By: Iris P. Concepcion
I sit here, doe-eyed, droopy in full battle X-gear looking at the arriving passengers at the NAIA 3 Terminal.I already have a vision of what my column shall be in the mainstream. It shall deal about airports and its people. It must also touch on security, check-in counters and information service.
I was in a huddle with an amiable guy who was munching lunch in his cute rice box. We were inside an airport convenient store. I was gorging on my super Japanese noodle bowl with chopsticks (freely provided) and a raspberry muffin I had bought outside.
I asked hot water for my noodles even if it was not purchased inside the terminal. The guard did not refuse me.
I was given two scenarios of airport maintenance and I was having a heyday contrasting the services.
The one I assisted for send-off had to pay his travel tax amounting to P1,600.00 which she needed to take outside from her queue.
Tip Number One: If buying ticket online, make sure the ticket already includes the required travel tax. It could not be hidden like a thorn in some stale weed. That is the old, terminal way. Even the porter here was laughing at the stupidity of hauling off bags in hotel-like trolleys when he could basically tiptoe on the shorter route via skates t the check-in counter. Here, the distance between the X-ray machines and the check-in counters is just like the gap between the two holes of your nose.
I think they are rendering the ubiquitous and circuitous manner of travelling with steep service fees irrelevant.
And they did.
There is even a plastic, wrapping package for bags that are meant to protect from thieves. I think it is useless since these plastic wraps may be knived through still when zippers are wrecked. It is likewise unappetizing as the bags looked mummified in an Egyptian, corpse-preservation manner. They charge 200 for this kind of atrocious service. L and M service, on the other hand, has this storage for bags replete with CCTV cameras that you pay for half the price.
The porterage buzz dramatically re-enacted on other terminals became a hilarious slide for me as the porters saw the futility of bilking the arriving passengers when they can conveniently handle their own baggages via trolleys located just near the X-ray machines.
I think, the airport is like a market place; a mall. You can peddle anything to the waiting passengers. They would be putty in anyone's hand. It would not be bad paying the unseen tax if it likewise offers sandwiches that do not go beyond the price of P50.00 though.
Thus I pondered: this is a good column where to take off the scribbling output. Airports and its people.
I yapped, unimpeded, to the beautiful work of balance in this area.
When the young 'uns manned the OFW and Tourist centers, they only fielded one person to answer the requests of even 50 inquiring tourists. That effective.
Besides: one of the best-tasting baked macaroni and palabok, I tasted here. Even the fruit salad tongued like Switzerland.
I was asked why I am familiar with the area. I told my good friend: "I live and work here."
And I shall write literature circling around its rotating conveyors.
Sniggers.
I think they are rendering the ubiquitous and circuitous manner of travelling with steep service fees irrelevant.
And they did.
There is even a plastic, wrapping package for bags that are meant to protect from thieves. I think it is useless since these plastic wraps may be knived through still when zippers are wrecked. It is likewise unappetizing as the bags looked mummified in an Egyptian, corpse-preservation manner. They charge 200 for this kind of atrocious service. L and M service, on the other hand, has this storage for bags replete with CCTV cameras that you pay for half the price.
The porterage buzz dramatically re-enacted on other terminals became a hilarious slide for me as the porters saw the futility of bilking the arriving passengers when they can conveniently handle their own baggages via trolleys located just near the X-ray machines.
I think, the airport is like a market place; a mall. You can peddle anything to the waiting passengers. They would be putty in anyone's hand. It would not be bad paying the unseen tax if it likewise offers sandwiches that do not go beyond the price of P50.00 though.
Thus I pondered: this is a good column where to take off the scribbling output. Airports and its people.
I yapped, unimpeded, to the beautiful work of balance in this area.
When the young 'uns manned the OFW and Tourist centers, they only fielded one person to answer the requests of even 50 inquiring tourists. That effective.
Besides: one of the best-tasting baked macaroni and palabok, I tasted here. Even the fruit salad tongued like Switzerland.
I was asked why I am familiar with the area. I told my good friend: "I live and work here."
And I shall write literature circling around its rotating conveyors.
Sniggers.