Making Your Way through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport
Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Credits to Wikipedia for the Photograph)
It has been almost four and a half years since I last rode an airplane. I have already forgotten the feeling of flying at the stratosphere while gazing at the earth’s surface below through a small oval window. As I sat in our family car on our way to Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, I cannot help but be excited. Not primarily because I’ll be able to sit inside an airplane again and be attended by stewardesses, but rather because I’ll be able to visit another place—another country that is.
I really love travelling. I enjoy meeting new people from all walks of life and immersing myself in the fusion of cultures. I love experiencing new things especially those that I never or rarely encounter in my daily routine. And that night, I knew I will be able to make my dreams come true again. For that night, I will be flying to the city which was the setting of the musicale that made Lea Salonga internationally famous: Ho Chi Minh, the new Saigon.
The idea started when my mom and I learned that my godmother and cousins residing in Cambodia, to whom we are really close to, are leaving for the United States for good. That means, it will be more difficult for us to see them again knowing that flights to the U.S. are pretty much expensive as compared to flights to neighboring countries. And thus, both of us decided to immediately purchase tickets online via the Cebu Pacific website.
Cebu Pacific is the Philippines’ second flag carrier offering air travel both in and out of the country. Recently, it has become one of the most patronized airlines due to its relatively cheap flight offers and much awaited seat sales (e.g. 1 Php, 50% off and 64% off air travel) and other promos. Indeed, they are making more and more people realize that they are doing their best to live by their tagline: “It’s Time Everyone Flies.” To learn more about Cebu Pacific, click on the following link to browse through their website and subscribe to their seat sale alerts.
Upon arriving at the airport, my mom and I bid farewell to my dad, walked through a metal detector (while our things underwent an X-ray scan), and went straight to the travel tax counter at the front-rightmost portion of the terminal.
As much as possible, arrive at the airport at least two hours before the scheduled departure as lines at particular counters may be extremely long, time of flights may be modified, and other unexpected problems may arise. It is better to be earlier than the plane than to miss it even by a split second.
TRAVELOCITIES REMINDER #1
A Filipino citizen leaving the country is required to pay 1632 Php (as of writing) for Philippine travel tax. This was and is not incorporated with the cost of the ticket unlike those done in other countries such as the United States.
Afterwards, my mom and I went to our designated check-in counter to confirm our tickets, present our passports, determine our allotted seats, and weigh our luggage.
TRAVELOCITIES REMINDER #2
In travelling to other Philippine provinces and most Asian countries, a person is allowed to bring small hand-carries with a combined weight of 7 kgs or less (as of writing). Hand-carries are items that can be taken inside the airplane cabin and placed inside the overhead compartment. The same person is also permitted to bring check-ins with a total weight of 15 kgs or less (as of writing). Check-ins are items that are to be deposited at the luggage counter and taken into the baggage area inside the airplane (away from the sight of the owner). Other weight requirements apply for non-Asian countries.
Cebu Pacific offers Go Lite promos which slashes 100 Php off the cost of the ticket when a person does not want to have check-ins. This is highly suggested for people who will only be staying at their destination cities for only a short period of time. In case of transient travellers who would be buying lots of pasalubongs or souvenirs for loved ones, it is recommended that the Go Lite promo be availed for the departure flight but not for the homebound flight as the person may be endanger of having excess baggage.
After we confirmed our tickets and passed our luggage weights, my mom and I headed to the immigration center to finish our remaining requirements. We fell in line to first pay our terminal fees and subsequently, to get ourselves cleared and validated by immigration officers.
TRAVELOCITIES REMINDER #3
Filipinos and foreigners leaving the country are required to pay 750 Php per person (as of writing) for the terminal fee. On the other hand, the terminal fee for domestic flights cost 200 Php.
Lastly, my mom and I walked through a second metal detector while our hand-carries were subjected to a final X-ray scan for security purposes.
TRAVELOCITIES REMINDER #4
Long hard objects, such as umbrellas and camera tripods, which may be used as weapons are not allowed to be part of hand-carries. Similarly, toothpastes in tubes, bars of soaps, hair waxes, lotions, and liquids and gels (e.g. alcohols, perfumes/colognes, shampoos, hand soaps and etc.) that are contained in non-transparent bottles and/or that exceed 100 ml are not permitted as they may also be used for harming other individuals or damaging airplane properties.
To avoid delay, include all items that may be deemed as probable weapons (or as questionable for that matter) in check-ins.
As my mom and I headed to our assigned boarding gate, I began to feel more relaxed. At last we have reached the end of what seemed to be a labyrinth of airport responsibilities. The only thing left for us to do was to wait for the gate to open and the plane to accept passengers. While I sat at one of the seats at the waiting area, I thought of creating a blog entry about the basic airport procedures so that others who will soon be flying in or out of the country will be less troubled and more prepared.
And thus, you have this—my personal essay (and gift to you) embellished with reminders and tips on how to make your way through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
EK Encarnacion lost his favorite Fibrella umbrella at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Continue following this and his other blogs and you may just find out why and how in one of his adventures: Every-Comedy-Thing (life blog), Culinary Coliseum (food blog), and By God's Grace (gratitude blog). All his works are also indexed at The Filipino Diaspora.
