On the 18th of July, 2009, I was scheduled (via the Philippine Airlines website) to fly from Manila to Ozamiz City, on Mindanao. The flight was to depart at 0920 hours. and arrive at 1040 hours. The flight was to have been a code share with Air Philippines.

I was in the terminal at 0710 hours. and was told that that the code share deal was off due to too many complaints about Air Philippines. The translation of this statement probably should be something like - “these guys are making money on this run, and we need to cut ourselves in on the cash.”

The functionary at the desk also told me that the time would not change. So, I went and paid my terminal fees and my excess luggage fee of over 1,300 Pesos (about $27.65). You have to have proof of these payments in order to get your ticket. When I picked up the ticket I was told that the plane would now depart at 1145hrs. and arrive at 1310 hours. Why the change in the space of 20 minutes? Who knows, the truth seems to change with each contact you have with PAL.

Well, I had to be at a family wedding, dressed in a barong tagalong that was in my suitcase, by 1400hrs, and could barely make it on the new schedule. So, that was OK. What was not OK was that my wife and a few family members were out in the parking lot at Ozamiz with no notification or any other contact with the incompetents who run the terminal there. Having the basic courtesy to inform waiting relatives of schedule changes or any other unscheduled happening is not part of their repertoire. It is a walk of less than 100 meters, probably too strenuous for them.

While in the Manila terminal, about 15 min. before boarding, we were told that not all the luggage would arrive in Ozamiz. I stupidly asked a PAL representative if, since I had been in the airport for over 3 hours, possibly my luggage would have made it to the airplane. He told me that yes, there was a good chance. That was not the truth.

When we got to Ozamiz, I counted less than 10 pieces of luggage (probably for the 1st class passengers) come off the plane. None of it was mine. We were told it would come in on the plane tomorrow.

The next day, I joined a very upset group of people trying to get our luggage from those wonderful folks who run the airport. They came up with one of my two pieces of checked luggage and asked me to sign a “hold harmless” statement. I told them that I would not sign anything until they produced all of my luggage. They acted like I was being unreasonable.

I asked them what part of all my luggage I had not made clear, and reiterated that a signature would only come if all the luggage was produced. They finally found the other suitcase, and I signed their release.