December 15, 2018
Even with a full stomach from the dinuguan at puto from Atty. Bibit Duavit’s viewing, I still couldn’t resist eating again at the Mabuhay lounge.
After eating two half-bowls of arroz caldo, I grew worried as to why we were not boarding yet. I went to the reception counter and asked if the flight would be late. The Mabuhay Lounge receptionist told me the plane has arrived and it’s in Terminal 1. It arrived daw from Los Angeles. Huh, but we are in Terminal 2, what is it doing in Terminal 1? The passengers have disembarked and it’s still awaiting clearance to go to Terminal 2 that’s what she told me.
Sounded like we would be taking off late. I told her —-“So the flight is delayed, how can they check the plane, clean it, refuel, load the food, vacuum….. in less than an hour?” She didn’t reply.
Came 10 pm and still no boarding announcement yet. I was so tired and sleepy I dozed off with my head resting on the lounge’s dining table.
Came eleven in the evening and no boarding yet.
Finally, at past 11 pm we were asked to board.
The minute I spotted the plane I thought hmmm that’s old.
I found my seat. This is an old 777.
The two overhead bins directly above my seat were full so I placed my aqua carry on luggage to the first vacant bin across where I would be seated.
After about 15 minutes, I noticed that same bin was open and my luggage had disappeared. I got confused. Did I place my bag there?
A foreigner sitting on the 4th row was apparently observing me. He told me someone transferred it to the next bin.
The guy who sat at this aisle seat moved my bag without asking “excuse me, is this yours? May I move it to the next bin? Oh thank you”.
In our subdivision in Manila, we have exclusivity rights over the side of the street directly in front of my house. If my neighbor parks in front of my house, I can call the security guard to have it moved. However, inside airplanes, it’s a different story. The overhead bins are not exclusive for the use of the person seated directly below it. In my many years of travel, when I board last or late, the bin above me is almost for sure full of other passengers’ belongings and I don’t move their stuff. Never. I look for the next empty bin. If I couldn’t find one I go and ask the flight attendant to help me find a spot for my bag.
The flight attendant noted down my food order, Dencio’s chicken inasal. Eh sino si Dencio?
It was past 12 midnight and we haven’t moved. It was so hot inside the plane. The air was stale, no air conditioning running. I was keenly observing the crew. I was trying to eavesdrop, why were we not moving yet?
I was not satisfied sitting there and just waiting without knowing exactly what was wrong with that plane. I stood up while making paypay using the menu card.
I asked the purser why we were not taking off yet. She gave me a vague answer and my curiosity was unsatisfied. I noticed that the ground crews were standing just outside the plane’s door. I wanted to go outside to ask them bakit ano ang problema nyo but I controlled myself. I went back to my seat. I kept making paypay kasi ang init. I looked around and the other passengers were strapped on their seats and were oblivious to what was going on. I was the only one restless. Gula-gulanit na yung menu card sa kapa-paypay ko. It was one o’clock in the morning and we were still there. I stood up and I told the purser “we have to deplane, it’s so hot here and if there’s something wrong with the plane, change it”. She assured me that they will not fly the plane unless it had been cleared for take-off. Oo na nga pero ilang oras na’ng late that means meron syang sira. Decisiveness is important to passengers’ comfort and safety.
I asked another flight attendant, iniintay na lang daw mechanics from the ground. What? Parang sa service department namin, tawagin mo nga yung mekaniko kasi sira itong kotse ko.”
Something is clearly wrong that’s why they couldn’t make the air conditioning run. I am not a mekanika pero meron nga syang sira and gusto ko ng bumaba ayaw ko ng sumakay dito sa eroplano na ito!
I was toying with the idea of getting off but I somehow felt guilty that I would cause disturbance because the crew has to locate my checked-in luggage before I could go home. This happened to me some 27 years ago on my flight to Frankfurt via another airline. Aba lumilipad na kami biglang nag-u-turn bumalik sa airport kasi sira daw yung engine. Pagbalik sa airport, I got off and told them to give my luggage back. Nagpasundo na ako at umuwi. I didn’t re-book my flight anymore.
I went back to my seat. Tingin ako ng tingin sa paligid ko. How can those passengers be so calm? Wala lang, two hours na kami cool pa rin sila. I was the only one standing and asking questions and looking for answers.
I caught a young male steward walking by and I asked him ano’ng sira ng plane? He was so honest, he said “Mam yung left engine sira, kaya wala tayong aircon….pero tumawag na ng mechanics.” ENGINE SIRA? Waht the F? Ayokong magpasko sa ilalim ng Pacific Ocean!
Oh my God, sira yung engine? That’s it for me. I stood up again and lingered at the galley hoping to catch the captain. The purser was there, I told her “Siguro let’s deplane na lang kasi mukhang matagal pa yan. This plane is old, they should replace this”. I went back to my seat and told the guys around me to get ready we’re deplaning, the plane is broken. I authorized myself to do that. I woke up my seatmate, a nice-looking male puti. “We’re deplaning, this plane is broken.” Medyo naalimpungatan pa sya.
I started gathering my things when the purser made the announcement, finally, they made the call… time to deplane.
