Manila and Baggage Pick up

[Maxx121 14]

My son and I (2 year old) are flying to the philipines on friday.

I didnt buy a direct ticket, instead i purchased a ticket from jfk to tpe to manila on china airlines and then purchased a ticket directly from philipines airlines into cebu. (it was way cheaper this way)

The problem is luggage, i have to get my own luggage in Manila from china air and take it to the phil air check in. My original plan was to just travel light and use carry ons, but now im told i only get one carry on and his diaper bag counts as a carryon (which is dumb cause women carry purses and carryons all the time)

So now im wondering how good manila is when it comes to getting your luggage, i have maybe an hour to get my bags and check in and be onthe next plane.

Going:Flight lands in manila at 940am and i have to board phil air at 1230 am

Return: Flight lands in manila at 830 and have to board china air before 1045 am

Just want to know if you guys think i will have enough time to pick up my baggage and make it to the next flight to check my baggage and fly. worse come to worse i figure i would just pack the essentials in my carry on and leave the stuff in the check bag. (spare play pen and toys for him to play with and extra clothing ) but i would really hate to have to ditch this stuff.

it 3 am here and im debating on what to pack

[George & Gina 29]

If you're well organized you should be able to make it, although carrying the little one will slow you down a bit. If I remember correctly, you'll have to take a shuttle from terminal 1 over to terminal 2 to catch your PhilAir flight. When you walk out of the front of the airport, any of the security guards should be able to point you towards the shuttle stop.

When I did something similar, I had to go from terminal 1 to terminal 3. I also had a little under 3 hours, and it was nerve wracking to wait for the checked luggage . It's definitely "doable" though.

Just a tip, when traveling with close connections, request a seat near the front of the aircraft so you can deplane just that much quicker.

George

[Don and Venus 2]

You should definitely have enough time to catch your inbound flight. Returning to Manila may be a little close as the waiting time in the international ticket line always seems longer to me. Be sure to use a metered taxi as it will buy you alot of time. Good luck.

[thekfc 26]

You should be ok on the going but the return will be a tight squeeze but it is doable.

also try to have your luggage tag as "Priority Luggage" so it will be in the first group of luggage that come out. I usually fry Cathay Pacific & I have them tag my luggage s priority Luggage & my luggage is always the first or second luggage to come out.

As for the luggage, it sucks that they considered his diaper bag as the carry-on. And as per China Airlines - personal items such as "Infant's napkins, feeding bottle and food for consumption in flight" are allowed as an extra carry-on.

http://www.china-airlines.com/en/check/check_ba2-1.htm

I have only fly on Cathay Pacific going to Asia and I see them allow passengers with infants carry an extra piece of luggage & the stroller (3 total pcs).

Is your son traveling with you for free or do he have to pay a discounted fare?

If he have to pay a discounted fare - then he should be entitled to a baggage allowance.

Edited November 18, 2010 by thekfc

[lbounds 16]

You will go to the other terminal as someone mentioned. From international to the domestic terminal. There is a free shuttle but I wouldn't even bother with that because it can be overcrowded and you can be waiting in line for it. You should have no problem taking a taxi and as soon as you leave the door to outside there's plenty of attendants to tell you where to go. Make sure you only get in a metered taxi of course.

For your luggage, it will take you time to get through the customs line. After that it's about time to pick up your bags.

Don't let any airline tell you that your bags will be checked all the way through to your final destination and you won't need to claim your bags at Manila customs to hand transfer to your connection in Philippines. That happened to me on my first trip and I had to go all the way back to other terminal to get my bags. Have a good trip.

[thekfc 26]

Don't let any airline tell you that your bags will be checked all the way through to your final destination and you won't need to claim your bags at Manila customs to hand transfer to your connection in Philippines. That happened to me on my first trip and I had to go all the way back to other terminal to get my bags. Have a good trip.

I do not think that China Air & PAL have an interline baggage agreement, so yep, your bags will not be checked all the way thru to Cebu - you must pick it up at NAIA & recheck to Cebu.

If you were flying on the same Airline or same Airline Alliance from beginning to end - then you could have checked your luggage all the way through to Cebu.

[Tahoma 2,292]

Vince...Have a safe flight and a wonderful time visiting your sweetheart in the Philippines!

Your return connection in Manila sure looks tight for time. I hope everything goes smoothly for you.

[TravellingNomad 12]

OP, you should print that verbage in china airline's website that thekfc linked in his post. if they give you grief about it, you can pull it out and tell them that this is what your website says.

[Mike&Cherry 45]

You will go to the other terminal as someone mentioned. From international to the domestic terminal. There is a free shuttle but I wouldn't even bother with that because it can be overcrowded and you can be waiting in line for it. You should have no problem taking a taxi and as soon as you leave the door to outside there's plenty of attendants to tell you where to go. Make sure you only get in a metered taxi of course.For your luggage, it will take you time to get through the customs line. After that it's about time to pick up your bags.

Don't let any airline tell you that your bags will be checked all the way through to your final destination and you won't need to claim your bags at Manila customs to hand transfer to your connection in Philippines. That happened to me on my first trip and I had to go all the way back to other terminal to get my bags. Have a good trip.

In general, I've noticed many times that everyone always say to take a metered taxi. I was wondering why this should be done? I'm going to the Philippines in January and any tips like this would help. Thanks.

[TravellingNomad 12]

In general, I've noticed many times that everyone always say to take a metered taxi. I was wondering why this should be done? I'm going to the Philippines in January and any tips like this would help. Thanks.

because with a metered taxi, you only pay what's on the meter. of course at your discretion if you want to give extra for the driver to keep. there are taxis in the Philippines that will contract the ride out to the prospective passenger. and usually, foreigners can get gaffled thinking that they are paying a contract price that's cheaper, when it's actually more expensive than the actual meter. but at terminal 2 though, there are taxis that are certified by the airport to pick up passengers. meaning these taxis can't choose and pick their passengers and no contract pricing. otherwise, if there is enough complaint, that particular taxi will not be allowed to pick up passengers at the terminal anymore.

other than that...have yourself a great time back home my friend!

[Atencio 43]

I think a hour is cutting it close. You have to claim your baggage and go through customs even if you have your baggage checked to go all the way since Manila is the point of entry. If you fly in on a 747 and your baggage is one of the last pieces you will kill a lot of time waiting among a throng of people. I had good luck letting bag handlers carry my bags as they pushed me by the lines of people. Well worth a tip

[Maxx121 14]

Thanks for all the advice

I just took a look at everything that was in the check bag and its mostly toys for my son and a spare playpen. none of which are a must have. So i will just travel light, take two carry ons, one being his diaper bag and bring a copy of the link showing what we can carry.

Thanks for all the advice guys.

Love this site.

[Kevin- 13]

When I read the part saying "maybe an hour", I thought there's no way you can make it out of the international terminal and over to domestic in an hour. But you've got almost 3 hours, so that's easy.

Departure might be too close. Consider flying to Manila the night before, and staying at the Airport Hotel. It's literally 850 feet away from the international terminal arrival area (or 990 feet from the departure area). That's a "straight line" distance, but it's really really close by taxi.

[David & Kezia 25]

Based on our experience, you really need more than two hours (preferably 4 hours) if you want to get that connecting flight. One hour to take you out of that first airport, about an hour just to get that taxi including the 15-30 minute taxi ride to the next airport, then another hour to get you through the baggage checks and the check-in counter, plus another hour allowance for the required 45-minutes-before-departure-time check-in.

[Maxx121 14]

Based on our experience, you really need more than two hours (preferably 4 hours) if you want to get that connecting flight. One hour to take you out of that first airport, about an hour just to get that taxi including the 15-30 minute taxi ride to the next airport, then another hour to get you through the baggage checks and the check-in counter, plus another hour allowance for the required 45-minutes-before-departure-time check-in.

Wow you just scared the ####### outa me 4 hours and im already in the airport? so its another airport all together and not just another terminal?