Manila Airport

✅ Verified Review | It was my first time using this airport, Maila Ninoy Aquino International Airport. When I arrived, I was surprised that it looked like something from the 1940s. Terminal 1 was small, quite crowded and hot. If you are caucasian looking, taxi touts will approach you. Do not listen and go direct to the White Taxis or Grab stand in front. The positive side, the walking time between getting off your plane to taking a taxi was minimal. Departure was even worse. Everything must be scanned, including your very heavy suitcases. The check in line was incredibly long, there are no desks for online check in which is ridiculous. All airlines must scramble and share only 50 check in desks! The airport was hot and there was not enough seats. Prices of duty free was expensive if compared to KLIA or even changi. The food selection was ok, there was a starbucks but very crowded. My gate, which is gate 1 is situated downstairs with no lift. Imagine a handicapped passenger trying to get downstairs. In addition there was no machine to do security check so the guards open up your bag and mess up everything. Overalll, terrible out of date airport!

✅ Trip Verified | Jan 24, 2018, at approximately 5:0pm Manila time I was in route to catch a transfer to Terminal 1, from Terminal 3. I was told by transfer desk that I had missed my transfer bus and the next wouldn't be there for 45 minutes which would make me late for my flight, the only option takes a cab. I was directed to an airport support for direction to a cab, one of the employees directed me to go catch a cab on the same side as transfer area, he said it would be cheap and inexpensive. Once I arrived I was greeted by very looking professional airport staff who assisted me in catching a cab, it would seem for the moment nothing to be unusual until I got in the cab, the airport member assisting me to catch the cab got in at the same time I did which seemed unusual, once we pulled away not even 50 feet from the airport I was given prices for cab fair by the airport cab employee, he said it would cost 4700.00 pesos to transport less than 15 minutes to Terminal 1. I told them I didn't have that kind of money, he then insisted on me stopping at an ATM and getting the funds to pay them, once again I told I didn't have the funds, I only was carrying 1000.00 pesos which is what they ended up collecting for my needed transfer to Terminal 1. This type of money gauging on foreign Tourist gives this type of Airport a bad name, especially when cab employees and airport employees are involved in this type of transaction.

Not Verified | The airport was over crowded and the queue insanely long. No announcement on how to manage priority lanes. Even upon boarding, there were many hiccups and the boarding was even further delayed. The airport by itself is poor with no much restaurants, only snack foods.

Not Verified | Poor facilities at terminal 2. Most eateries don’t have places to sit. Gate change announcements poor. Mabuhai lounge doesn’t entertain paying passengers. Worst airport ever been to.

Terrible terminal undergoing renovations. Outbound it was so crowded seeing a number of flights departing in the early morning (2 Delta flights heading for the US via Japan 1 Cathay 1 JAL 1 Emirates 1 SQ - all wide body jets). Long queue for travel tax (I don't know why they can't integrate this in the ticket fare) acceptable immigration and security queues but the terminal is so sweltering hot that by the time all of the procedures are cleared was so exhausted (especially travelling with kids) that I felt that I just ran 5Kms in the middle of the day. Inbound was no better. Plane landed at 10PM and got in the car at 1AM owing to long immigration queues (again that time has 5 or 6 wide bodies landing within 15 minutes of each other) and an even longer wait at baggage claim. The waiting area downstairs was just too crowded and traffic around the terminal made it impossible for vehicles to move smoothly. I was so disgusted by this experience that I booked my next flight out making sure I departed and arrived at another terminal.

Terminal 1. This really is a test of endurance. Traffic jams to get there no matter what the time. Chaos and mess on arrival a huge meandering line for immigration in a poorly air conditioned hall. Many desks empty. Local people questioned and have to show form after form as you wait behind. Then another long line for security afterwards. Terminal one is dirty messy chaotic and unpleasant. People were lining up for a flight in 6 hours time with people running to catch a flight.

Before this journey our most recent experience departing from NAIA was in DEC2008. Overall it appears as though some improvements have been made although still more needs to be done to raise the standard of Terminal 1 to anywhere near that of most other airports in the region. This being a late Wednesday morning departure it was not overly crowded. On arrival into the building there was a standard security check quite normal. Although there were monitors indicating the departure gates we found no information on the specific location of airline counters within the check-in area. Eventually after some searching we found ours. Although we arrived at the terminal relatively late (two hours before departure) the line wasn't long and with four desks open the check-in procedure took no more than 15 minutes including waiting time. Immigration cards were completed after which we proceeded to pay the user charge 750 pesos per person (USD 17.50 would also have been accepted) with a five minute wait in line. Passport control was next; this entailed the longest queue roughly 20 minutes. Immediately thereafter was the aviation security check only a minute and we were through. A brief stop at the washroom which was acceptable although slightly crowded. Finally a 6-7 minute walk to Gate 3; considering other reviews regarding Terminal 1 waiting areas we were pleasantly surprised as it seemed relatively recently refurbished. The only complaint we might have would be the acoustics which left somewhat to be desired. It was difficult to hear the many announcements with all the chatting among our fellow passengers. The entire terminal was overall clean and in reasonably good shape considering its age. On our return ten days later we arrived in Terminal 1 late on a Sunday morning just after several wide-body long- haul flights from Europe and the Middle East. Understandably the immigration lines were long but the supervisor was very flexible and opened the diplomatic line also for ordinary travellers. After twenty minutes we came to the baggage belts which were overloaded; in fact there were so many other flights listed on the baggage board that there was no room for ours. Nevertheless after asking the staff nearby we found our baggage belt and within ten minutes our party had received all four checked bags. The customs line was rather long since not all workstations were manned; the wait was around fifteen minutes. Eventually we came out of the terminal building to the usual crowd of well-wishers.

I arrived after midnight and there seemed to be only two flights arriving at that time yet the customs clearances were very slow. I waited about 1.5 hours to get through. Then when I cleared customs and went to the information desk the attendant was fast asleep and I couldn't wake him. The queues on departure were also quite long. The shops and restaurants in the departure area are very few and unimpressive. The airport was quite clean though.

Not only are the facilities inadequate, the staff are dismissive, the queues are long, and the stores and options inside are lacking. Similar to the rest of Manila, it will take 10 times longer to get anywhere or do anything in this airport. Plan to leave 6 hours earlier to make your flight as you must pass through 3 security checks before you can sit down at your gate. The first one is outside. To get between the terminals, you must pick up any checked bags, go through customs, get a taxi, get stuck in Manila traffic, go through the pointless security check outside, check in again, and go through the inside security again. Although wifi shows up, it is actually non-existent since you are unable to connect, or browse on the off chance it connects. Save your juices in trying as there are no plugs for electronics anywhere as all 3 of them are used up by mobile air conditioners that blow hot air. Don't count on asking any of the staff here for assistance, they are incompetent. You will spot many workers sitting in the wheelchairs they are supposed to push. Least of all, the poor PA system combined with thick accents mean you must listen very carefully to the announcements to not miss frequent gate change notices. But don't worry, you'll be able to hear the announcements anywhere in the terminal as they are not isolated to the relevant gates. All 3 flights we've taken from this airport, whether connecting or departing, have been delayed, even with fair to excellent weather outside. I recommend any and all people to consider another airport for layovers, or avoid traveling to Manila.

✅ Trip Verified | Worst airport I have ever been to. 30 minute line to get into terminal shuttle area, another 40 minutes waiting for terminal shuttle. Almost no departurture/arrival screens. Queues for taxi, overcharging by metered taxi. No refreshments in public areas. Chaotic organisation. Terrible airport. Big shame.