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9:46 pm on June 10, 2003 (total travel time 5 hours)
After arriving at LAX, I was trying to figure out where I should go to for my connecting flight. It was on Cathay Pacific, and my friend warned me that it would be in a different terminal – so I eventually saw signs pointing towards the international terminal and followed them. At LAX you have to physically walk out of the domestic terminal and into the international terminal. Once I walked in the doors at the LAX international terminal, I really felt like my adventure was beginning.
The international terminal sounded like a market. There were a ton of people crammed into this terminal area, waiting in lines to check in at the various counters. I wasn’t hearing much English being spoken, so I really felt like this was the true beginning of the journey. Fortunately for me, I was already checked all of the way through to Cebu, so I didn’t have to wait in line here. If I did, it would have taken an extra hour or so. Time I actually did have if need be – my connecting flight wasn’t for another several hours.
I went through international security without incident and found my gate. There was a flight leaving on Philippine Airlines to Manila at this gate and I thought for just a moment that it might have been worth it to fly to Manila first, then to Cebu. Everything I had read and all the advice I had heard said to avoid the Manila airport at all costs – and that flying directly to Cebu is the best way to go. My understanding is that the Manila airport is confusing, big, and that there are a lot of pickpockets there. I don’t know – I haven’t been there, but I can tell you that if that is true then flying directly into Cebu was the best choice. The Cebu airport was relatively small and nice.
As I sat there waiting for my flight to Hong Kong, the Filipino woman with the two kids from my DFW to LAX flight showed up. She must have been moving a bit slower having two kids in tow. She too was flying to Hong Kong so I was fairly certain that she was going to be on my flight all of the way to Cebu. We didn’t talk, but I gave her a smile which she returned.
As the time of the flight, 1:55 am on June 11th approached, the waiting area filled up. I went up to the Cathay Pacific desk at 12:45 pm to see if any business class upgrades were available. The guy at the counter said that there were upgrades available, but at the cost of $1000 for one way. I had only paid a total of $1000 for my entire round trip ticket, so there was no way I was going to pay $1000 for a one way upgrade to Hong Kong – but it was worth asking. One thing I don’t get is that it was less than an hour before the flight, business class was almost empty. Why not charge $300 for an upgrade (which I would have paid) and get the most money you can out of your passengers (note to you Cathay Pacific). There is no way that I could use any of the other benefits of the upgrade (like the nice waiting lounge) and if I REALLY wanted to fly business class, I certainly wouldn’t risk it and wait until an hour before the flight. So, Cathay Pacific lost an extra $300 (perhaps I would have even paid $400) from me. No wonder the airlines are in trouble – this just isn’t good business sense. The flight is only half full, you would think they would want to make a dime anywhere they could.
It was now 10:45 pm PT which was 12:45 pm CT (my time zone), so I was feeling a bit sleepy. I sat in the airport waiting, thinking of Niña, thinking of my connecting flight to Cebu – and dreading the 15 hour flight ahead to Hong Kong.
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