re: Return flight ticket requirements

[BlueeyedMike]

  Hi all, can anyone advise about the necessity of return flight tickets for travelling back to the Philippines? I have been back in the UK for medical reasons
and although I have a non-quota visa (13a) which is due to expire in May 2011 although it is not yet stamped in my passport because I have been out of the
country. I am informed by the Bureau of Immigration in Davao that I must get a return flight ticket to come back into the country at the extra cost. The BoI inform me that I will be reimbursed the return flight fare once I go there and get the visa stamped in my passport. My wife is back in Davao now after having been here
with me in the UK whilst I have been recuperating from my surgery so I would obviously like to return there as soon as I can to be with her. Anyone who can give
me some advice on this I would be most grateful. I wish you all a Very Happy New Year.  Regards Mike
PS. I am hoping to fly back with Singapore airlines via Singapore and direct to Davao International Airport.

[richardsinger]

Hi all, can anyone advise about the necessity of return flight tickets for travelling back to the Philippines? I have been back in the UK for medical reasons
and although I have a non-quota visa (13a) which is due to expire in May 2011 although it is not yet stamped in my passport because I have been out of the
country. I am informed by the Bureau of Immigration in Davao that I must get a return flight ticket to come back into the country at the extra cost. The BoI inform me that I will be reimbursed the return flight fare once I go there and get the visa stamped in my passport. My wife is back in Davao now after having been here
with me in the UK whilst I have been recuperating from my surgery so I would obviously like to return there as soon as I can to be with her. Anyone who can give
me some advice on this I would be most grateful. I wish you all a Very Happy New Year.  Regards Mike
PS. I am hoping to fly back with Singapore airlines via Singapore and direct to Davao International Airport.

Hi Mike, happy new year to you.

I moved here in October from Singapore, so faced a similar situatiion. The requirement is to have an \"onward\" ticket that can take you out of Philippines, it doesn\'t have tp be a return ticket back to your point of origin. In my case, I did actually buy a ticket from Philippines to Singapore, mainly for reasons of convenience and low cost. I bought it from the Tiger Airways web site (http://www.tigerairways.com/sg/en/). It is dated in latish january and I do not intend to use it. People usually refer to these as \"throw away tickets\". By the way, tickets from Clark airport can be a lot cheaper than from Manila.  If you are not actually going to fly, the inconvenience of goiing to Clark will not be a concern.

The fare varies a lot depending on the date of the flight, so make sure to find an off-peak time for your \"flight\". Stay away from the Chinese New Year period in early February because a lot of people want to travel around then.

Richard

[BlueeyedMike]

Hello Richard and Happy New Year to you. Thank you for your reply that is most helpful and interesting, just to confirm though these \'\'throw-away\'\' tickets have to be to a destination outside of the Philippines? I find that flying direct to Davao via singapore saves a) the Travel Taxation from Manila 200 pesos and excess baggage which to me is a con as arriving internationally in Manila on a normal 20kgs allowance means one has to pay at least 5 kgs excess baggage fees to travel onward to Davao or wherever.
thanks once again for your reply. 

[richardsinger]

Hi Mike, happy new year to you too. Yes the \"onward\" ticket by definition has to be to a place outside the Philippines, but I am not sure what you are asking so maybe you can please clarify? When you say \" flying direct to Davao via singapore\" it appears to be a contradiction in terms. And where would be the starting point for this journey?

Richard

[c_a_p_t_a_i_n_r_o_n]

Silk Air, Singapore Airlines regional carrier has direct flights from Singapore to Davao (without going through Manila)
It does a Singapore - Cebu - Davao loop

[friendlysaint]

try Cebu Pacific airlines they do fly from S\'pore to Davao direct at budget prices

[c_a_p_t_a_i_n_r_o_n]

try Cebu Pacific airlines they do fly from S\'pore to Davao direct at budget prices

Need to change planes in Cebu or Manila
3 hour layover in Cebu at 04:00-07:00..........not for me thanks

More acceptable time of day (possible) if changing in Manila but longer journey times

[friendlysaint]

Yes there are daily flights from s\'pore manila on cebu pacific and if your schedule is right maybe an hour plus layover then to davao. The good thing is u can check your baggage all the way thru davao.

[c_a_p_t_a_i_n_r_o_n]

15kg limit on baggage on Cebu Pacific........That additional 5kg (from international 20kg limit) will cost you an extra P2,000 (P400/kilo) EACH WAY
That\'s just the Singapore - Cebu/Manila leg

I don\'t know what they\'ll hit you up for for the Manila/Cebu to Davao leg

[dutch expat]

That additional 5kg (from international 20kg limit) will cost you an extra P2,000 (P400/kilo) EACH WAY

Depending on the kilo\'s it\'s sometimes better to pay for an additional seat.

[c_a_p_t_a_i_n_r_o_n]

That additional 5kg (from international 20kg limit) will cost you an extra P2,000 (P400/kilo) EACH WAY

Depending on the kilo\'s it\'s sometimes better to pay for an additional seat.

Do you know for sure that they\'ll let you use the second tickets baggage allowance ......or just a possibility? 

[friendlysaint]

Last year when i made my booking from S\'pore to Cebu then to Iloilo, they going trip was with baggage but the return i book it under the Go Lite promo fare and i also paid an extra $60(about 1500 peso) for additional 5kg baggage excess S\'pore Cebu.
I check in all the way thru to Iloilo and i don\'t pay any excess baggage for the domestic route from Cebu to Iloilo. All in all i paid close to about $350 sing dollars(almost 12,000peso) and the return was a throw away.
To me this was the cheapest option i could think of.