Oh, My PAL!

As I have written earlier, I will soon be having my first plane ride via PAL Express. But everything went differently than expected. PAL staff called me a day before my first flight informing me that my original flight schedule will be delayed for a couple of hours. What can I do? I decided to take the bus then because I don't want my hubby to be the one waiting for me at the airport.

Anyway, I was still hopeful because I also booked a flight back home with my hubby as companion already. The excitement didn't subside anyway. Our flight back home would be at 9:30 in the morning of the following day. On the night before our flight, again, and again, another PAL staff called me on the phone informing of the delay, again, of our flight for, again, another two hours. Excitement subsided a little. We woke up at 6 in the morning, ate our breakfast, checked out at the hotel where we stayed for the night and went to the airport. Oppssss….we entered the wrong airport terminal, thus we boarded again another taxi and went to NAIA Terminal 3 as per instructions of the guard.

We checked in our luggage, exceeded the baggage limit, and paid almost 2k for the excess kilos. At the back of my mind, my discernment before that taking a plane ride would be more comfortable and cheaper gave me a resounding disappointment.

After checking in, we seated ourselves in the most comfortable area of the airport waiting lounge. So that was how an airport lounge looks like; comfortable yet too cold for me. I was sleepy, wishing to catch some sleep but I was so destructed by a fellow couple of passengers, the guy, an American and the very young girl, a Filipina with a Visayan twang every time she speaks. I don't care what they do but they're just too mushy. Are we Filipinos as liberated as that girl already? We are in the Philippines but a show of too much display of public affection still affects me negatively. They're not in America, anyway. But my hubby kept on nudging his elbow at me, maybe prompting me to just ignore it. Well…. That's life.

Two hours and yet no public announcement from the PA system informing if we have to be ready to board the plane. But instead, we heard an announcement to line up for a packed lunch while waiting for the plane. Lunch finished. An announcement came, and there, we heard that our flight has been cancelled due to inclement weather. They guided the supposed passengers to an exit/arrival door, as if we have just arrived. My hubby was mocking me. He said I was not meant to take a plane ride, just yet. I smiled and countered him that maybe, my next plane ride would be international and not just local.

We reclaimed our baggage, refunded payment to excess baggage and terminal fees. While we were queued at the counter, several couple of passengers was so mad, exaggerating of the too much inconvenience brought about by the cancelled flight. All the staff and even the head, I supposed was just too humble to answer their complaints: DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITION IN TUGUEGARAO CITY.

I felt different emotions, of disappointments and maybe of relief because we're spared of possible air accidents, should PAL was insistent on flying one of their planes.

All I can say now is, "Oh, my PAL"! You made my supposed first plane ride very memorable.