Manila Airport

✅ Trip Verified | I was unfortunate to transit through NAIA Terminal 2 on my way to and back home from Bangkok this month. I did this 10 years ago via terminal 1 with a 10 and 12 hour layover. I thought "This time should be better because we'll only be there for 4-5 hours and we don't have to go through customs / immigration, get our luggage and wait forever for the next flight." I couldn't have been more wrong. This was by far my worst airline / airport experience ever. Outbound to BKK from Guam, I had planned on exchanging about $40 US to PHP once my family arrived. However, even though the airport map shows several currency exchange / ATMs, there are none on the gate side of security. I would have had to clear customs / immigration in order to withdraw money from an ATM or use a currency exchange. I have never been in an international terminal without an ATM available. I would have been willing to spend a $10 fee to use it! There is no sit-down restaurant, not a single "healthy food option" available, the A/C is temporary plugged in units which is only functional in some areas. The seating is limited and uncomfortable, and the PAL staff kicked my family out of our seats when they established a "holding area" that required a document check for another flight. As for the "holding area," I understand the concept, but our carry ons were screened again, even though they were screened when we went through the transit area, and we were not allowed to have bottled water that we purchased in the terminal. The even more ridiculous thing is that this process wasn't used when we flew from MNL to BKK. Our passports and boarding passes were checked no less that 4 times throughout this entire process. What makes all of this even worse is that terminal 2 is supposed to be for Philippine Airlines only, their flagship airline, the "Heart of the Filipino" as they call themselves. This was a truly sad attempt to build a world class airline terminal. The inanity of this airport is on full display by the two tobacco stores in the terminal while the terminal has no smoking area. Rip out the tobacco stores and put in a decent restaurant! Lastly, free Wi-Fi is limited to 2 hours, this is the only airport that I've seen this limit. The only reason this review gets a 1/10 is because all of the staff we dealt with were friendly. Our experience in 2007 with Terminal 1 was even worse. Avoid any transit through this airport.

✅ Trip Verified | The lady in tax desk area for paying the terminal fee was asking me for marriage license. I ask why do you need my marriage license? She ask for more identification so i show all my ID etc and said I didn't bring any ML with me because I have all my identification in here. So I show all my ID's and still she keep asking me for M.L. I only come to this area just to pay the airport fee and I am not that stupid to show any documents to you unless its my passport or other ID's, can i talk to someone here that know what she is doing ? Then the lady just said okay ma'am you're good to go now. I hope this won't happen to other passengers that we are in a hurry and then they stuck us for there personal questions etc.

❎ Unverified | Lack of signs or screens to tell you on flight delays or changes on gates. Not a single smoking lounge for my business partner who wanted to take a puff. Not a single proper restaurant of cafe with proper tables and seats for you to snack on a sandwich or burger. It must cost a lot of money to build restrooms/toilets in Manila - insufficient toilets and toilets were dirty and smelly. A shame considering that the airport counter staff were friendly and polite.

❎ Unverified | This airport is the worst airport I have been to. There are very limited seats and the seats are limited to where the A/C is. There are not a lot of good food vendors with normal food. I don't understand why this airport is so bad when it is the hub of most layovers around the country. The only thing is that the washroom are somewhat clean but with long queues. The queue to get into the airport, then line up at customs took about 3 hours just to get to the gates. I will not pick a layover here again which means that I would never use Philippine Airlines. Such a shame.

✅ Verified Review | Manila Airport Terminal 2. First the good things - efficient check in, security and immigration. I was in the departure area within 15 minutes of getting out of the taxi at 6am. I can't think of many international airports where this is possible. Similarly on my arrival early evening I was in my taxi 30 minutes after landing with most of that time taken up waiting in the baggage hall - no health check questionnaire, no queue in immigration and there were actually taxis waiting in the rank which I've never seen before. (A 15 - 30 minute wait for a taxi is more typical). The bad things are the dire state of the departures area - crowded, uncomfortable seating, barely functioning air conditioning, no decent places to get a drink or a meal, and dirty overcrowded toilets. Lots of places to charge your phone but sadly no place to have a beer and a snack in any comfort. Given the space / number of passengers going through the terminal I can't see there's any place to put decent passenger facilities. Bring a sandwich, a good book and a sense of humour - and don't expect much, that way you won't be disappointed.

✅ Verified Review | Manila Terminal 1. My last arrival / departure on this terminal was around 2014, travelling by Singapore Airlines outbound. The terminal was under refurbishing after it was rated as one of the worst airports. Fast forward, arrival 31 August 2017. They have refurbished the whole terminal and had is now carpeted. The terminal now is bright and the lights all over. Which was good since this terminal used to be very outdated, dark and gloomy. Immigration was fast as well as the baggage claim. I managed to go out of the terminal in around 45 minutes. Departure, 13 September 2017. Philippine Airlines transferred their Middle East flights (except Dubai) in this terminal. Check-in was fast. Since Philippines Airlines has a counter for itself, and you can check in anytime to your destination (Middle East only) at any counter. Immigrations was fast as well as long as you have all the paperworks handy. The old Sampaguita lounge was not there anymore, so a friend informed me that there is a pay lounge called "Club Manila". There are stairs going up to the lounge, before reaching Starbucks. The usual Duty Free is still on the same location, stalls on both sides plus added seats for passengers. There are new restaurants, and quiet places where a passenger can sleep. Departure Gate. It was freshly refurbished, and everything looks new. Just hope that the maintenance department will do its best to maintain the new refurbished terminal. One downside, its not as cold as it seems, but not as as hot as before. All in all, NAIA T1 seems to be better now!

❎ Unverified | The worst representation of the Philippines. An airport should have a welcoming and relaxing feeling to start of a trip. But Manila Airport (or NAIA) has a stressful, uncomfortable, and overall bad feeling to it. All lines are really long. I would rather choose Clark International Airport over this.

✅ Verified Review | Have you ever been to the Philippines before? If yes, then you most likely have been flying in or out from the infamous NAIA 2 terminal in Manila. Why infamous? Well, this airport really has something of a bad reputation, built up over many years, which amazingly enough happens to be used by the national carrier, PAL – Philippine Airlines, as well. It all starts as soon as one arrives in the airport area and the driver tries to navigate through a total chaotic traffic situation basically in front of the doors to the departure hall. This is where there are more family members and friends than actual travelers, clustered together right by the entrance where one will show the passport and ticket, in order to pass first check point. One already has a sneaking feeling this is going to be an interesting experience. After almost elbowing myself, with a sorry this and sorry that, I pass the first security check point to line up at the first baggage x-ray point. It is understandable these days, with all the security issues everywhere, except there are normally only 2 machines operating for 1000s of travelers and their luggage at NAIA 2. Then, after the first x-ray checks, more chaos awaits you with all the people moving in all directions, looking for their check in gates. The check in area is so narrow it is quite amazing to think that up and running intelligent people actually thought this out. People bump into each other all the time, looking for their gates. Some give up and line up by the information desk. They are actually helpful. And you are directed to the correct check in counters. This is because of poor information on the sometimes not always up and running boards. Check in goes fairly quick, which is probably the most positive about this nightmare of a terminal. After all, we should also give credit where it is deserved. Off we go to passport checks, and another absolutely crazy solution. They seem to change the configuration (layout) of the passport control points every so often. I have been 21 times to Manila, but 10 months since last time, but it must be the 6th or 7th new layout in 11 years. It takes only 35 people in total before the lines start to form in to one single line, which starts to stretch along the airport itself. Absolutely ridiculous, and one can not see which type of line one belongs to before one is well inside the area. Was watching a senior citizen who lined up at the senior citizen line, and kept waiting and waiting. Nobody helping. Finally, after some time she asked one of the immigrations officers who just hang around the ones working, and she was scolded and told to line up in the other lines. After this ordeal, we are into another even worse one. Namely the terror of the last security check of hand luggage, shoes, electronics, except the "American Freedom Check". Again, only 2 machines for 1000s of people. With, wait for it, only 10-11 boxes available for items like laptops, etc. It feels like this is some kind of joke, but I realize it is just plain simple stupidity. Stupidity by the morons who created it, and by the cowards who are too afraid to tell their bosses how idiotic this system is. You finally get yourself a box, which is kicked over the floor (Indeed it is) and put all your stuff in one simple box. Laptop, pads, mobiles, chargers, Camera, belt, watch, and your shoes as well, all in the same box.

✅ Verified Review | Manila Airport has the worst WIFI connectivity. The airport allows you to log in to their WIFI but only for 59 minutes. After 59 minutes you have to buy in pesos for another hour of connection. The airport needs to improve this service as it is very important to every traveler.

❎ Unverified | This airport is what hell is like. It has 3 food stalls all of which are gross and cash only. There is no way to get out cash or transfer currency once here so if you have no cash you will be unable to purchase food or drink for the duration of your stay. Departure gates not shown on the board and the gate was changed. I only discovered this by chance because I walked past the new gate and was like "hey that's my flight". Update: they just changed my gate again which I discovered after sitting at the gate labelled with my flight number when I overheard a conversation from another passenger. Despite going through security to get into the transfer section they won't check you for liquids until you get to your gate so you can't bring a bottle of water onto the plane.