After spending months away, I recently began flying out of Manila frequently again. Most of my international flights out of NAIA Terminal 3 depart either early in the morning or late at night. And whenever I fly in the early in the morning when many flights are departing, it’s always been a hellish experience—caused mostly by long lines at the travel tax counter and at immigration.
So, here are some reminders and tips for those flying internationally out of NAIA Terminal 3 early morning (i.e. flights from around 4 AM to 9 AM):
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Allot ample time to check-in for your flight. Across most airlines around the world, check-in for any flight closes between 45 minutes to one hour before the estimated time of departure—and unfortunately, no amount of persuading even the most helpful of airline personnel can help circumvent this. Most airlines are run via an automated system that keeps operations running like clockwork with minimal human intervention, so that back-end processes can proceed as scheduled. After all, passengers, airlines, and the authorities—basically everyone—want flights to depart on-time. (Note: According to the friendly Cebu Pacific staff I talked to, they open check-in counters for international flights four hours before departure, while Philippines AirAsia just sent out an advisory saying their check-in counters in Manila are open 24 hours a day.)
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Check-in online. Airlines, including Cebu Pacific, have separate queues for those who’ve checked in online, which are normally faster than for those who haven’t. And trust me, it does buy you time, especially when the traffic in Manila is bad.
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Travel with no checked bags, if possible. There’s also usually a separate queue for those without checked bags.
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Proceed immediately to immigration then security right after check-in. I understand that some may want to spend some time with their family and/or have a meal or shop at the terminal’s top floor, but with long lines at immigration, it’s much better to just head in at once and eat/shop inside. Besides, Starbucks and Kenny Rogers Roasters are now open within international departures.
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Make sure to fill out a departure card. I’ve seen many passengers be turned back for not having a departure card, which is required for all departing Filipino passengers. Make sure to ask for one from your airline as you check in and fill it out before heading to departures. Be sure to bring a pen, too.
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Pay for travel tax online or through the airline. The worst cause of delay is paying travel tax—the lines are horrible in the morning, and the process for each passenger takes time. If your travel tax isn’t paid yet, it might be best if you ask your airline if you can pay for it ahead in one of their ticketing offices or online. There’s also a way to pay for it directly to TIEZA online here, though it levies a 50 PHP admin fee and requires a physical printout. Cebu Pacific also allows passengers to pay for their travel tax online or at check-in with a 100 PHP admin fee, while Philippines AirAsia allows passengers to pay for travel tax through the manage booking function of its app or website.
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Watch and listen for updates on boarding and flight information. Boarding passes indicate what time passengers need to be at the boarding gate typically 30-45 minutes before the departure time. But to be safe, keep track of any information regarding changes on departure time or gate assignment. These will be posted on the info screens at the airport and announced over the PA. It would also be better to look for any ground staff of your airline and ask about your flight, so if you are running late, other staff can be notified that you’re already on your way to the gate. (Note: Cebu Pacific ground staff are wearing white shirts that show a 1Aviation logo.)
The tips above may sound basic, but they can save many passengers from missing their flight. Seriously, there was this one time I was flying to Tokyo-Narita that as many as 20 passengers were missing and presumably stuck at immigration.
Until we have a new airport or the Manila airport management does something drastic about it, we passengers are pretty much stuck with this problem, and it’s likely to get worse. For now, let’s adjust and follow the tips and reminders above.
