Manila int'l airport closed to space ...

Author Message   ed williamson Advanced Member Username: Regnav Post Number: 217 Registered: 07-2009 Posted From: 76.114.109.206 Posted on Friday, June 11, 2010 - 11:49 am:    Larry wrote: "I've also heard that Filipinos pay less in general for transportation (taxis, bike taxis, etc) and services than is asked of foreign tourists. Some of the balkers may have been Filipino-Americans who resented being made to pay "foreigner" rates. Just speculation on my part, but definitely a possibility based on my 3 short visits to the P.I." Off topic a bit, but perhaps interesting, was my experience in Manila many years ago. My ship was in Manila for a month and a buddy and I had a 72 hour liberty. As we got off the liberty boat, in company with a Filipino crew member, the Filipino SP at the landing was inspecting bags. The Filipino shipmate had two cartons of cigarettes and some other misc. item - not much really. The SP took them and then turned his attention to us. We both had civvies and a carton of smokes. The SP took our smokes also. At this point we got a wee bit upset and walked across the street to the FN headquarters there, walked in and asked to speak to the OD. We were promptly ushered into the office of a FN Lieutenant, to whom we rendered crisp salutes and told our story. He barked a command to a FN sailor and shortly the SP joined us. The LT said a few words to him and then knocked him on his butt. Our smokes and our crew mate's belongings were returned with apologies. Never had another problem when coming ashore. You just gotta complain to the right person!   JIM QUINN Member Username: Jbquinn1 Post Number: 30 Registered: 08-2009 Posted From: 124.107.11.15 Posted on Friday, June 11, 2010 - 02:06 am:    this belongs in the off-topic section sorry   Pastor Oscar Member Username: Romans_213 Post Number: 13 Registered: 05-2010 Posted From: 121.54.32.40 Posted on Thursday, June 03, 2010 - 01:44 am:    Dinotars, You are very welcome! You trained me well. May His favor surround you as with a shield. Pastor Oscar   Larry W. Carnes Senior Member Username: Larry Post Number: 1156 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 65.116.99.34 Posted on Wednesday, June 02, 2010 - 12:38 pm:    I can't help but wonder if the company at Manila Int'l was really gouging SPATs on the transportion and Passport services. Most items and services in the P.I. are amazingly cheap compared to other countries. If the company was charging at European levels, the "troublemakers" may have been justified to balk at the fees. I've also heard that Filipinos pay less in general for transportation (taxis, bike taxis, etc) and services than is asked of foreign tourists. Some of the balkers may have been Filipino-Americans who resented being made to pay "foreigner" rates. Just speculation on my part, but definitely a possibility based on my 3 short visits to the P.I.   dinotars Senior Member Username: Dinotars Post Number: 6756 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 173.169.151.24 Posted on Wednesday, June 02, 2010 - 12:19 pm:    Pastor Oscar, Many thanks for the update on the Manila situation.Good posting for Clark.   Pastor Oscar Member Username: Romans_213 Post Number: 12 Registered: 05-2010 Posted From: 121.54.32.40 Posted on Wednesday, June 02, 2010 - 01:47 am:    Everyone, I just talked to Mr. Vandine at Clark. There is NO Space-A flight to Manila either for active duty or retired. Kadena made a mistake in sending Space-A passengers which created the confusion. To avoid all the hassles, please Space-A to Clark Field instead. For additional information, you may call Mr. Donald Vandine at 045-499-7279 or 0920-970-5030. Have a blessed day!   dinotars Senior Member Username: Dinotars Post Number: 6755 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 173.169.151.24 Posted on Wednesday, June 02, 2010 - 12:50 am:    For flights to the Philippines,check flights to Clark Field and avoid the inconveniences of Manila International airport.For flights from Clark,the board now has a poster on this board.   JIM QUINN Member Username: Jbquinn1 Post Number: 29 Registered: 08-2009 Posted From: 180.191.37.220 Posted on Wednesday, June 02, 2010 - 12:46 am:    there's no sense in kicking a dead horse so now all space a travel into or out of manila is not authorized. we can all thank the behavior of a few bad apples.   Earl Senior Member Username: Myramstein Post Number: 773 Registered: 11-2007 Posted From: 68.31.219.134 Posted on Tuesday, June 01, 2010 - 09:56 pm:    DeeDee, Must have read into the original post (("...stop sending space a because some retirees were belligerent and refused to pay for passport..")) to mean no more CAT VI. But, you are correct. It does say stop sending space-a. Which could mean every cat. I have a feeling it was meant for retirees only. Wish someone could clarify this for us.   Roger T. Evans Intermediate Member Username: Rogerev Post Number: 58 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 112.205.165.106 Posted on Tuesday, June 01, 2010 - 04:12 pm:    Flown in and out commercially.   Roger T. Evans Intermediate Member Username: Rogerev Post Number: 57 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 112.205.165.106 Posted on Tuesday, June 01, 2010 - 04:11 pm:    I've flown in and out of NAIA several times and most of the fees and taxes are collected at departure. I never had to pay anything coming in. Could be that they're compensating for the fact that space A passengers was never taxed or charged fees. Part of that $100. could be the cost of transporting you to the Customs and Immigration offices. Kinda exorbitant though. http://www.filipinotravel.com.ph/information/faqs.php   Cherry C. Senior Member Username: Cherry Post Number: 6414 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 71.163.18.160 Posted on Tuesday, June 01, 2010 - 01:03 am:    Is it correct that the new ban does apply to all space-a travelers, not just Cat VI? (Although I expect that Cat VI's comprise the vast majority trying to fly into Manila.) If so, that must mean that the local contractor has no problems with processing space-required arrivals and departures? In that case, is the U.S. government paying for "passport and transport service" for the space-r people but the space-a travelers must pay the contractor themselves for this service? If so, are space-a pax being charged the same fee that the government is paying for space-r pax, or less or more? This whole situation has a lot of interesting angles worthy of exploration!   dinotars Senior Member Username: Dinotars Post Number: 6750 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 173.169.151.24 Posted on Monday, May 31, 2010 - 11:01 pm:    Pleased to find that the reported problem was not isolated to Cat VI's.   DeeDee Clarke Senior Member Username: Deedee Post Number: 644 Registered: 05-2004 Posted From: 67.11.180.124 Posted on Monday, May 31, 2010 - 10:37 pm:    Earl, the original post did not say one category was denied space-a, it said stop sending space-a passengers. I think that means all categories.   Earl Senior Member Username: Myramstein Post Number: 772 Registered: 11-2007 Posted From: 173.99.57.198 Posted on Monday, May 31, 2010 - 03:32 pm:    Anne, thank you! I agree, why punish the entire group for the behavior of a few? I wonder if any pax rep, station, contractor, or whoever is doing the space-a business can on their own decide one group of CAT is not going to fly space-a? I would say no. Should be made by higher ups. If cat VI can be denied space-a, what others can also be banned and denied as a group? This will never happen, but what if that contractor did not care for a certain minority? Because that certain minority caused trouble in the past. I do not think that can be done. Someone needs to contact AMC HQ at Scott AFB, IL and advise the command that an entire group of CAT is denied space-a based on the behavior of a few. My e mail has been sent to AMC.   Anne L Evans Member Username: Anne_l_evans Post Number: 42 Registered: 01-2009 Posted From: 70.160.127.143 Posted on Monday, May 31, 2010 - 11:49 am:    John, As Dirk, John D , and others have often said on this board, Space-a is a PRIVILEGE, not a right. As a teacher, when a child in my class acts up, I take away that childs privileges, I don't punish the whole class. Perhaps those in charge in Manila could follow suit. Punish the offenders, not the "whole class"   John David Brooks Senior Member Username: Johnb6597 Post Number: 425 Registered: 04-2008 Posted From: 114.142.221.155 Posted on Monday, May 31, 2010 - 08:05 am:    Hell, I don't even object to paying reasonable "unauthroized" fees for the ability to transit Space-A to/through Manila. Baksheesh is not always a bad thing. My bigger concern is the idea that a handful of retirees with bad attitudes may have ruined a good thing for the rest of us.   John David Brooks Senior Member Username: Johnb6597 Post Number: 424 Registered: 04-2008 Posted From: 114.142.221.155 Posted on Monday, May 31, 2010 - 08:05 am:    Hell, I don't even object to paying reasonable "unauthorized" fees for the ability to transit Space-A to/through Manila. Baksheesh is not always a bad thing. My bigger concern is the idea that a handful of retirees with bad attitudes may have ruined a good thing for the rest of us.   Cherry C. Senior Member Username: Cherry Post Number: 6404 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 71.163.18.160 Posted on Sunday, May 30, 2010 - 10:32 am:    One more set of questions to add to those posed by John David Brooks just below: "Is the company handling military aircraft at Manila actually permitted under the terms of its contract to charge retirees for their services, and if so, is the amount being charged a reasonable one (or are they acting in an unauthorized manner and gouging travelers who they think have no recourse)? Is there a reason why some company's services must be used there instead of the traveler simply making his own way from the aircraft and through passport and immigration control?" If using the service is required by local rules and the fee is reasonable and allowed under the terms of its contract with the U.S. government, then that is one thing -- but if instead it's a case of seeing a way to make a lot of unauthorized money on the side, at the expense of certain travelers, then that's another.   John David Brooks Senior Member Username: Johnb6597 Post Number: 422 Registered: 04-2008 Posted From: 114.142.221.155 Posted on Sunday, May 30, 2010 - 04:07 am:    If it's about Kadena, how about some more specific information about the "company that handles military aircraft" so we can more effectively reach out to those folks and reassure tham that we retirees are more than willing to adhere to whatever rules are in place for paying passpotr and transport fees. If it's all about Kadena, then why is the thread titled "Manila int'l airport closed to space a" instead of "Kadena Will No Longer Process SPATs to Manila"?   John D. Moderator Username: John_d Post Number: 4531 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 95.208.80.143 Posted on Saturday, May 29, 2010 - 05:40 am:    Jeff, I must have interpreted the initial post incorrectly as well. I assumed this came about because the company (at Manila) that handles military aircraft told the Pax Reps at Kadena to stop manifesting Space-A folks to Manila because of some belligerent retiree behavior over the fees being charged (at Manila). Are you saying this is all about Kadena?   Jeff Fuller Member Username: Pensyonado Post Number: 21 Registered: 03-2007 Posted From: 98.203.225.90 Posted on Saturday, May 29, 2010 - 05:33 am:    This thread isn't about Manila, it's about Kadena. Read the first post again.   Larry W. Carnes Senior Member Username: Larry Post Number: 1155 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 139.55.99.217 Posted on Thursday, May 27, 2010 - 07:31 pm:    I wonder just how much the misc passport & transport fees were? I've never flown into Manila Int'l but I've flown commercial into Clark 3 times. No passport fees. Transport costs range from the equivelent of 16 cents for a Jeepney (after walking the half mile to the gate) to around $12 for a taxi into town.   John David Brooks Senior Member Username: Johnb6597 Post Number: 421 Registered: 04-2008 Posted From: 114.142.221.155 Posted on Thursday, May 27, 2010 - 05:43 am:    "What? I flew all the way here to Manila for free and now I have to pay $100 for miscellaneous passport and transportation fees? That's unfair! It's not right!! I refuse to pay a dime!!! You can't make me!!!!" What in hell goes through some people's minds?   Joe Joyce Advanced Member Username: Joejoyce Post Number: 158 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 199.224.21.254 Posted on Wednesday, May 26, 2010 - 11:22 am:    When I was on active duty the saying "nobody screws up the sailor's lot more than the sailors themselves" used to circulate. I guess the same thing holds true for retirees.   Tom DeMicke Senior Member Username: Typhoontom Post Number: 1025 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 211.121.74.150 Posted on Wednesday, May 26, 2010 - 07:27 am:    Yes, I jacked up the word "immigration" ...   Tom DeMicke Senior Member Username: Typhoontom Post Number: 1024 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 211.121.74.150 Posted on Wednesday, May 26, 2010 - 07:25 am:    I may be getting off topic here but Earl, you brought up a good point. As you mentioned a questinon you asked "Why don't they ban the trouble maker(s)? His response being [too much trouble to maintain and enforce such a list." It's true ... there is such a list and it's called a "Black List" and you would be surprised how long it is. This is a list that if your name ever goes on it, only Headquarters Air Mobility Command can release your name. I would think, however, that you would have to earn getting on that list if you really are acting up, but there is such a list and it can be invoked. I know there are procedures in foreign countries that are a bit strange, but if we are all informed about them and made aware of them ahead of time, that would proably minimize folks from getting so upset. Immgigration and Customs procedures are very different overseas than they are in the U.S. That's why we all have this board to educate our selves. So everyone ... hang in there and read, read, study, study, and ask questions. Happy travels to everyone!   Earl Senior Member Username: Myramstein Post Number: 764 Registered: 11-2007 Posted From: 68.31.65.251 Posted on Tuesday, May 25, 2010 - 12:24 pm:    Jim, thank you for that information. I have a friend at Wright Patterson who is heading to Manila and I will pass that on to him. Again, thanks. Shame that some retirees ruin it for all of us. Not the same issue you brought up but the same problem is some retirees ruin it for others by their behavior in the dining facility/galley. Since the doors have reopened for retirees at some bases to eat in the DF, watch that some retiree will ruin it. Rota NS just reopened up the galley on weekends for retirees. Already (I just left there) there is talk about how some of the retirees behave there. I asked the manager why don't the ban the trouble maker(s). His response was "too much trouble to maintain and enforce such a list. It is all or none type of a thing." Such a shame.   JIM QUINN Member Username: Jbquinn1 Post Number: 27 Registered: 08-2009 Posted From: 202.69.173.249 Posted on Tuesday, May 25, 2010 - 07:37 am:    since december the company that handles military aircraft told kadena to stop sending space a because some retirees were belligerent and refused to pay for passport and transport service. this company is located away from the terminals and the only way in or out is with airport vehicles. the contract they have with the us gov't apprently does'nt cover expenses for space a. so be forewarned!