Manila International Airport, now officially named Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) has been undergoing upgrading work for a number of years. Following its consistent placing on a list of the world’s worst Airports, transport authorities began planning in 2014 to upgrade Terminal 1 to improve operational capability and passenger comfort.
To facilitate the upgrade, five international airlines made the initial move. Delta Air Lines, KLM, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, and Cathay Pacific moved operations to Terminal 3 between August and October 2014. Qantas, Qatar Airways, United Airlines and Turkish Airlines transferred to Terminal 3 between October 2018 and January, 2019.
Although it was envisaged that all other foreign carriers would move by the end of 2018, these moves are now on hold indefinitely. This comes amid reports that work on the Terminal 1 upgrade will start in September 2019.
A comment sought from Malaysia Airlines, which initially planned to change by 2019 has received the following statement:
Malaysia Airlines will still operate from Terminal 1 of Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila. The transfer of all international airlines to Terminal 3 has been put on hold. Malaysia Airlines
Issues for transferring passengers
If you are starting or ending your journey in Manila, this should not be an issue. However, many travellers have reported significant issues when they have connecting flights. These include delays in baggage retrieval and delays in transport options between terminals.
Apart from scheduling an overnight stopover or allowing a few hours between connecting flights, travellers have few options apart from the ‘hand luggage only’ option.
Please share your feedback
We welcome feedback on your comments pages. If you have any good suggestions for travellers in this situation, please share them here. All positive ideas are welcome, including contacts for reputable transfer providers you’ve had experience with.
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