The Manila Airport
Personally, I just feel such a disappointment every time I come here.
What I’m talking about is just this place specifically. The thought of some
staff members who work here (most of the security guards in terminal 1) tend to
be such assholes at times. I do understand that they're doing their job, but
there's a proper way to do their job without being a dick about it. This is
just a short story, something I would like to share from MY personal experience
every time I go to this airport. Whether it's to travel, pick up or drop
someone off.
I had to drop off my friend at the airport in Terminal 1. They don't
allow people who aren't a passenger to get in, and so I had to wait in the
waiting area/lounge area, as they call it. They won't allow you to stand at the
entrance and wait for your friend which is honestly bullshit. I was having
a hard time contacting my friend, since he didn't have a new number yet, and
security wouldn't even help me. They basically keep shooing me off and didn't
give a fuck even though I already explained to them what's up. They could have
just called my friend to come out, but they didn't do anything at all. I was
getting so frustrated, and I tried to keep as calm as possible. It was just bad
timing since it's not exactly what you'd like to experience when you're saying
goodbyes to someone.
The Philippines could be a nice country if there weren’t people trying
to screw each other over....especially to foreigners. I'm a local, but since
I'm multiracial, a lot of people always assume I can't speak Tagalog. Anyways,
people will charge more—a whole lot more—just because they think they can. It's
disrespectful and unfair.
I don't know why there are different prices in some areas for locals and
for foreigners. For instance: shooting ranges, salons, and some other
activities. It’s not like we’re aliens from outer space - Jesus! Americans or
Europeans don’t have different hair follicles. Why do some people charge more
for that? It just doesn’t make sense to me.
This can either help you or not, but this is a list I made to give you a
heads-up on what to expect.
· Baggage
carts (or whatever you want to call it) – This one time I
went to the airport; I was with my German friend. And you know how they react
when it comes to people who aren't from the Philippines "ui, may pera
yan (Hey, that person has money)". They were charging us
the carts outside for 100 pesos. (Take note: There shouldn’t be any charge at
all. The carts are free.) It’s not much, so I thought what the heck. I was
feeling lazy and we were in a hurry to just check in....But because of our
stupidity and the fact we were in a hurry, they told us it's 100 per bag... I
realized what happened after we were boarding the plane. So basically, we paid 500
just to let them put all our bags in one cart, and just push the cart for us.
So don’t be lazy. Just go inside the airport first. Don’t let some people
outside offer you whatever they may be offering, just get a cart yourself.
· Luggage
Claim - When you arrive back in Manila, and you’re trying to look for
the luggage claim area, you might get confused. Even saying it’s a “little”
unorganized is an understatement. It tends to be scattered, so if you don’t
know what’s happening, don’t be shy to ask for assistance. I really hope they
fix this in the future.
· Lighter's - I always
forget this because I need a smoke before a flight (don’t judge). Make sure you
place your lighter or any liquid products inside your luggage, NOT your
carry-ons. If you forget this, you won't be seeing your favourite lighter
again.
· Laptop - I'm sure a
lot of people know this already, but I'm also going to add this to the list,
just in case. Make sure to put your laptop or anything breakable inside your
carry-on. They will require you to remove it from your luggage, so this is just
to save you time. Remember, laptops are carry-ons.
· Pack
some chips? - Not a lot of people like food served on the plane, so do what I
do. Pack some lunch. Anything simple is fine. Chips, biscuits, or whatever.
Just remember, no liquid.
· Taxi
Drivers/ Van's - Don't grab a random taxi. Just don't. If you care about not
spending too much, look for a line with a metered taxi. There are a lot of taxi
drivers who are assholes. Especially towards people who don’t seem to be
familiar with the area. I was charged 2k before just to go back to my place
when it usually cost me 400-500 pesos only. So don't do it. If it's possible,
get a taxi from the Uber app or GrabTaxi. I
was able to get a taxi from these apps when I was in Terminal 1. It's more
convenient and safe. The estimated amount of what you have to pay is already
there and the name and plate number of the taxi are listed as well. Can anyone
confirm why exactly there is still taxi's like that lurking around the airport?
A lot of people are saying it's illegal, but there are still a lot of them in
the open and no one is doing anything about it. This is the MAIN problem I have
every time I arrive back in Manila—they're always so persistent. So it's hard
to tell which taxi driver won't screw you over.
Did I miss anything?
Please let me know so I can add them to my list.
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