Taxi At Manila Airport

[United Army]

Last week me and my wife went to Manila for a VA apt and an apt at the US Embassy. When we got out of the airport we had to get a ticket prepaid to get a taxi, the ones parked right outside the airport. To go from the airport to the VA clinic was 330 peso..OK I said, on the way the driver had a hard time finding the VA Clinic, and its really difficult to find too. He charged us another 110 peso so the total now was 440 peso..OK I said. Then after the VA apt was done, we got a taxi right outside the VA Clinic and told the driver to take us the the US Embassy, he said OK that will be 150 peso, he did not use his meter...I said OK...On our next trip this week we decided to try things different dealing with those taxis that charge $$$ at the Manila airport. We walked out of the airport area and got on a street right outside the airport and got a taxi, we said to the driver US Embassy, he said OK and started his meter, on the way to the Embassy when I saw the VA Clinic, its on the same road as the Embassy, I checked the meter and it read 82.50 peso...How about that!!!! we got to the Embassy and the meter read 130 peso, I gave him a tip.When we got done at the Embassy we flagged down two taxis, one said 300 peso to the airport the other said 250, I said no to both, one driver said the traffic was heavy and that is why he wanted 300..yes it a major city,,,,so what, we walked to another street and a PNP Officer said want a taxi, my wife said yes, with meter...OK he said and flagged one down for us, got in and the meter started...it was 140 to the airport from the Embassy, gave him a tip.So the morale to this story is do not use the taxis at the airport and do not use a taxi unless it meter is on!!!

[mike]

Last week me and my wife went to Manila for a VA apt and an apt at the US Embassy. When we got out of the airport we had to get a ticket prepaid to get a taxi, the ones parked right outside the airport. To go from the airport to the VA clinic was 330 peso..OK I said, on the way the driver had a hard time finding the VA Clinic, and its really difficult to find too. He charged us another 110 peso so the total now was 440 peso..OK I said. Then after the VA apt was done, we got a taxi right outside the VA Clinic and told the driver to take us the the US Embassy, he said OK that will be 150 peso, he did not use his meter...I said OK...On our next trip this week we decided to try things different dealing with those taxis that charge $$ at the Manila airport. We walked out of the airport area and got on a street right outside the airport and got a taxi, we said to the driver US Embassy, he said OK and started his meter, on the way to the Embassy when I saw the VA Clinic, its on the same road as the Embassy, I checked the meter and it read 82.50 peso...How about that!!!! we got to the Embassy and the meter read 130 peso, I gave him a tip.When we got done at the Embassy we flagged down two taxis, one said 300 peso to the airport the other said 250, I said no to both, one driver said the traffic was heavy and that is why he wanted 300..yes it a major city,,,,so what, we walked to another street and a PNP Officer said want a taxi, my wife said yes, with meter...OK he said and flagged one down for us, got in and the meter started...it was 140 to the airport from the Embassy, gave him a tip.So the morale to this story is do not use the taxis at the airport and do not use a taxi unless it meter is on!!!

The yellow airport taxis will not do that they are safe to use!. The very first aiport taxis, the white ones that look SUV are the most expensive. Outside the airport 'pays ur money takes ur choice' and best of luck to you!

[Jim Sibbick]

Last week me and my wife went to Manila for a VA apt and an apt at the US Embassy. When we got out of the airport we had to get a ticket prepaid to get a taxi, the ones parked right outside the airport. To go from the airport to the VA clinic was 330 peso..OK I said, on the way the driver had a hard time finding the VA Clinic, and its really difficult to find too. He charged us another 110 peso so the total now was 440 peso..OK I said. Then after the VA apt was done, we got a taxi right outside the VA Clinic and told the driver to take us the the US Embassy, he said OK that will be 150 peso, he did not use his meter...I said OK...On our next trip this week we decided to try things different dealing with those taxis that charge $$$ at the Manila airport. We walked out of the airport area and got on a street right outside the airport and got a taxi, we said to the driver US Embassy, he said OK and started his meter, on the way to the Embassy when I saw the VA Clinic, its on the same road as the Embassy, I checked the meter and it read 82.50 peso...How about that!!!! we got to the Embassy and the meter read 130 peso, I gave him a tip.When we got done at the Embassy we flagged down two taxis, one said 300 peso to the airport the other said 250, I said no to both, one driver said the traffic was heavy and that is why he wanted 300..yes it a major city,,,,so what, we walked to another street and a PNP Officer said want a taxi, my wife said yes, with meter...OK he said and flagged one down for us, got in and the meter started...it was 140 to the airport from the Embassy, gave him a tip.So the morale to this story is do not use the taxis at the airport and do not use a taxi unless it meter is on!!!

The busy traffic excuse is bullsh&t. If the taxi is not moving, the meter starts acrruing waiting time at P2.5 per minute in a white taxi or P4 per minute in a yellow airport taxi. So the driver is being paid anyway.Regards: Jim

[MikeB]

I've taken the yellow airport taxis out of MNL many times and never had a problem because they are closely regulated. The initial flag drop is 70p instead of 30p for the white ones but well worth it imo. The prepaid "zone" ones are very expensive. Virtually every white cab I've taken in Manila by myself the driver has tried to overcharge me. Never happened yet in Cebu.

[Bananaboat]

The taxi problem is quiet known. Especially at the airports!I really got sick to be regarded as a $$ bag on two legs. So, I started my own dirty tricks.Be warned, they can go wrong. So use them only, if you feel safe.Trick 1: I tell the taxi driver "No meter means no money". If he then turns on the meter it's OK for me.If not, I have my luggage brought in to the hotel reception desk and do the check-in. When the driver wants his money, I only repeat "No meter means no money". If he insists, I ask the front desk to callthe police. This works - but only in a safe place.Trick 2: In Cagayan de Oro lots of taxi drivers want PHP 300 for the ride to the hotel in the center of the city.The fare with meter is PHP 150. If they do not put on the meter, I pay 150. When they insist to get their 300,I am very astonished and tell them that at the airport they offered the ride for 150. It works, because everybodyknows the fare price to the airport and know the taxi driver's tricks.Don't use these tricks if you go to an unsafe place like a market. You will run into problems.In the last 3 years I made the experience that about 60% of the taxi drivers are honest.At Manila NAIA I recommend: 1. Yellow Airport Taxi, 2. Prepaid ticket taxi, 3. Common white taxiCheers, Bananaboat

[MikeB]

The taxi problem is quiet known. Especially at the airports!I really got sick to be regarded as a $$ bag on two legs. So, I started my own dirty tricks.Be warned, they can go wrong. So use them only, if you feel safe.Trick 1: I tell the taxi driver "No meter means no money". If he then turns on the meter it's OK for me.If not, I have my luggage brought in to the hotel reception desk and do the check-in. When the driver wants his money, I only repeat "No meter means no money". If he insists, I ask the front desk to callthe police. This works - but only in a safe place.Trick 2: In Cagayan de Oro lots of taxi drivers want PHP 300 for the ride to the hotel in the center of the city.The fare with meter is PHP 150. If they do not put on the meter, I pay 150. When they insist to get their 300,I am very astonished and tell them that at the airport they offered the ride for 150. It works, because everybodyknows the fare price to the airport and know the taxi driver's tricks.Don't use these tricks if you go to an unsafe place like a market. You will run into problems.In the last 3 years I made the experience that about 60% of the taxi drivers are honest.At Manila NAIA I recommend: 1. Yellow Airport Taxi, 2. Prepaid ticket taxi, 3. Common white taxiCheers, Bananaboat

Thanks for your input. Haven't been to CDO yet, and my experience is somewhat limited, but from what I've seen of that god-forsaken Manila airport: yellow good, white bad.

[roy2cebu]

Yeah! it's very frustrating with them. Had that experience many times in Cebu and also the single time I visited Davao. It's annoying when I always gave a generous tip, in understanding and sympathy of their financial plight, and then this 'make-up' fare became prevalent. I now take out pen and paper, ask for name, take cab # and inform driver will be reporting him. Suddenly it's ..'ok sir, how much you pay?'.