NAIA Terminal 3 Part 6 - Blessed John Paul II Chapel, Left Luggage & Viewing Gallery

Viewing Gallery at Terminal 3

As a continuing series that tries to update our post on Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3, here are parts of Terminal 3 we haven't mentioned before: the Viewing Gallery, the Blessed John Paul the Great Chapel, and the Left Luggage which is now fully operational.

VIEWING GALLERY

The viewing deck is a novel idea that allows welcoming well wishers to view the arrival of the passengers at the terminal. A long hallway is designed for this. However, most "sundo" and fetchers actually prefer to meet their arriving guests at the exit point of the arrival hallway (1st floor). This Viewing Gallery is located at the mezzanine floor (where administrative offices are), a midlevel area between the Departure Level and the Arrival Hall, accessible through a stairway at either side of the building. It was initially thought to generate funds - viewing guests would pay a minimum fee upon entry. However, the idea didn't exactly fly, thus the "ticket booth" remains unmanned.

BLESSED JOHN PAUL THE GREAT CHAPEL

The Terminal Chapel is an oasis for the religious. KLIA, LCCT, Suvarnabhumi have their own religious corners, thus allocating a chapel for the Catholics is a welcome idea. This is dedicated to the memory of the former Pope John Paul II, now billed Blessed John Paul the Great. Though small, the chapel looks adequately maintained. It's very bright. It's also punctuated by images of Pinoy favorites: Padre Pio de Pietrelcina and San Lorenzo Ruiz, the country's first saint. There are prayer notes for St. Gertrude so I actually thought the lady saint was patroness of travel. She isn't; she's actually invoked when people want the offer prayers for the souls in purgatory (but catechism has since denied the existence of purgatory, right?) The Blessed John Paul the Great Chapel is accessible through the left stairway at the mezzanine floor, the same floor where the viewing deck and administrative offices are.

For completion, here's St. Gertrude's Prayer (for the souls in purgatory and for your departed loved ones):

"Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today for all the Holy Souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere in the Universal Church, those in my home and within my family. Amen."

AVOID MARY GRACE CAFE

And just so you avoid delays, if you're taking a meal or snack at the Food Court, we feel we need this special mention. Avoid Mary Grace Cafe. The place is messy, the servers take forever to serve you and they forget orders.

LEFT LUGGAGE

Lastly, the left luggage facility - called "Luggage and More" - at the ground floor (Departure Hallway) has finally opened. It's still located at the right wind of the hallway near the escalator, although the room has changed. A toilet is nearby. Rates for big luggages start at P350/day. They also have an hourly rate, but it's kinda expensive so why not charge it for a day? The facility is open daily from 6AM to 11PM - so make sure you take note of the time. Rates are available at the photo below.

This is the Eye in the Sky!

Viewing Gallery

Arriving guests claim their check-in baggage.

Visitors' Fee Booth at the Viewing Gallery

Blessed John Paul the Great Chapel

San Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saint.

Padre Pio de Pietrelcina

Mass Schedules at the Blessed John Paul the Great Chapel. They have two masses on Sundays.

The stair leads to the mezzanine level which hosts the airport chapel and the viewing gallery.

Luggage and More left luggage facility.

Other posts on NAIA Terminal 3: 

Arrival Hall - http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2011/02/naia-terminal-3-departure-hall-up-close.html

Shopping and Dining Complex - http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2011/02/naia-terminal-3-shopping-complex-dining.html

Pre-Departure Area - http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2011/02/naia-terminal-3-getting-through-pre.html

Departure Hall - http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2011/02/naia-terminal-3-departure-hall-up-close.html

Domestic Pre-Departure Shops - http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2011/02/naia-terminal-3-pre-departure-shops.html

International Pre-Departure Shops - http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2012/02/naia-terminal-3-international-pre.html

More on NAIA 3 - http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2010/02/more-naia-terminal-3-and-rude-skies-of.html

General Information on NAIA Terminal 3 - http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2009/08/naia-terminal-3-manila.html

Covered Parking - http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2014/09/naia-terminal-3-covered-parking.html 

NAIA Terminal 3 Takes in Some Color - http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2014/10/naia-terminal-3-takes-in-some-color.html

GOOD NEWS: Major International Carriers Move to T3

(July 2014 Update)

Starting July 2014 , NAIA Terminal 3 will be accepting major international carriers: Delta, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Emirates, Singapore and Cathay. ANA has also been using this terminal a while back. This makes the terminal fully operational, which used to only operate a mere 50% of its facility and services. They've in fact opened the once-empty right wing. These new airline companies will also be posting shuttle bus services for its passengers with connecting flights to other terminals (1,2,4) - for free! Travel between these terminals usually take 30 to 45 minutes. These will give tourists arriving with these carriers a better impression and a more relaxed arrival in Manila. Three other carriers are slated to move from Terminals 1 ans 2 to Terminal 3 in the coming months. This was made possible after the settling of the long-running court cases related to the construction of NAIA Terminal 3.    

Rates for the left luggage facility.