Is it really more fun in the Philippines? A story about a crazy travelling day.
Since 2012 I have been in Philippines 10 times and used for flights within the country almost every time Air Asia or Cebu Pacific. And almost ever the flights had delay – from 30 minutes up to 2 hours. But this time I had a new record – 4 hours delay for a flight from Manila to Cebu with Cebu Pacific. Instead scheduled departure at 12.30 in noon the airplane started short before 4. 30 pm At 3. 30 pm All the passengers got a delicious meal as compensation for this long waiting – a wishy-washy sandwich and a warm half liter of water.
The airplane arrived at 5. 45 pm In Cebu. All the passengers had to wait long for taking the luggage, but maybe 30 included me didn't get. It seemed, they forgot to transport because oft he chaos in Manila. As the band-conveyor stopped and it became clear, that the baggage was lost, all the people without luggage run to the counter to be the first for the advice of lost. It was a terrible jostling and any passengers became very aggressive. Behind the desk have been 2 young ladies and a middle age man, apparently the supervisor. The ladies didn't accept the advice of lost, only the man. So it took long time, till I was able to give off this advice to the man for affirmation. After almost one hour I got it back and was able to leave the airport. In meantime it was 6. 45 pm.
But the disaster wasn't at end. As I went out to the place of the departure of taxis, a big crowd of people waited for a taxi. I estimated the number of waiting people of more than 200. This never happened to me in Cebu during maybe 10 arrivals in the past years. And I noticed, that only 2 taxis left in one minute the place. So I estimated the time to wait of much more than one hour. I know the area there well, so I went to the bus station nearby. But there also maybe almost 100 people have been waiting for a bus. So normally it would been impossible to get the first bus. I went to the ticket counter and tried a trick, which had been sucessful. I told the lady behind the desk, I would be a senior citizen over 60 and showed her my passport. She accepted and let me stay in the begin of the line. As the bus arrived at 7 pm, I was able to enter the bus as one of the first and even got a place to sit. After one hour the bus arrived at S. M. Mall around 8 pm.
There I stopped a taxi. When I take a taxi, I ever ask before entering, if the driver use the meter. He agreed and so I took a seat. The driver immediately started the engine. But then I saw, the meter showed already 240 Peso. I asked the driver to reset. He refused and claimed, it would be the night rate for starting. I only laughed at him and threathened him to make a file at the Police. He resigned his attempt to cheat me and reset the meter to the usual 40 Peso. After a short ride to the Parklane Hotel I arrived there at 8. 15 pm.
I had an appointment with a classy lady in the 30th from DIA at 6 pm While waiting in Manila and later in Cebu Airport I sent her any SMS, so she was very understanding because my delay and later we had a great night together in Parklane.
Assume incompetence before malevolence
[QUOTE=PinaLove;2192251]This will sound very corny but I have also stayed in Parklane and my luggage was lost on my inbound flight too. I think in my case he luggage also arrived about 11 pm. There's a conspiracy.[/QUOTE]Coincidence sometimes looks like conspiracy. But here's a rule of thumb I have learned from working in many different kinds of organizations: assume incompetence before malevolence. Malevolent conspiratorial actions require skills and coordination; incompetence requires neither of these.
I think you're giving CP too much credit by assuming they knew that Alter Deutscher's luggage was being left in Manila.