Taxi from the Airport: MNL
Arriving in Manila and you want to take a cab?
Depending on which airport you arrive at, there will be things peculiar or even mind-boggling! Let’s qualify that. The “taxis” or “cabs” in this topic are the metered taxis that ply about all the streets of Metro Manila. They are the common taxicabs that are mostly colored white or yellow or “white-and-green” or “white-and-yellow” while some are red and so on! These are not those “airport taxis” which are from car rental companies or limousine services or coupon taxis that have their own counters at the airports. Here goes:
From NAIA 1
Most notable of a headache is when you arrive at the NAIA 1 – the old international terminal that houses all international flights except those of PAL. You won’t find metered taxis at any of the upper (original) nor the lower (extension) arrival driveways. To find one, you veer walking to the right immediately upon emerging from the arrivals lobby. And that is some 30 or so meters to the “MIA Road” at the side of the airport where jeeps, buses, taxis (even tricycles) pass by. There you will certainly encounter the grand hassle of negotiating with all taxi drivers – even if all have meters and even if “contracting” is against the law. This, you will be sure to experience even if there is a policeman or traffic personnel just a few inches from you! As an arriving passenger, whoever you are, all of them (including vendors and many bystanders) think you are filthy rich and they’d like to grab a big chunk of your wallet. In short, taking a cab here will be a bit dangerous for the unfamiliar. In fact, the NAIA authorities won’t probably take responsibility if you got mauled or something at that area since it is already outside of their building and a road where the cash-hungry public have the right to be in! Better if you took a jeep or bus from this place. But it will be arduous if you are lugging along a big suitcase.
Still at NAIA 1, your other option is to veer left immediately after emerging from the arrivals lobby. For this and the option above, it means you do not cross the driveway and go down to what they call the arrival extension area. Then you walk more than a hundred meters down beside the parking area on to the main road formerly called Imelda Avenue, now Ninoy Aquino Avenue. Note that older folks still use the former name of that road while the younger set are already used to the latter new name. Ahh politics, even Metro Manila Streets are not spared! From a waiting shed just across the Casino, you can hail a cab. If you look like you just arrived from a flight (with luggage and all) there is also no assurance that the driver will use his meter. There are jeeps on this road going northwards to Baclaran in Pasay or southwards to Sucat in Parañaque. No buses here!
For those who travel light, the better option is: go up to the departure lobby via the escalator at the arrival lobby. From there, go out unto the curbside where a lot of cabs unload their departing passengers. Years ago, there was a taxi area in this place (near the flagpoles) where a department of tourism employee would list your name, the cab name and plate number before the taxi was allowed go. That procedure was short-lived though. As they say in this country, “ningas cogon”.
There is also no assurance that the cab driver won’t haggle with you for a flat fare without using his meter. Then again, at least there are a lot of cabs here. So if you don’t like one, go for the next!
Be forewarned, even if you can do it in other airports and even if you are an expert at it, the guards at the lobby won’t allow you to bring luggage trolleys via that escalator. So, bulky balikbayan-boxes or large suitcases will be hard to bring up via that escalator. Oh there are actually a total of 4 elevators that run from departure to arrival lobbies and vice versa, but no you may not use them! Why? Oh ask the MIAA general manager.
Thus, with heavy or bulky stuff, just save some cash and avail of the coupon taxi service that maintain their own counters right at the arrivals lobby. It’s more convenient but definitely more expensive. Last I compared, their rates are about 300% than the metered taxi. Then again, if you’re staying at a “well-starred” (a.k.a respectable hotel), they will have a free limousine service and their representatives also maintain a counter at the lobby!
From NAIA 2
The Centennial Airport or NAIA 2 is a bit new, thus, you can say, there is a little bit of convenience – if your only basis of comparison is the NAIA 1. Oh no no no, public transport or taxis may not also go to the arrival curbside! As at NAIA 1, it’s not allowed. So what are your options?
If you prefer to stay at ground level, upon emerging from the arrivals lobby, you can walk with your luggage trolley towards the left end of the building (with your back to the building that is) and you stumble upon the “MIA Road” where buses and jeeps and trucks and every kind of vehicle pass by. So you can hail your ride from there. Again, it is already away from the terminal, so if you ever get mugged or mobbed, you will be on your own! This road actually leads to the cargo terminal and onwards passing via NAIA 1 and out.
The catch: if you are arriving via a PAL domestic flight, the area referred to in the above paragraph is only about 30 or so meters away; but if you are arriving via a PAL international flight, you have to walk the entire length of this L-shaped edifice which is surely more than a hundred meters away!
So where is the “little bit of convenience?
Upon emerging from the arrivals lobby (unto the spacious foyer that is fortunately devoid of vendors and “nothing-to-do” crocodiles, turn either way and you will see an elevator. You can use that to go up to the departure area foyer. Yes, you may bring your luggage trolley into those elevators. Then you can walk towards the curbside and pick a cab that just emptied with departing passengers. Again, there’s no assurance the cab you flagged will use or want to use his taxi-meter. But you can hop to the next cab available. And there are a lot of them!
Now if for more convenience you’d rather take the exorbitant “airport taxis” like I always do, upon emerging at the arrival area foyer, head to the corner of this L-shaped building (turn left from international arrivals or turn right from domestic arrivals). The “airport taxis” have a big room where their counters are situated and there is even a waiting lounge just in front of them counters!
Yes the NAIA 2 is still wanting when it comes to arriving in comfort and convenience, but at least it is a notch ahead of NAIA 1.
From Manila Domestic Airport
This is where all domestic flights (except PAL) operate. Old as it is, where both departure and arrival areas are at ground level, this is the most passenger-friendly airport when it comes to ease and convenience of hailing a cab. It even is the comedy relief amongst the 3 airports in the metropolis!
The airport’s driveway has been divided into two lanes. The “divider” is a covered walkway where taxicabs unload their passengers or come empty to fetch arriving passengers. Private vehicles use the inner portion (nearer the curbside) to either drop or fetch passengers. This walkway runs from across the entrance of the departure area down to just across the arrival area foyer. All passengers join a queue where the front-most traveler gets to ride the next available taxi. And from experience, cabs are not allowed to choose. Wherever you are headed, if you are first in line, the cab in front of you must take you or he goes away without taking any passenger.
There is even a whiteboard (to your right, if you are at the front of the line) with a list of “blacklisted” taxis and their plate numbers. So you are advised not to take them.
Actually, there is a staff manning this queue. He is armed with a form where he will write the name and plate number of the cab you are taking and give it to you. Why? Well, I don’t actually know! I once asked the staff manning this taxi area if everything he writes is carbon copied. The reply was a negative. So what is the form for? Am still trying to search for an acceptable explanation!
When you are in front of the line, you hop unto the next taxi that drops by (whether empty or letting off some passengers). The person manning this area (probably from the porterage company and surely not a policeman nor an employee of the airport authority) will scribble the name and plate number of your cab in a form and give that form to you. So, what do you do with that form? For me, I just hold on to it until I am safely home. If the cab driver actually whisked you to a remote place and held you up, what use is the form?!. Thus, if anything wrong happens to you, the “dispatcher” won’t have any knowledge or won’t be able to help your relatives since he gave the form to you and did not take any details of you!
Perplexing! But, I suspect it does serve to deter unruly taxi drivers from doing bad service since in many of my rides from that area, I have yet to encounter an issue!.
Depending on which airport you arrive at, there will be things peculiar or even mind-boggling! Let’s qualify that. The “taxis” or “cabs” in this topic are the metered taxis that ply about all the streets of Metro Manila. They are the common taxicabs that are mostly colored white or yellow or “white-and-green” or “white-and-yellow” while some are red and so on! These are not those “airport taxis” which are from car rental companies or limousine services or coupon taxis that have their own counters at the airports. Here goes:
From NAIA 1
Most notable of a headache is when you arrive at the NAIA 1 – the old international terminal that houses all international flights except those of PAL. You won’t find metered taxis at any of the upper (original) nor the lower (extension) arrival driveways. To find one, you veer walking to the right immediately upon emerging from the arrivals lobby. And that is some 30 or so meters to the “MIA Road” at the side of the airport where jeeps, buses, taxis (even tricycles) pass by. There you will certainly encounter the grand hassle of negotiating with all taxi drivers – even if all have meters and even if “contracting” is against the law. This, you will be sure to experience even if there is a policeman or traffic personnel just a few inches from you! As an arriving passenger, whoever you are, all of them (including vendors and many bystanders) think you are filthy rich and they’d like to grab a big chunk of your wallet. In short, taking a cab here will be a bit dangerous for the unfamiliar. In fact, the NAIA authorities won’t probably take responsibility if you got mauled or something at that area since it is already outside of their building and a road where the cash-hungry public have the right to be in! Better if you took a jeep or bus from this place. But it will be arduous if you are lugging along a big suitcase.
Still at NAIA 1, your other option is to veer left immediately after emerging from the arrivals lobby. For this and the option above, it means you do not cross the driveway and go down to what they call the arrival extension area. Then you walk more than a hundred meters down beside the parking area on to the main road formerly called Imelda Avenue, now Ninoy Aquino Avenue. Note that older folks still use the former name of that road while the younger set are already used to the latter new name. Ahh politics, even Metro Manila Streets are not spared! From a waiting shed just across the Casino, you can hail a cab. If you look like you just arrived from a flight (with luggage and all) there is also no assurance that the driver will use his meter. There are jeeps on this road going northwards to Baclaran in Pasay or southwards to Sucat in Parañaque. No buses here!
For those who travel light, the better option is: go up to the departure lobby via the escalator at the arrival lobby. From there, go out unto the curbside where a lot of cabs unload their departing passengers. Years ago, there was a taxi area in this place (near the flagpoles) where a department of tourism employee would list your name, the cab name and plate number before the taxi was allowed go. That procedure was short-lived though. As they say in this country, “ningas cogon”.
There is also no assurance that the cab driver won’t haggle with you for a flat fare without using his meter. Then again, at least there are a lot of cabs here. So if you don’t like one, go for the next!
Be forewarned, even if you can do it in other airports and even if you are an expert at it, the guards at the lobby won’t allow you to bring luggage trolleys via that escalator. So, bulky balikbayan-boxes or large suitcases will be hard to bring up via that escalator. Oh there are actually a total of 4 elevators that run from departure to arrival lobbies and vice versa, but no you may not use them! Why? Oh ask the MIAA general manager.
Thus, with heavy or bulky stuff, just save some cash and avail of the coupon taxi service that maintain their own counters right at the arrivals lobby. It’s more convenient but definitely more expensive. Last I compared, their rates are about 300% than the metered taxi. Then again, if you’re staying at a “well-starred” (a.k.a respectable hotel), they will have a free limousine service and their representatives also maintain a counter at the lobby!
From NAIA 2
The Centennial Airport or NAIA 2 is a bit new, thus, you can say, there is a little bit of convenience – if your only basis of comparison is the NAIA 1. Oh no no no, public transport or taxis may not also go to the arrival curbside! As at NAIA 1, it’s not allowed. So what are your options?
If you prefer to stay at ground level, upon emerging from the arrivals lobby, you can walk with your luggage trolley towards the left end of the building (with your back to the building that is) and you stumble upon the “MIA Road” where buses and jeeps and trucks and every kind of vehicle pass by. So you can hail your ride from there. Again, it is already away from the terminal, so if you ever get mugged or mobbed, you will be on your own! This road actually leads to the cargo terminal and onwards passing via NAIA 1 and out.
The catch: if you are arriving via a PAL domestic flight, the area referred to in the above paragraph is only about 30 or so meters away; but if you are arriving via a PAL international flight, you have to walk the entire length of this L-shaped edifice which is surely more than a hundred meters away!
So where is the “little bit of convenience?
Upon emerging from the arrivals lobby (unto the spacious foyer that is fortunately devoid of vendors and “nothing-to-do” crocodiles, turn either way and you will see an elevator. You can use that to go up to the departure area foyer. Yes, you may bring your luggage trolley into those elevators. Then you can walk towards the curbside and pick a cab that just emptied with departing passengers. Again, there’s no assurance the cab you flagged will use or want to use his taxi-meter. But you can hop to the next cab available. And there are a lot of them!
Now if for more convenience you’d rather take the exorbitant “airport taxis” like I always do, upon emerging at the arrival area foyer, head to the corner of this L-shaped building (turn left from international arrivals or turn right from domestic arrivals). The “airport taxis” have a big room where their counters are situated and there is even a waiting lounge just in front of them counters!
Yes the NAIA 2 is still wanting when it comes to arriving in comfort and convenience, but at least it is a notch ahead of NAIA 1.
From Manila Domestic Airport
This is where all domestic flights (except PAL) operate. Old as it is, where both departure and arrival areas are at ground level, this is the most passenger-friendly airport when it comes to ease and convenience of hailing a cab. It even is the comedy relief amongst the 3 airports in the metropolis!
The airport’s driveway has been divided into two lanes. The “divider” is a covered walkway where taxicabs unload their passengers or come empty to fetch arriving passengers. Private vehicles use the inner portion (nearer the curbside) to either drop or fetch passengers. This walkway runs from across the entrance of the departure area down to just across the arrival area foyer. All passengers join a queue where the front-most traveler gets to ride the next available taxi. And from experience, cabs are not allowed to choose. Wherever you are headed, if you are first in line, the cab in front of you must take you or he goes away without taking any passenger.
There is even a whiteboard (to your right, if you are at the front of the line) with a list of “blacklisted” taxis and their plate numbers. So you are advised not to take them.
Actually, there is a staff manning this queue. He is armed with a form where he will write the name and plate number of the cab you are taking and give it to you. Why? Well, I don’t actually know! I once asked the staff manning this taxi area if everything he writes is carbon copied. The reply was a negative. So what is the form for? Am still trying to search for an acceptable explanation!
When you are in front of the line, you hop unto the next taxi that drops by (whether empty or letting off some passengers). The person manning this area (probably from the porterage company and surely not a policeman nor an employee of the airport authority) will scribble the name and plate number of your cab in a form and give that form to you. So, what do you do with that form? For me, I just hold on to it until I am safely home. If the cab driver actually whisked you to a remote place and held you up, what use is the form?!. Thus, if anything wrong happens to you, the “dispatcher” won’t have any knowledge or won’t be able to help your relatives since he gave the form to you and did not take any details of you!
Perplexing! But, I suspect it does serve to deter unruly taxi drivers from doing bad service since in many of my rides from that area, I have yet to encounter an issue!.
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