A business trip to Manila provided also some opportunities for spotting. I prebooked the Marriott-hotel near Terminal 3 (domestic-terminal) but this hotel is quite expensive (near 200 euro a night).
Just before I left to Manila I received some good info about the Remington-hotel and the views from here would be much better. And important as well, the hotel is much cheaper! I paid 63 euro for a room. So, cancelled the Marriott and booked the Remington..
The hotel opened last year on 11-11-2011 at 11:00 hrs and is much closer to the action, next to the Philippine Air Force museum and has a free shuttle to the terminals that runs regularly.
The info I had from some English spotters was to get a room at the 5th floor or higher with airportview. Well, upon arrival they gave me the 10th floor with roomnumber 10009. This room is just in the middle and any roomnumber between 10073-10068 or 10009-10017 are facing the airport and have good views, as well as the lower floors (till 5th) with same numbers. Be aware, the roomnumbers are not logically numbered..from the hall near room 10073 you can have a good look at the PhilAF-museum (facing east).
Room 10009 I had was having two 140cm beds, very clean and on all levels vending machines having snacks, drinks (25php) and icecold water (20php). Downstairs opposite the reception a buffet breakfast at 420php and for eating a MacDonalds was in the same block (Bigmac menu large costs 175 php, roughly 2,70 euro..) or at the other side of the road where there is the Resort World Mall (shops, foodcourt, casino). Life is very cheap for us Europeans as the 10 Pesos is 18 eurocents..
Manila is not so busy like HKG or NRT but a steady flow of aircraft are present in the morning and evening. Afternoons are having some quiet moments.
Philippine Airlines (777-300ER, 747-400, A330, A340, A319, A320), Airphilexpress (A320, DHC8), Cebu Pacific (A319,A320,ATR72), Zest Airways (A319,A320,MA60), SEAir (A319/A320 and their sole 737-200) can be seen plus the local smaller companies flying tourists to the small isles in their Ce208's, Do228's, Sh330's, Be18's. Unfortunately I did not see the two Air Asia Philippines A320's as they fly from Clark AFB (Manila's low cost airport).
There are two runways, 06-24 and 13-31. During the 5 days I was here all landings and takeoffs were done on runway 06. Runway 31 is sometimes used for a DHC8/ATR72 takeoff but a minute later they use runway 13 for a bizjet takeoff..
There are three terminals on the airport, T1 is the international terminal and close to holding runway 06 and cargo area. T2 is the PAL-terminal (near the crossing of both runways) and T3 is the domestic terminal for Cebu, Zest, Airphilexpress.
From the hotel facing west (only highest floors) you can see some stored aircraft (3x YS11, 1x An24, 1x Yak40, 1x Connie). Not all of the stored aircraft can be seen as there should be some DC-3's and DHC-7's as well. From the roundabout near terminal 3 partially blocked views can be get from some 737-200's and DC-9's that are stored. A ramptour would be very nice but they (airport police) never replied on my requests for this..
When you take a taxi or shuttlebus to/from T1/T2 you might see some aircraft parked between the various buildings but it is not possible to see all from outside..very frustrating..
Hope this info is of use for someone going here soon. I will post a few photo-links below to give a better impression of the view.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/91253846@N05/8287489852/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/91253846@N05/8287489996/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/91253846@N05/8286431717/
Seen on 25nov (and new for me):
A9C-AO A320 -214 GULF AIR (far from home..did a tour in Asia)
A6-ETH B777 -3FXER ETIHAD AIRWAYS
B-5168 B737 -808 AIR CHINA
B-LDC A300 F4-605R AIR HONG KONG
B-6629 A321 -231 CHINA SOUTHERN AIRLINES
HL8265 A321 -231 ASIANA AIRLINES
HL8234 B737 -86Q JEJU AIR
HL7701 A330 -323X KOREAN AIRLINES
HL7533 B777 -3B5 KOREAN AIRLINES
HS-TEH A330 -322 THAI AIRWAYS INTERNATIONAL
JA614A B767 -381ER ALL NIPPON AIRWAYS
JA606J B767 -346ER JAPAN AIR LINES
N27246 B737 -824 UNITED AIRLINES
RP-C8390 A320 -214 AIRPHIL EXPRESS
RP-C8394 A320 -214 AIRPHIL EXPRESS
RP-C8397 A320 -214 AIRPHIL EXPRESS
RP-C8398 A320 -214 AIRPHIL EXPRESS
RP-C3190 A319 -111 CEBU PACIFIC AIRLINES
RP-C3195 A319 -111 CEBU PACIFIC AIRLINES
RP-C3237 A320 -214 CEBU PACIFIC AIRLINES
RP-C3238 A320 -214 CEBU PACIFIC AIRLINES
RP-C3242 A320 -214 CEBU PACIFIC AIRLINES
RP-C3245 A320 -214 CEBU PACIFIC AIRLINES
RP-C3246 A320 -214 CEBU PACIFIC AIRLINES
RP-C3247 A320 -214 CEBU PACIFIC AIRLINES
RP-C3249 A320 -214 CEBU PACIFIC AIRLINES
RP-C3260 A320 -214 CEBU PACIFIC AIRLINES
RP-C3261 A320 -214 CEBU PACIFIC AIRLINES
RP-C3262 A320 -214 CEBU PACIFIC AIRLINES
RP-C3266 A320 -214 CEBU PACIFIC AIRLINES
RP-C3267 A320 -214 CEBU PACIFIC AIRLINES
RP-C3270 A320 -214 CEBU PACIFIC AIRLINES
RP-C7251 ATR72 -212A CEBU PACIFIC AIRLINES
RP-C7252 ATR72 -212A CEBU PACIFIC AIRLINES
RP-C7257 ATR72 -212A CEBU PACIFIC AIRLINES
RP-C7258 ATR72 -212A CEBU PACIFIC AIRLINES
RP-C3223 A320 -214 PHILIPPINE AIRLINES
RP-C8600 A319 -112 PHILIPPINE AIRLINES
RP-C8602 A319 -112 PHILIPPINE AIRLINES
RP-C8607 A320 -214 PHILIPPINE AIRLINES
RP-C8610 A320 -214 PHILIPPINE AIRLINES
RP-C8611 A320 -214 PHILIPPINE AIRLINES
RP-C8612 A320 -214 PHILIPPINE AIRLINES
RP-C3337 A330 -301 PHILIPPINE AIRLINES
RP-C7473 B747 -4F6 PHILIPPINE AIRLINES
RP-C7475 B747 -469 PHILIPPINE AIRLINES
RP-C7774 B777 -3F6ER PHILIPPINE AIRLINES
RP-C5320 A319 -132 SOUTH EAST ASIAN AIRLINES
RP-C6320 A320 -232 SOUTH EAST ASIAN AIRLINES
9M-MLK B737 -8FZ MALAYSIA AIRLINES
9V-JSC A320 -232 JETSTAR ASIA
9V-JSO A320 -232 JETSTAR ASIA
9V-SRF B777 -212ER SINGAPORE AIRLINES
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