Holiday exodus

The Christmas and New Year holiday exodus out of the city began over the weekend and will likely last until the first week of January. Finally, a two-week respite in the city from the maddening traffic that preceded the year-end holiday activities.

The traffic problem, of course, may still be unavoidable for those driving out to their home province, with balikbayan relatives in tow. I think no amount of advice will adequately prepare road warriors in the Philippines, except for the perennial advice to avoid drinking too much fluid before the long ride and to prepare some snacks just in case. Patience is a virtue.

These should be a given, but please make sure your vehicle is roadworthy. For those with electric vehicles, make sure your vehicle is adequately charged. It might not be easy to recharge outside of the metro unless your EV is a Toyota, which can assure you access to charging stations in provincial Toyota dealerships.

Unfortunately, our two tollway operators continue to face technical glitches that contribute to the slow flow of traffic, aggravated by car owners who still have not installed an RFID on their vehicles or who forget to load or top up their RFID devices, thus delaying the long queue of vehicles.

On the other hand, if you are flying out of the city to the province or abroad, prepare for the airport crunch and madness that comes with the horde of like-minded travelers going home to join their families or spending the holidays somewhere cold and snowy for that true Christmas vibe.

Local carriers Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific (CEB) issued early travel advisories that will help ensure passenger comfort and safety, even as preparations for the holiday travels should have been put in place at least a month ago – especially for those who do not have a driver to bring them to the airport, are taking an airport transport service, or plan to use Park ‘N Fly services. Reservations are advised to ensure a slot; otherwise, you risk refusal of service once the car park reaches capacity.

Of course, there is now the added option of parking at the airport, with the parking problem resolved by the New NAIA Infrastructure Corp. or NNIC management, but with parking fees likely higher than those of Park ‘N Fly.

The previous airport parking problem has spawned a now-popular airport transfer service in private villages, with the cost depending on the location of the pick-up. A caveat: private airport transfers have become so popular that reservations were fully booked by November.

The alternative option is the commercial transport service, which is slightly more expensive than the fee quoted by trusted village airport transport providers and could also cost more depending on so-called “surge fees” when demand increases.

With airport transfer requirements sorted out, the first advice of local and international carriers is to check your travel documents. Ensure the completeness and validity of all travel documents. PAL adds that for international trips, passports should be valid for at least six months from the date of travel.

They also advise that the name on the ticket must be exactly the same as the name reflected in the passenger’s passport and that the required visas, permits, vaccination cards (if appropriate), and other documents be secured.

For domestic trips, PAL urges travelers to still bring a valid government, school or company-issued ID and ensure the name on the ticket is exactly the same as the name reflected in the ID presented upon check-in and boarding.

Both PAL and Cebu Pacific remind their passengers to register for e-Travel. International travelers are also required to fill out the e-Travel registration as mandated by the Philippine authorities. Cebu Pacific points out that for a smooth experience at the immigration counters, passengers traveling internationally are encouraged to register or update their e-Travel forms within 72 hours – or three days – before departure from and arrival in the Philippines, and then save the QR code generated at the end of the form.

For roundtrip international flights, passengers are required to complete the e-Travel form twice – once for the departure flight and again for the arrival flight. After generating the e-Travel QR code, passengers must complete the customs declaration form before arrival.

Passengers are advised to keep the e-Travel QR code as this will be scanned by customs officers after claiming baggage at the arrival carousel. e-Travel forms can be accomplished by accessing www.etravel.gov.ph.

The two airlines also urge their passengers to check the updated flight status and terminal assignment before heading to the airport, especially with the most recent terminal reassignments following the takeover by the San Miguel-led NNIC.

Cebu Pacific instructs passengers whose flight numbers begin with either 5J or DG that 5J flights, operated by Cebu Pacific, use larger commercial jet aircraft. These flights to and from Manila arrive at and depart from Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3. DG flights, operated by Cebgo, use smaller turboprop aircraft and currently operate from NAIA Terminal 2 (along NAIA Road, Pasay City). All DG flights to and from Manila have been relocated to NAIA Terminal 2.

The two Philippine carriers reiterate to their passengers to allocate extra time for travel to the airport, where heavy traffic is expected. Plan to arrive at the airport at least three hours before your domestic flight or at least four hours before your international flight.

Furthermore, Cebu Pacific said that passengers traveling to Dubai may check in as early as seven hours before departure. Check-in counters close 45 minutes before the scheduled departure for domestic flights and one hour for international flights to allow for necessary pre-flight procedures. After checking in, the Gokongwei-owned airline encourages passengers to immediately go through immigration and final security to avoid delays. Boarding begins 45 minutes before the scheduled departure.

With the advent of technology, PAL and Cebu Pacific advise their passengers to check in online within 24 hours and up to one hour before their flight for PAL. For Cebu Pacific, they explain that long lines may be avoided at the airport by checking in via the official CEB mobile app or the “manage booking” section of the CEB website. Both options are available from 48 hours to one hour before scheduled departure for domestic flights and up to four hours before international flights.

Passengers who checked in online and do not have check-in baggage may enter through NAIA Terminal 3 Gate 1 and go straight to the boarding gates. They only need to show their digital boarding pass to enter.

Both carriers urge their passengers to stay within their free baggage allowance limits, including carry-on cabin bags. Cebu Pacific specifically instructs passengers to limit their carry-on items to one bag that fits in the overhead bin and one personal item.

Cebu Pacific passengers are encouraged to purchase prepaid baggage online via the CEB website or mobile app, which is up to four times cheaper than airport charges. CEB’s enhanced baggage policy allows passengers to avail themselves of up to three pieces of 20-kg baggage. For every piece of baggage purchased, passengers may also add an extra four, eight or 12 kilos to the initial 20 kg. Passengers may purchase additional baggage allowance online up to two hours before departure.

Additionally, Cebu Pacific informs its passengers flying out of select domestic destinations to self-tag their check-in luggage at the designated kiosks at the airport before proceeding to bag drop counters. Self-bag drop kiosks are also available at NAIA Terminal 3 and Clark International Airport.