CBU
- CEBU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
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Cebu International Airport by Edmund Carew
17 June 2008 Customer Rating : 
Cebu is a more convenient and less hassled entry point to the Philippines than Manila. Taxi travel
to and from Cebu's CBD is efficient, aided by the two bridges in lieu of the former one connecting
Mactan and Cebu islands. Provided one arrives on an airline like SilkAir that flies at off-peak
times to Cebu, immigration queues can be non-existent. However leaving can be a different story,
with a 20 minute queue to obtain entry to the checkin area and then a 25 minute wait in the mid
afternoon through immigration. Cebu's beautiful resorts are popular with Koreans so make sure that
the departure time of your flight does not coincide with flights to Seoul or Pusan - you will not be
able to get to your gate in five minutes. The restricted entry to checkin is designed to stop
hordes of well wishes from clogging checkin, but it does add a delay not found in many other non-
Filipino airports. There is a limited range of shops once through immigration, and they do not
stock basics like 'load' for a local cellphone - so come prepared, with snacks if need be. It is
possible once you have checked in to hand in your boarding pass and re-enter the 'outside world',
but you do have to then queue to go through security to the checkin area so some may conclude it is
not worth the hassle to bid a final goodbye to family, friends or business associates.
Cebu International Airport by J Olfato
17 June 2008 Customer Rating :
Mactan airport is very okay, but relatively small, with less than 10 gates, and looks like it has
seen better days. Since Cebu tourism is booming, at times the airport is overcrowded. No place to
shop and eat, apart from the souvenir shops and cheap donuts. Immigration was fast though, and
people are nice. The airport seems very laid back though, which is good. Definitely better than
Manila airport. Tip: on arrival, go to the departure areas for a cab, because the arrival coupon
taxis are way more expensive.
Cebu International Airport by R Clarke
20 June 2007 Customer Rating : 
This Airport especially late at night at the international departures is
now overloaded with passengers taking flights that the queues have
become horrendous both at the first security check before you get to the
check in. The it takes 45 mins now just to clear immigration & another
15-20mins to go through another security check before you reach your
gate. Now plans are in place to expand the international terminal & at
this time of night its like a zoo. Don't bother buying from the Duty
Free as the prices are sky high & you could have bought these cheaper in
town.
Cebu International Airport by Frank Winter
21 December 2006 Customer Rating : n/a
Totally agree with Dirk Visser. Really bad airport, very dirty.
Absolutely nothing to do after immigration (no shops, very limited
seats), so don't pass immigration too early. Only one shop with
extremely limited selection. Don't plan to buy anything there, you must
be self sufficient until you get on the plane (bring your Ipod and your
own water/food). Very surprising that the airport is still so sub-
standard although so many tourists are going to Cebu (which is
beautiful, by the way). A pity. Might be better than Manila (haven't
been to Manila in 4 years) but that does not say much.
Cebu International Airport by Dirk Visser
11 December 2005
We flew into and out of Cebu-Mactan Airport in November of this year.
We arrived quite late from HKG and had to wait quite a while for
immigration to process our full flight together with a PAL flight from
Japan. Luggage claim area was like stepping back in time....a bit
dodgy, but ok. Leave the terminal and you are literally bombarded left
and right by taxi drivers and money exchangers. Leaving was a different
story. The check-in desks for the international departures are behind
doors that are kept locked until a few hours before departure, which
means you are sitting in a rather dingy terminal until your airline is
ready to check you in. Security is a joke, but that didn't surprise us
after being in the Philippines. Once you check in you have the option
of going through to the gate or back into the main terminal. We were
told to go to immigration and were surprised with the fact that we had
to pay an airport tax P 550 or $ 11. Once through passport control you
are at the gates. There is ONE store: Phlilippes Duty Free (total rip-
off and joke) and two cafeterias, which were asking ridiculous amounts
for everything on the menu. As the gate area was kept closed, you wait
in a huge area behind passport control just behind passport control. We
had a laugh as we stood (there were only 5 chairs) behind the passport
control people, who were playing video games on their computers. That
explains why they snarled at us when we arrived! We interrupted
them!!!! Other than stand and wait, you can be massaged by ladies that
await you when you clear immigration, who bother you even when you
barely look in their direction. So for those travelling to this prison-
turned-airport, do not clear immigration too early as there is nothing
to do! Facilities are way under par, but being the Philippines, it
shouldn't come as a surprise.
Cebu International Airport by Corey Shreffler
13 September 2005
Mactan-Cebu International Airport (CEB) is a much better entry point to
the Philippines than Ninoy Aquino (unless your final destination is
Manila, of course). However, despite the fact that Cebu is
the second-largest city in the Philippines, there is nothing overly
impressive about its airport. I arrived at CEB on a domestic flight and
was quite surprised how desolate the terminal was. This was
in stark contrast to what was waiting just outside. For a flight of 60
or so people it seemed like the whole city of Cebu was waiting to greet
us in the "welcoming area". I stuck out like a sore thumb, being the
only Cacuasian around, but never once felt threatened by the smiling
faces of Filipinos. I was immediately greeted by a sonata of sales
pitches, as taxi reps competed for my business. I gently waved them
off, since I was waiting to meet my friend. They were persistent,
but not obnoxious. The availability of transportation is not a problem
at CEB, but you will need to learn the art of negotiation to avoid being
charged unfairly. Thankfully, my friend is quite skilled in these
matters and we never had to pay an elevated fare. A few weeks later I
left from the international terminal at CEB for a flight to HKG. I
don't remember much about my actual impressions of this terminal, since
I was contemplating a heartbreaking goodbye to my friend. However, I do
remember that the security line was not long at all, and the entire
process of getting my boarding pass and clearing customs took about 15
minutes max. The airport workers were quite friendly, except, of
course, for the customs official. CEB is a utilitarian airport and
nothing more. It helps you get around the Philippines and S.E.
Asia, but luxurious it is not. It does, however, have a much more
friendly feel than NAIA and Manila's domestic terminal.
Cebu International Airport by E Mallari
21 April 2005
This is a small international airport. The approach to the terminal is not very impressive. The food
selection and stores outside the security check area have very few selections compared to other
international airports of comparable size. Security check line is short, and the process efficient.
Once inside, the terminal is bereft of quality food outlets. There are few stores that sell
souvenirs and indigenous food items to take home. We stayed inside Philippine Airlines business
class lounge so we avoided the large crowd outside. The public restrooms are not well maintained. To
get inside the boarding area, each passenger must pay an airport departure tax payable in cash. The
boarding area is too small for the Airbus A330-300 that PAL uses for its Cebu-Manila flights.
Cebu International Airport by Joseph Cal
24 February 2005
Airport of Cebu is very laid back style. But it makes me feel more convenient than to go Manila airport. There are 4 international airlines to
choose from - Cathay, Silk Air, Malaysia Airlines and Qatar airways. Its hassle free airport and when it
comes to transportation, lots of taxi outside the airport. And two big hotel near the airport - Waterfront
Mactan hotel and Days hotel.
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