Manila Airport Taxi's

[Cymmon]

Leaving the Airport at Manila you are met by either security guards (who want a "gift" for pointing in the direction of highly visual taxi ranks), and/or Taxi touts who want a minimum of 500php for a very short journey.
Coupon cabs can be got for 150php.

Many taxi drivers will not put on meters and the police don't seem to want to get involved.

Try to get hotels that offer transfers to cut out the hassle or arrange for a Philippino friend to meet you at the airport (if possible) so the Western person syndrome is quickly stopped.

[TightSlot]

Plural of Taxi is Taxis - No Apostrophe









(I'm sorry - I just can't stand it. I know I'm sad)

[L'aviateur]

As with many 3rd world countries, it can be a nightmare arriving at the airport. Manila, particularly Terminal 1, can be hellish. Long queues for immigration, long delays for baggage and then the same for customs.

Finally (if you aren't fined at customs), you are greeted by many people offering to help you.

The fixed rate coupon taxis are a safe bet, the yellow airport taxis have a higher flag down charge then the white ones but tend to be much more professional.

The white taxis can be argumentative and difficult, as with some other countries in the world, agree to use the meter before you go.

Another option is to jump in the free shuttle bus to terminal 3 where the taxi coupons are cheaper, and so are the taxis.

The problem in Manila is at certain times there is a real shortage of taxis and you can stand in the rain for hours waiting for one, who knows he can charge what he wants, and even then might not take you if your not going the way he wants to go through the traffic...

5 years in the Philippines was enough, I'm in no rush to go back.

[Metro man]

At Manila airport, walk like you know where you are going, avoid eye contact and don't speak to anyone you don't have to. Any offer of "help" is going to wind up costing you should you accept.

Use the yellow airport taxis, get one from the service desk who will record the drivers number in case of any problems.

Avoid taxis lurking around hotels and other attractions. Hail a moving one and insist on the meter, "special deals" are likely to be at least double what you should pay. If possible print out your route from Google maps and use a highlight pen, show this to the driver and your chances of going the long way around are drastically reduced.

Look at the hotel taxi list of fixed prices for various destinations, any taxi hailed in the street should be well under these prices.

Philippine scammers, whilst not as sophisticated as their Thai counterparts still need careful attention.

[RevMan2]

I was on the verge of asking "Manila taxi's WHAT...?"

[WHBM]

As with many 3rd world countries, it can be a nightmare arriving at the airport.
But it's not just Third World airports.

London Heathrow. Immaculately controlled and metered London black taxis as a monopoly, but where the fare to say Bank is upwards of £80 (USD 120), typically double or treble what local cab companies charge the other way.

New York JFK. Fixed charge fare to Manhattan, which someone I'm sure once thought was a good idea. Drivers who don't know Manhattan or even signifcant hotels there, and more than once have wanted to put me out short of destination (saying it's "just round the corner there") when there was busy traffic and they wanted to get on to the next job.