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New self check-in portals and turnstiles at NAIA Terminals 2 and 3
With the holidays coming up, travelers using the NAIA terminals should also note that there are new self check-in portals at the airport. I noticed in two recent travels (one via Terminal 2 and another via Terminal 3) that people taking Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines were not using these. Ceb Pac passengers in particular crowded over their portals near their check-in counters at T3. Walang pumapansin nitong mga bagong terminals that could save you time when you check-in. Here are photos of the ones at Terminal 2:
The areas where these were installed weren’t crowded.
You can use these for Cebu Pacific, Air Asia or Philippine Airlines.
You can get your boarding passes and luggage tags here.
NAIA admin has also installed these new automated turnstiles prior to the final security check and the boarding gates at Terminal 2.
You just need to scan your boarding pass for the barrier to open. I haven’t used any of the LRT/MRT lines lately but this is basically the technology we’d like to have for the station turnstiles.
Here are the self-check portals at T3. Of course, they would have even greater utility if more airlines are included for self check-in.
Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) terminals already have these new features for quite some time. It’s good that NAIA is finally catching up in modernizing its facilities. For the turnstiles, that tech should have been installed at train stations and a variant should allow for a variety of means for payment of fares.
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Vending machines at NAIA Terminal 2
There’s nothing really new at NAIA’s Terminal except maybe this time I noticed the vending machines at one end of the terminal and the robo coffee stand. I took some photos of these machines and share the following:
There are no new stores or eating options at T2. The two restaurants at the middle of the terminal wings are already closed so there are less eating options at the pre departure areas.
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Closed shops at NAIA Terminal 2
Recently, I wrote about the closed shops at NAIA Terminal 3. While there are still shops at the terminal, the pre-departure area was devoid of non-food shops or stalls. The same is true for NAIA Terminal 2. Here are some photos I took a few days ago en route to Davao.
The north wing practically had no no-food shops. That left side in the photo used to have several souvenir shops and even a Duty Free Philippines shop.
The same was true for the south wing where only the food stalls remain.
Other food stalls at the south wing. There are two Cafe France stalls at the terminal pre-departure area, one at each wing. And most people seem to line up there and a couple other stalls as they offer the more substantial meals. Others offer basically merienda or snacks.
North wing food stalls
Will there be more shops later at the terminals? Maybe, perhaps. But as I mentioned in the previous post and as many have commented, it depends on the cost. Will it be expensive and therefore unattractive to potential concessionaires? Or will the airport operator come up with an attractive contract for shops to return to the terminals? Airports in Bicol, Cebu and Davao, for example, have nice shops that serve the needs of travelers. NAIA being the principal gateway to the country should have nothing less.
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Taxi services at NAIA Terminal 2
The previous post on NAIA Terminal 2 featured photos of taxi or ride share services at the airport. Coupon Taxis are the most expensive option for travelers as they have the highest rates. Often, these are even higher than vehicle rental rates. These rates are shown to prospective customers though so I can’t really understand why people go for this option and then slam it for being expensive. The information is provided there so accepting the terms means you understand and accept the rates. Perhaps they didn’t have other options?
There is a Grab stand at the terminal. I assume that since Grab is quite popular at least in Southeast Asia (even taking over Uber’s share), then travelers who likely have smart phones should have the app and be able to book a ride using it. This might be the best option for those on the go.
There is also a regular taxi stand at the airport terminal so that is another option. Unfortunately, one will likely have to haggle with the drivers for the fare. Other drivers might use their meters but will suggest or solicit tips from their passengers.
There is no rail service for the NAIA Terminals but there is an airport bus, UBE Express, that travelers can take to go to major CBDs like Cubao, Ortigas and Manila or perhaps to major terminals like PITX or the Victory Liner Terminal in Pasay City.
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What’s new at NAIA Terminal 2
NAIA’s Terminal 2 now only serves domestic flights. It currently hosts Philippine Airlines and Air Asia flights to major cities. I haven’t been to the parking area or had the opportunity to go around the terminal’s arrival area for some time now. I used to go to NAIA frequently the time when my wife was a frequent international traveler with her former office. If she had trips to the US West Coast (e.g., Los Angeles or San Francisco) she would likely take the direct flights via Philippine Airlines.
Minute Burger at the kiosk near what was the international (North) wing of NAIA Terminal 2
What used to be a Figaro branch at one end of the terminal is now Seattle’s Best Coffee
The arrival level driveway at the terminal
Coupon taxi stand at the terminal
Grab station at the NAIA Terminal 2 arrival level driveway
There is a Denny’s at the other end of the terminal. There used to be no restaurant or cafe at what was the domestic (South) wing of the terminal.
As I’ve mentioned earlier, I haven’t been able to go around the NAIA terminals aside from the usual departure and arrival areas when I’m traveling. So this one Sunday that I picked up my father as he returned from Iloilo, I took advantage and took photos to share here.
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Changes in NAIA Terminal 2
We recently traveled via NAIA’s Terminal 2. T2 used to be for Philippine Airlines (PAL) only but recently Air Asia’s domestic flights have been reassigned to use T2 as well. Another airline, Royal Air, also now uses T2 for its domestic flights. Meanwhile, PAL’s international flights now use Terminal 1. Only recently did I notice that PAL now has the north wing of T2 for its domestic flights while Air Asia and Royal Air use the south wing. Previously, PAL’s international flights were on the north wing and domestic flights were at the south wing. Gone are immigration counters though customs equipment and still at the north wing arrival area near the baggage claim carousels.
The Terminal 2 North Wing was previously for PAL international flights only.
The north wing does not serve all of PAL’s domestic flights so it does not appear to be congested. Only flights to the major domestic destinations go through here such as those between Manila and Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Bacolod or Cagayan De Oro. I seem to have heard a boarding call for PAL’s Caticlan bound flights at T2, too.
The Duty Free Shops are still here but charge tax for those not qualified for duty free purchases.
There’s a Cafe France at the north wing. There are no other familiar brand cafe choices there.
Antigen self test vending machine at the terminal
At the south end of the North Wing is the smoking area and a connection to the South Wing pre-departure lounge. There is also a long desk for those who want to work while waiting for their flights.
I was not able to go to the South Wing and it would be interesting to see what is there and how the area is laid out (is there something different now that Air Asia and Royal Air uses the terminal?) I hope to get that chance soon so I can also take some photos that I can share here.
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NAIA terminal designations for airlines – reshuffle
Airport authorities in Manila announced that airline designations at NAIA’s four terminals would be reshuffled. I took this photo of the announcement on a tarp at the corner of NAIA Road and Ninoy Aquino Avenue as we left NAIA Terminal 1.
While there seems to be no major concern for the international airlines mentioned in the tarp, there will be a major inconvenience for Philippine Airlines passengers. For most its flights including international ones, transfers were easier and more convenient since international and domestic flights shared the same Terminal 2. There was no need to travel from or to another terminal unless the transfer involved another airline. From June 16, 2023, all its international flights will be via Terminal 1 so there will be a need to transit between T1 and T2 for connecting flights. Cebu Pacific will still enjoy this convenience for most of its flights as international and most domestic flights are via Terminal 3.
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Queues on arrival at NAIA Terminal 2
Arriving at NAIA’s Terminal 2, one has to prepare the QR code generated via the e-travel site of the Philippine government. Doing this prior to you flight or your arrival will save you the hassle of accomplishing the form upon arrival. The queues for both the e-arrival processing and immigration are bad enough for experience that you don’t want to add spending more time in a crowded area to that.
Area and booths for the e-travel (e-arrival) processing
Arriving passengers have their e-travel QR codes scanned at one of the booths set-up at the area in the middle of the international and domestic wings of the terminal.
Passengers queuing from their arrival gate to one end of the international wing (right) and after their e-travel QR codes are scanned, proceed to the immigration counters via the other end of the terminal (left).
Arriving passengers may queue at the manual immigration counters or the new machines now installed at Terminal 2. Foreigners only have the option to queue for the manual process. The queues for the machines though can get long fast if the person transacting is not familiar with the automated process or has trouble scanning his/her passport that it takes more time per transaction.
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Crowded NAIA Terminal 2
Before the pandemic, NAIA’s airport terminals were already very crowded. Recently, I’ve been to both Terminals 2 and 3, and I can say that they are practically back to pre-pandemic levels in terms of their being crowded or congested. There are the long lines at the check-in counters and travelers and well-wishers ‘encamped’ or circulating around the terminals.
The area just after the final security check does not seem to be crowded. People don’t usually congregate or linger in the area.
The empty seats belie a crowded Terminal 2. That white wall eventually turned out to be the area for where arriving international passengers have to have their e-arrival QR codes scanned.
This is what is behind the white wall in the previous photo.
Arriving passengers (right) queue towards the e-arrival scans. Those finished with their e-arrival scans (left) proceed to the immigration counters via the other end of the terminal.
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NAIA Parking Rates as of April 2022
Here’s a quick share of information about the parking rates at the NAIA airport terminals:
The infographic is from the DOTr Facebook Page and should be useful for those picking up people at the airport or who would be leaving their vehicles there as they travel again with the easing of restrictions due to the pandemic.
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Caught (up) in traffic 