Sydney to Manila Flights

[JJReyes]

My wife and I have cruise reservations from Los Angeles to Sydney this October.  After spending time touring, we plan to fly Sydney to Manila one way in November to spend the Christmas holidays.  Direct flights are offered on Philippine Airlines.  Unfortunately, they don't have sufficient aircrafts, so Philippine Airlines sub-contracted this route to Wamos Air, a Spanish charter company with a very poor reputation. 

Has anyone flown Qantas, from Sydney to Manila?  Any issues?  My concern is we have US passports but no visas since our entry is through the Balikbayan waiver program.  With no onward tickets, Qantas check-in counter personnel may not understand that we are visa exempt.

[Lee]

47 minutes ago, JJReyes said:

With no onward tickets, Qantas check-in counter personnel may not understand that we are visa exempt.

Proving that you should be exempted form having a onward ticket while leaving another country can be tough.

I got hung up in Vietnam once and no amount documentation showing that I was exempted from having an onward ticket would change anyone at the ticket counter minds. I had a one way ticket to Kobu Kota in my pocket and went on through.

[BrettGC]

Watching this with interest as we may be entering from Australia in a couple of months when after I return there for surgery. 

Edited May 24 by BrettGC

[Jack Peterson]

3 minutes ago, BrettGC said:

Watching this with interest as we may be entering from Australia in a couple of months when after I return there for surgery. 

  OH! whats up Brett? Nothing serious I hope

[BrettGC]

1 hour ago, Jack Peterson said:

  OH! whats up Brett? Nothing serious I hope

Nah mate, just finally getting the hernia fixed up.  After 3 years I'm finally near the top of the Medicare list.

[Jack Peterson]

Just now, BrettGC said:

Nah mate, just finally getting the hernia fixed up.  After 3 years I'm finally near the top of the Medicare list.

 Ah OK! Hope it all works out well

[BrettGC]

18 minutes ago, BrettGC said:

Nah mate, just finally getting the hernia fixed up.  After 3 years I'm finally near the top of the Medicare list.

Me too, getting a little tired of poking the inside bits back in again hahahaha

[Georgebob]

I just flew last Sunday Qantas Sydney to BKK then  Manila 

Had a difficult time one immigration woman.

I filled out the E customs already,she wanted to see that.

Lucky I screenshots the E customs receipt 

 

Then she wanted to see my return flights evidence 

Now I have to start logging into the airline website the internet was slow ,I told her I'm going back this week only staying in Manila one week

Prove it she says ! I need evidence Sir ! 

22 minutes at the check out counter trying to log in to the airlines website to get my booking reference number etc to show her I was definitely leaving Manila ,I'm a old Aussie tourist , why would I stay ,she was making it difficult for me ,no idea why 

Why you coming here she says etc

This was last Sunday morning,lucky there was no crowd behind me 

When I got back to Thailand,no third degree nothing ,they just stamped me through

Why is the Philippines make things difficult??

 

Edited May 24 by Georgebob

[GeoffH]

6 hours ago, JJReyes said:

With no onward tickets, Qantas check-in counter personnel may not understand that we are visa exempt.

I've flown Bendigo to Sydney then transit and Sydney to Manila as well as Melbourne to Sydney then transit and Sydney to Manila.

QANTAS, despite a bit of recent bad publicity, remain a decent carrier with a good in flight experience in economy (noticibly better than the times I've flown Philippine Airlines).  I can't comment about the visa issue but QANTAS check in in Bendigo wanted to see my onward ticket and QANTAS in Melbourne didn't ask for it.

There are only, to my knowledge, 3 carriers offering direct flights to Manila from Sydney; QANTAS, Philipine Airlines and Cebu Pacific... every other carrier requires a stop over, generally Singapore or Kuala Lumpah so your choices if you want a direct flight are limited.

[hk blues]

1 hour ago, Georgebob said:

Why is the Philippines make things difficult??

 

It does seem like that at times!

One of the problems is that what the rules intend doesn't always filter down to the rank-and-file.  I had a classic this Monday at the BIR.  There was some minor change to business invoicing that, for me, require no immediate action yet the BIR staff said I had to make some changes despite me showing the relevant para. in their own regulations which stated I didn't.  Of course, there was no point arguing so I will do as I'm told. 

Whilst you never quite get used to this sort of thing you begin to anticipate it so the annoyance is less when it inevitably happens.