow taxi is the quickest, cheapest and easiest way between terminals. But if you are going from Terminal 3 to Terminal 1, traffic can get bad so it could be 15minutes (depending on many things including weather, etc).

From scheduled landing time to scheduled departing time, I would want at least 2hrs to allow for bags, lines for taxis, transfer time, lines for security. That does not include allowing time for the domestic flight to be late (which is not unheard of). It it was me, I would be choosing a 3hr time to allow for problems as missing an international flight is a PITA, but YMMV.

Phillipine Air = Phillipine Airlines, thanks for asking for clarification.

we haven't booked the flights yet, we had the option of a 1.5 hour connection time or a 4 hr connection time.

I think we'll go with the 4 hr connection. Another idea would be to catch a late PM domestic flight into MNL, overnight at the nearby Marriott airport hotel, then catch our 12:45pm departure the next day.

thanks for the input^

1) 1.5 hour is doable but you might get "stressed" or jammed up

2) 4 hours is a long time in Terminal 1 which in my opinion is a piece of crap, yes you will have a lounge access but even that lounge is crappy.

3) Marriott is nice hotel and depending who "we" are or what your plans or duties are in MNL you could enjoy a half way decent night in MNL (don't laugh to hard about spending a half way decent night in MNL comment please).

You an easily also head to Dusit or other Makati hotels if you are overnighting and do other items depending on what your goals are and / or who "we" are including etc...

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