This Airport Guide describes the first part of the departure experience for passengers flying from Boracay Airport (also known as Caticlan Airport), the main domestic gateway for the eponymous resort island in the central Philippines.

Post last updated from first-hand experience : 08 October 2022 (based on a 12 September 2022 departure)
Post last updated using other information : 08 October 2022

NOTE: This Airport Guide should only be used for general planning and reference purposes. Details may change at any moment and without prior notice.

In this post, we’ll go through the initial stages of the departure process at Boracay Airport (IATA code: MPH) – also known as Caticlan Airport or (far less commonly) Godofredo P. Ramos Airport. Our present concern is making our way to the terminal and checking in for our flight.

The subsequent stages of the experience, from outbound security all the way to boarding, are covered in a separate post.

If you’d like to read about the arrivals process at MPH, please click here.

CONTENTS

• Location
• Entering the terminal
• Inside the terminal – before final security
  • Check-in counters
  • Other facilities
  • Outbound security screening

LOCATION

MPH operates out of two separate terminals: one exclusively for departures (featured in this post) and another for arrivals. This was meant to be a temporary arrangement until the completion of a single, consolidated terminal building. However, the project’s been put on hold and it’s likely that the split operations will continue for the foreseeable future.

The terminals aren’t merely separate – they’re so far apart as to be in different, albeit neighbouring, towns. The arrivals terminal (in the municipality of Nabas) sits at the eastern tip of the runway, whereas the departures terminal (across the border in Malay) is positioned near the western end.

Dedicated airport transfer services – whether booked through hotels or arranged with service providers – can be expected to drop departing passengers off at the correct building. When using self-arranged transport, be sure to confirm that the driver will take you to the departures terminal. It’s not possible to move between the two buildings airside (i.e., within the airport compound), so you’ll need to arrange a circuitous journey across the peninsula should you find yourself at the wrong spot.

ENTERING THE TERMINAL

The departures terminal is a small, single-storey structure, with an elevated centre section above the check-in hall.

The main entrance is at the western end, on the right side if you’re facing the building.

Due to limited space, only passengers are allowed inside the terminal. Have your ticket ready for inspection at the entrance queue.

After passing through the entrance, you’ll run into a security checkpoint with a conveyor belt scanner for luggage and a walk-through detector for passengers. Note that this is in addition to, not in place of, the usual outbound screening that takes place after check-in.

INSIDE THE TERMINAL – BEFORE FINAL SECURITY

Check-in counters

The check-in hall is very cramped, with no places to sit and no passenger amenities of any kind (apart from toilets). Given the limited floor space at their disposal, airport management clearly don’t want people lingering hereabouts for any extended period of time. Queue up, do your business, move on – nothing to see (or do) here.

Counter arrangements and check-in procedures will vary depending on the airline. Purely as an illustrative example, and offered with a cautionary note stressing that the airlines concerned can modify their procedures anytime without notice, the lane/staff deployment I observed (on 12 September 2022) was as follows:

• Cebu Pacific (5J):
  • One priority lane for passengers with special needs
  • One lane for general check-in
  • Two bag drop lanes for passengers who have already checked in online
• Philippines AirAsia (Z2):
  • One priority lane for premium fare buckets and passengers with special needs
  • Two lanes for general check-in

Other facilities

The toilets are at the far end of the check-in hall, next to the corridor that leads to outbound security.

Outbound security screening

After you’ve checked in, look for and follow the sign saying “Boarding Gates 3 & 4” (off to the right of Counter 01; see the picture above). From there, a corridor will funnel you towards the final security checkpoint.

Just before you reach security, an airport staff member will ask to see your boarding pass and note down your flight details. The screening itself is typical airport theatre: bags go onto a conveyor belt to be scanned whilst their owners walk through a detector (and, if necessary, undergo a pat-down).

Once that’s done, you’re released into the departures lounge with its cafés and food stalls and souvenir offerings and all the rest…

…but we’ll save that for another post.