A Plight/Flight of Errors

I am excited to see my family again and spend two weeks of vacation in the Philippines. Last July 27, I flew from the San Francisco Airport (SFO) en route to Manila via Vancouver, Canada. My brother-in-law, Bert, gave me a free ticket from Charlotte, North Carolina, where I reside to SFO, where he and my sister Jojie live thinking that I would take the same flight with my sister, Jojie to the Philippines. Instead I took a different flight to the Philipines using Air Canada with a connecting flight to Philippine Airlines. It was cheaper by a hundred bucks. You see, my husband and I were trying to save some money in order to be able to buy more pasalubong (presents to bring to the Philippines).

Jojie and Bert dropped me off at the SFO International Airport Departure Area because it said Air Canada on one of its top signs outside the terminal. I went inside with my two luggages close to 50 lbs each, one carry-on luggage, and my handbag. When I got to Air Canada on Station 1, the machine could not read my passport, so the clerk advised me to go to United Airlines since they operate this flight. I went there and the machine still could not read my passport so the rep told me to go to United Air Terminal 3. This was my first time on SFO on an international flight and when I saw the elevator that goes to that terminal, I felt claustrophobic. I went inside and pressed 3. The elevator stood still for several seconds and would not move. I pressed the open door button immediately and then stepped out as soon as the door opened. I saw a man about to go down the escalator and so I asked him if he could go down the elevator with me. He gladly helped by going down with my two big luggages and then I just met him at the bottom of the elevator. I know. I shouldn’t be doing this!!!

On my way to United Air, I started to feel the sweat on my forehead and my neck and my upper back started to ache. I stopped in front of the moving walkway and there was a sign on the entrance that read “No carts allowed.” So I took all my luggages out of the cart and placed all of them in the walkway. I continued and walked after that in the carpeted area. Then I saw a lady inspector and told her that I was looking for Air Canada for an international flight but it was operated by United Air. By this time, my forehead and upper body were all sweaty. Good thing, I don’t emit a scent that can make everyone run away. She told me to go back upstairs in the international flights area. This made me feel more warm than a summer noon. “ I already went there and they told me to come here. Do you know how hard it is to carry all these luggages?” I responded. She pointed me to go straight ahead which was only a few feet away. When I got there, the customer service rep told me, “You are in the right place!” and then she flashed me a smile. Oh boy! Was I happy to be in the right place as I tried to wipe off my sweaty forehead with the back of my hand. She continued, “I just need $100.00 from you.” “What?” I asked in disbelief. “I didn’t know about this!” I cried. She explained that this was a transatlantic flight and that the first luggage was free but the second one would cost $100.00 and the rest that I heard was blah, blah, blah, blah, blah…. At this time, I started feeling remorse and guilt that I didn’t join my sister on her flight aboard PAL—PR 105 —a straight 13-hour flight to Manila from SFO. I felt God was teaching me a lesson… “Family first.” I was trying to save a hundred bucks but instead I spent the same amount of money as PR 105 plus the added inconveniences!!!

Finally, I got my boarding pass to Vancouver via UA364. The flight was full. I was on Group 4 out of 5 groups for boarding. As I lined up for Group 4, I realized how fortunate I was to be on this group rather than to be on the last group to board because chances were, they wouldn’t have any more space for their carry-on luggages. When the rep scanned my boarding pass, he said “We are still boarding Group 3.” So I lined up again on the end of Group 4 with about 15 people ahead of me. I really felt I wanted to explode. By the time, I got inside the plane with my carry-on luggage and standing in front of my seat, I looked up above me and confirmed my hunch. There was only a small space left in the overhead compartment bin. I stepped on the first seat with my sneakers on and tried to squeeze in my luggage as if it was a possibility, even though I could very well see that there were already two luggages and one medium sized handbag inside. I called the attention of the attendant about this matter and he told me to wait in the very back of the plane. After a few minutes, he waved at me and asked me to come with him. So I had to walk again from the very back of the plane holding on my luggage with my two bare hands and my elbows outstretched to the front entrance while telling other passengers standing in my way “Excuse me” although I already wanted to say “Get out of my way!!!” By the time I stepped outside the plane, the steward was gone and there were two male UA reps standing on the front entrance waiting for me. To make things worst, one of them was the same rep from whom I suffered the humiliation of having my boarding pass scanned twice. We talked but all I wanted to do was just to take a seat and rest. However, if there was only one good thing that came out of this situation, it was that the next time I would see my carry on luggage was in Manila.

When I got to Vancouver, I learned that my flight was delayed by one hour and forty five minutes! “No, Lord! Not again.” I thought to myself. “I am really so sorry for prioritizing the 100 bucks over the generosity and kindness of my sister and brother-in-law.” So I had to stay there for almost six hours. On top of that, my good Olympus camera which I had been able to depend on in my previous trips, suddenly refused to be resuscitated. Good thing I brought with me a second, back up camera which still worked!

In the light of all the twists and turns that happened to me within the past 24 hours of flight, I still considered myself fortunate. Although my flight in Vancouver was delayed, my arrival in Manila was delayed by only 30 minutes. Upon arriving in the baggage claim area of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), I was happy to see my sister Jojie waiting for me. I immediately said sorry for not flying with her, gave her a hug and told her what God’s message to me was —Family first. Then I told her and my sister Rosella about the strange but funny string of events that happened to me on my way to Manila while waiting for our ride. And we all had a good laugh.

The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him. (Genesis 2:18)