Manila lockdown - All domestic flights from/to Manila cancelled

[Hank49]

From my friend in Cebu:


Could not go to Dumagete today, shut down boats to cross from Cebu south piers.

Malls in Mandaue were closed today. People staying home in Mandaue today.

Will see these next few days what’s going on here.

 

[Jay]

I’m in Subic at the moment.

Although it appears that international flights in and out of Manila are permitted after the ‘shut-down’ commences from midnight tomorrow (Sunday) most locals I’ve spoken with say don’t risk entering Manila as the situation can rapidly change.

There’s also talk of the lockdown zones expanding.

Additionally there’s possibly a problem of how frequently flights will depart given reduced flights entering ... PAL is already loading a tonne of money.

Clark airport gives some good options out via Singapore.

News-wise, the SCMP (link in OP) has some updated commentary and locally the ‘official’ news agency ABS-CBN and Rappler are good sources of info.

It’s almost impossible to contact PAL or Cebu Pacific on their local hotlines. I’ve been trying for days. PAL have some overseas offices which are a better chance.

Cebu Pacific has a Travel Fund to bank unused airfares. But ... seems that my ‘non-sale’ airfares we ‘sale’ ones that are not eligible for the fund so I went through the process of cancelling to receive zero $ back. Hopefully once things calm down they do the right thing and it’s just an admin error.

On more important topics, the diving’s been great! (And slightly less busier than usual)

 

[jjmochi]

I've got a liveaboard in Tubbataha the end of May and haven't heard a word from Liveaboard.com or anyone else about being able to cancel without a penalty. Hell my flight there through Korea may yet be cancelled and are they still going to make me pay a penalty for not being able to get there? Who knows. Who were you scheduled with for your trip?

I booked directly with Seadoors. My trip was scheduled for the end of March. I live in HK and travel restrictions were in place beginning of Feb.

I reached out to postpone my trip in Feb, since the travel ban does not allow any HK residents to enter and does not allow any ships with anyone who had been to HK in the last 14 days to dock. So I argued there is grounds for cancellation/postponement because it is illegal for both me and the operator if I were on board.

Their terms and conditions clearly state cancellations due to epidemic are entitled to a full refund. I went back and forth with them for a long time and they were utterly unhelpful. They kept saying there is no epidemic in the Phillipines and the trip is going ahead, and cancellation terms only apply if they cancel not me. So I asked how can they not cancel when it's illegal for them to have me on board. No reply. I was going to chargeback for breach of terms after my trip date. But they contacted me yesterday and said they'll give me a full refund, probably because none of the other travelers can make it now given you can must transit through Manila to get to PPS.

Lesson learned here is not to book direct with the operator. I see PADI travel is offering free cancellations for all virus related disruptions. I will book with them in the future.

I have not been on Seadoors and they seem to have good reviews but this experience alone has put me off booking with them forever.

Which boat are you on?

 

[jjmochi]

On the plus side I am still going to Raja Ampat and just booked a second week after they told me I'll be getting a refund

This whole experience has made me very wary of Philippines travel in general. Their govt actions are very drastic, comes with very little notice, and is more political than strictly fact-based. HK and Macau only have 120+ cases and are banned while countries with much higher risk are not. I probably won't book any more Philippines trips while in HK. I also had a trip to Anilao at end of April with Blue Ribbon which they allowed me to postpone until year end.

 

[Skulmoski]

If you're going to southern Leyte, why not fly into Cebu-Mactan International? And International flights in and out of NAIA (MNL) are still allowed. But driving from Manila to Batangas (i.e. to Anilao or Puerto Galera) is not allowed until at least April 14.

That might work today, but the trajectory of this virus seems that it is likely to quickly spread resulting in many more airports shutting operations.

 

[Blackcrusader]

 

[FT]

Provincial governments are jumping on the bandwagon to restrict movement. Several are no longer allowing travellers in by sea, in complement to the ban on domestic flights. We have cancelled the South Leyte leg of our current trip. Big shout out to Peter's Dive Resort which had not asked for a deposit and which has been kind and philosophical about our cancellation.
Hunkered down in Sabang which is quiet but pleasant. Dives still happening. No more travel is allowed into the province of Mindoro Oriental. The word this morning was that there will be some provision to let tourists boat out. The trick will be to get into and through Batangas towards the airport.
No practical way to rebook with PAL to leave the country any earlier. Got through to being on hold once and ran out of load half an hour later. Nonstop busy signal since.
The diving is great and there is plenty of calamansi juice.

 

[Centrals]

Peter's in Southern Leyte never ever asked for deposit.

I would rather get trapped in Thailand than Philippines because of the FOOD.
Give me Khao Soi for breakfast/lunch/dinner and sticky rice/mango as desert.

 

[bshort4]

I booked directly with Seadoors. My trip was scheduled for the end of March. I live in HK and travel restrictions were in place beginning of Feb.

I reached out to postpone my trip in Feb, since the travel ban does not allow any HK residents to enter and does not allow any ships with anyone who had been to HK in the last 14 days to dock. So I argued there is grounds for cancellation/postponement because it is illegal for both me and the operator if I were on board.

Their terms and conditions clearly state cancellations due to epidemic are entitled to a full refund. I went back and forth with them for a long time and they were utterly unhelpful. They kept saying there is no epidemic in the Phillipines and the trip is going ahead, and cancellation terms only apply if they cancel not me. So I asked how can they not cancel when it's illegal for them to have me on board. No reply. I was going to chargeback for breach of terms after my trip date. But they contacted me yesterday and said they'll give me a full refund, probably because none of the other travelers can make it now given you can must transit through Manila to get to PPS.

Lesson learned here is not to book direct with the operator. I see PADI travel is offering free cancellations for all virus related disruptions. I will book with them in the future.

I have not been on Seadoors and they seem to have good reviews but this experience alone has put me off booking with them forever.

Which boat are you on?

I'm on the Stella Maris--a All Star Liveaboard company---I haven't contacted them as I booked through Liveaboard.com and I think that their hands are tied as each boat sets their own cancellation policy--waiting to hear back from them. I may just have to take the 50% cancellation hit and just move on.

 

[bshort4]

Besides trying to cancel my live aboard to Tubbataha I emailed Mikes Dauin Beach Resort to cancel my reservation for a week of diving there in June. I asked them if they could keep my deposit and apply it toward a future trip--maybe next year---no problem they said--thanks Mike's. Have a flight to Palawan booked and paid for on Cebu Pacific but I know I can just kiss that money good bye but that cost is small peanuts compared to the rest of the costs if I lose them--which I probably will.