Until fairly recently KLM flew non-stop to Manila using the same 777s. But the Philippines imposes a tax on all foreign airlines known as "Common Carrier Tax" which it levies broadly based on the revenue earned to the aircraft's next stop. KLM - and other international carriers - have all complained about this long and hard and last year, KLM threatened to withdraw its direct service. (This tax is not levied on any Philippine airline.) The Philippine Government called their bluff and KLM replaced its non-stop service with an indirect flight via Taipei where you'll be on the ground for 90 minutes whilst they clean the plane, refuel and carry-out any required maintenance. A local crew does the Taipei-Manila-Taipei bit. KLM benefited because of the reduction in CCT but the Philippines lost the KLM base, crewing, catering and maintenance as well as the loss of revenue to hotels for crew layovers. Overall around 150 jobs were lost. Unfortunately this does mean that the journey time has now increased by 5 hours in each direction but is still the quickest means of getting from Europe to the Philippines. Unless you have a private jet, of course! KLM isn't the first airline to react to CCT: British Airways pulled-out some years ago as did (I'm told) Air France. And Qatar has also ceased its direct service from Doha to Cebu for exactly the same reason. The signage is fairly good and in English, just follow the crowd! You pay Airport Tax each time you depart by plane from an airport and the rate varies according to the airport and whether it's an international or domestic flight. I suggest you book your flights via a seat sales consolidator, for example Medallion Travel, as consolidators often offer better fares than the airlines.
Not by any means the first time that the Philippines Government has got it wrong when negotiating with foreigners, and shot itself in the foot. The worst case was the ending of the Bases Agreement with the USA in 1991. There were Filipinos, on the political Left, who wanted the Americans out no matter what, but the Government wanted them to stay. Alas the Government negotiators (I know someone who was in the room at the final session) asked for far, far too much money, having failed to understand that the actual reason for Subic Bay and Clark Field was to allow the US Department of Defense to maintain its ships and planes cheaply using Filipino labour - it had nothing to do with keeping a base near China. The US Navy and Air Force were under pressure from the US Unions to do more work at home, anyway, and the Filipinos asked for so much money that it suddenly became cheaper to do the work in the States and keep the unions happy! So to the Filipinos amazement the Americans said "snap", closed their briefcases and flew home. A few months later Mount Pinatubo blew its top and wrecked both bases anyway!
Yeah, I keep saying that the Plippines Government is very apt at making things worse for everybody. Its own worst enemy.............. Crab mentality at its best............
Gav, I would not worry too much about flying. I would be more concerned about your girlfriend and your time in the Philippines. You won't remember much about flying as the years go by but the experiences you have in the Philippines will last a lifetime
Welcome to British Filipino Gav As mentioned above, I think you will have a great time in the Philippines, don't worry too much about getting there and just make sure you have a bit of spare cash to come home with and all will be fine. Get yourself to your GP though for your jabs.... KLM are a great company to fly with, I had a nice flight with them, just a shame for the time it took. I think I prefer the stopover in the middle east - but each to there own.
Reminds me, I have not had any jabs for years. Last time I went to my (UK) GP to check (six years ago), the receptionist told me that I was OK, and did not need any boosters. She had not checked my records, and had not paid any attention to the "vaccination record" book that I offered, she just wanted to get rid of me. Wtf, she was ugly, I needed to leave. KLM is my airline of choice, though the stopover in Taipae on the MNL flight is irritating. All the adverts on my Galaxy Tab change to Korean style "Hello Kitty" adverts when I connect to the free wifi in Taipae airport! .
I have never bothered with jabs, either. BUT for someone travelling for the first time outside the UK they may be a very good idea. Don't forget medical insurance, whatever you do.
Hi again guys, sorry for the slow replies, thanks to the others who have given me a warm welcome and for everyone else for having patience of saints! Question time... admit it, you knew it was coming! Has anyone here flown to Manila with Emirates before? Now I've actually got my passport sorted I'm looking at finalising the bookings and they've come out of nowhere as being quite a bit cheaper than KLM, also, as far as I'm aware I won't need a transit visa for Dubai but if anyone could confirm that for me I'll be in your debt! Oh and travel insurance, any recommedations to good companies? I know mainly we'd go by cost that's why the comparison sites are useful but I don't want to take out a policy with mr cheap and cheerful if being able to make any claims should I need too be an absolute nightmare! So any personal experiences with them would be welcomed! Kind regards,
Yeah I've flown Emirates before, very good airline you won't need a transit visa, unless things have changed in the last 8 years which I doubt. Dubai for me was about an 8 - 6 - 8 hour split, fascinating airport to be in once but gets boring quickly. Insurance, well they are expensive but I believe they would actually pay out, Liverpool Victoria have an expensive but very good single/multi trip policy, they were my choice on my last trip as I no longer have annual insurance via other means.
Dubai lets Brits in with no visa even if you are staying - Sheikh Mohammed likes us. Not only is he Britain's leading racehorse owner, but a key man in the government for many years has been the legendary Colonel Mike Barclay, ex Parachute Regiment, who was the only man that Sheikh Mohammed trusted with selling his oil for many years. DO NOT, however, take any drugs in with you... (not that you would - but I mean not even Paracetamol - there have been misunderstandings - and the hospitals and pharmacies are excellent anyway) Anyway... My 10 year old son and I flew to Manila with Emirates last August. Emirates is a truly excellent airline. For practical purposes you will be in the Philippines as soon as you board the plane on the second leg, to Manila from Dubai, as it will be full of returning overseas contract workers ("OCWs" in the lingo) My experience differs a bit from Oss's. On arriving at Dubai, in the middle of the night, we found ourselves in a huge shopping mall - this is the legendary Dubai Duty Free. The escalator from the gate transit area lands you about in the middle. There are a selection of goodish eating places at either end. We bought: A camera for Corina A Swatch for Charles A Seiko diving watch for his big brother Alex Some Lego for his small stepbrother Kieran A bottle of tequila, a bottle of Triple Sec and 400 Marlboro for Corina Some very good cough medicine from the pharmacy.. I looked at, but bought nothing from, the very good Arab gold shop. then we ate a quite good French-type meal and Charles played running the wrong way on the moving walkways with a couple of other children until it was time to go on to Manila. Coming back we did find a drawback; Charles was not allowed to take the two Nerf guns he had bought in the Philippines even in checked baggage - Dubai will not allow firearms of any sort, not even plastic toy guns, not even in checked baggage - but the very nice Emirates people in Manila kept them and allowed Corina to collect them and I brought them backfor Charles on my last visit when I flew Cathay via Hong Kong.
Gav, Wherei Philippines wll you be going to/travelling to? I ask just to share something about quit a few insurance policies......... do some checking on what specific cover you will get when travelling around Philippines and especially if you will be going to Mindanao. Everything might be OK but worth looking at th small print
Inspired by Micawber, I just checked the policy I bought last time and - yikes - I spent a week in Mindanao, riding motorbikes with no helmet, every day, with no insurance. (All the Moslems I met were perfectly friendly)
It is shocking when one discovers that after great expense, one's travel insurance doesn't even cover the basics... When I have to travel, I do tend to check the comparison sites for insurance and what not, and consequently pull out some policies, and only after I am satisfied with the small print, I sign up. But I must admit that I am a bit of a couch potato when on holiday. The riskiest thing I have done in the last 10 years is to go on the Catamaran to whale watch in Tenerife..... I do tend to suffer from RSI to my index finger and right arm due to the millions of photos my wife demands of me to take...
A warm welcome to the Forum heres a hot tip When you arrive visit the ATM to get some peso remember to buy a coffee change a 1000 peso note and do this a few times and also whenever you are in a city drawing out money visit the mall and change a fair bit keep all the small bills and coins for when your off the beaten track as hardly anyone can easily change a 500-1000 note (taxis small convienience stores ,sari sari,s ect) and your stock of small change will make life much easier. You dont say at what stage ,how long your relationship is, so dificult to advise further please bear in mind things are not always as they may apear ,be presented have fun P.S. you might like to get a travel prepaid card from the like of caxton, fairfax as the exchange rate and costs are much cheaper normaly than your bank cards also travellers checks are pretty useless so take a bit of sterling with you as this can be readily changed if for example the atmis off line ect cross dressing is common in the Fils lol
And you know... How...??? Oh, by the way... Would you able to appear around here sometime...?:wave: I am getting moidered by her indoors about natters in Klingon and whatnot.
Hi guys, Thanks for the heads up Micawber, the area I'll be staying will mainly be Panay (I think) in Iloilo City with trips to Roxas City and Boracay, the riskiest thing I'll probably be doing is experiencing the jeepneys and the trikes so hopefully given that it's pretty sedate the travel insurance shouldn't have any issues, I know that there is a few issues in some areas (mainly by the foreign office site) but I'll be well clear of them. Thanks for the advice regarding Dubai airport, I know this is probably a dumb question (why break the habit of a lifetime?) but is it easily navigable? And from the images it looks an absolute work of art, maybe should just go there just to say I have!
It is reasonably easy to navigate. At the top of the escalator that takes you up from the transit area is a big board with a map and all the departing flights and their departure gates; I'd suggest finding out which gate your next flight will go from. then going shopping and eating. By the way, the duty free allowance into the Philippines is two bottles of spirits and 400 fags. Local gaspers are very cheap (even after the "sin tax") but imported booze is expensive - don't bother with rum as the Philippines makes excellent rum, but other imported drinks are popular. I do not know a Filipina who does not like Baileys...
