I have been reading a lot about
the bad vibes buzzing about NAIA.
wherein we were ranked
as the worst airport.
There were also some rather nasty
but true reviews as well.
NAIA being the shithole that it is today
truly deserves a big FAIL
billboard on its entrance.
I am not a frequent traveler
but from what I remember,
the place is riddled with filth
both human and garbage in nature.
Corruption is not rampant, it is the norm!
From the security guards who check
your travel docs upon entering
(which they are not authorized to do so)
to the creepy old men at the
dilapidated counter where you are to
pay for that stupid airport tax
(where does the money go?)
to the bathroom attendants
who escort you from the toilet stalls
to the 'tabo' and yet fail to
stock toilet paper rolls and soap.
(the local mall has better toilets,
they use deodorizers, scent burners plus
they have full length mirrors, does the airport have
toilets for the disabled?)
to the frowning sentinels who guard
the decaying immigration area,
<no pen with which to write your info on
the belo-sponsored immigration card,>
where I personally had to queue for 2
hours because only 2 booths were open.
(but when ping lacson breezed through,
he was personally escorted like a VIP
and waived of his criminal liabilities
and oh, VIPs with drugs on them are
also waived through, ahem Singson)
to the sales people at the duty free area
where once i was told to shop downstairs
because they were closed, when in truth they
were not, there were still 2 tills open,
they were just lazy to restock the display
because i was the lone passenger loitering
about the area.
(the whole departure area looks like
a big tiangge, with shops closed even, i remember
a boy bawang stall ata aside from
the goldilocks one na lagi ubos ang paninda!
NAIA is a 24/7 airport right?
People need to feed
and keep themselves amused)
to the agents who man the check-in counters,
i agree that some people are really
trying to push their luck by checking in a 50kg
luggage when the limit is 25kg.
but really they should enhance their people skills
and smile more, frowning incites aggression.
Worst customer service,
mas maigi pa sa sari-sari store
sinasagot ang tanong mo.
(they also should be prompt in opening their
check-in counters, the airport does not have
that much seats, woe to the elderly
and disabled and the pregnant and the infants
and the list goes on.)
to the useless ground crew who serves as the gatekeepers
to the boarding area, they just put up their
little table plus and check your boarding pass, again!
and you have to leave the little printed paper
when you want to go out of the
boarding area to pee.
I say, I already paid for the damn airport tax,
why are they hounding the boarding area for?!
I know that when the gate opens and when it is
actually time to board the plane you have to
produce this boarding pass again, they should just get rid
of the makeshift counter at the boarding area then.
(Passengers should arrive early
not only because of the long lines
but also due to the limited seats available
to the passengers at the airport itself)
the customs people are the worst lot
so they say but i have yet to encounter
anyone who actually asked me for money.
they often asked me if i was indeed pinoy
because of my color.
when i travel i put little padlocks on all my
luggages' zippers, i even labelled
them alphabetically along with the keys.
I am grumbling and ranting again
but really they should at last upgrade
the facilities if only the toilets please.
The government should open the
newly built terminals to the international passengers
because what the tourists see is the drab
concrete walls, broken tiles,
old carpeting and frowning workers.
the last time i traveled, years ago, i only
relaxed when the plane taxied off the runway.
As to the people in PALea, those who left their posts
in the middle of a bad weather to do some crazy
stunt - lightning rally or walkout or
pagpapapress or pagsasapubiko ng
'totoong' isyu or whatever;
i am ambivalent.
on one hand i pity the passengers,
especially those with connecting flights
and those who braved the typhoon
only to have their flights cancelled
due to a mass walkout.
on the other hand, i do not really know
the entire plight of those employees with PAL.
I know individuals who had family members
who worked for PAL, they get to take home
trinkets, gifts, giveaways even dinnerware
from the caterers.
They even get to fly with their family to
different countries for free all on the corporate
tab because it is a perk when you work
for PAL.
The problem with all these
with PAL and NAIA
is that they never thought of
making plans for the long term.
Life is a circle,
one day you may be on top
the next day you are on your way down.
Also people should avoid stealing
from company supplies,
if everybody steals one paperclip
per day all year round,
imagine what that would cost.
Exaggerate this analogy
and you get tadah - the Philippine economy hahahaha.
Its 1:24am
and I am talking nonsense.
