Transit: Davao to Cebu to Tacloban

Connecting flights. Has this happened to you? Do you often do this? Have you had any issues? Well, in my kind of life (lifestyle, situation, whatever), I am prone to this, which, I often enjoy anyway. Jetset ba!

There are times though, that I get into worrisome situations. Like this one...

I had two flights for the day, supposedly an hour and 45 minutes apart, both on Cebu Pacific. The first was Davao to Cebu, followed by Cebu to Tacloban. But the first flight was delayed by almost 2 hours!

Instead of the original 3:35PM departure from Davao and 4:30PM arrival at Cebu, this first flight left at 5:20PM. Prior to this, when the delay was being announced, I told the airline's staff at Davao about my connecting flight - so they could do some things to help me minimize the inconvenience, and take the best possible course of action as I had meetings and other things to do in Tacloban the following day.

The agreed solution:
Yes, I agreed to this.., that I would still take my delayed DVO-CEB flight, while they will alert their Cebu colleagues to do all they can, to expedite my transfer to the CEB-TAC flight, if still possible. Otherwise I'd be billeted at a hotel in Cebu (their expense), and take their next day's 5AM flight to Tacloban. Gora!

Flight boarding, 4:53PM at Davao Airport - Cebu Pacific Flight 5J592 bound for Cebu..,

At this time, a Cebu Pacific boarding gate staff told me, my Cebu-Tacloban airplane was also delayed, and will definitely not depart from Cebu at 6:10PM but later, thus, I might just still be able to catch it!

About to take off at 5:20PM, Runway 05, Davao International Airport..,

Two minutes after, we were above Davao! But of course I was anxious about the connecting flight!

The 'stress' could have been a lot less, if only these planes have good clean scratch-free windows..,

I instead resorted to binge-eating inflight food! Oops, take note... nothing in a budget airline is free!

But where there's a will, there's a way, right?! I transferred to the seat in front of me (it was vacant)!

There is something I noticed with smaller planes (737s, A319s, A320s) on practically all airlines that I have flown-with (particularly budget airlines), the removable emergency exit windows (over the wings) usually have a lot more scratches than other windows. Not good for photographing the outside views.

Aside of course from being expensive seats (but with wider legroom). The scratches are perhaps due to these windows being often removed and placed just anywhere, when mechanics climb to the wings

Anyway.., eto na..,

Just when I had a cleaner view of the beautiful sunset, and just when I thought I could take more pics, a stewardess came to tell me that it was almost landing time.., and that they needed me to transfer to a front row seat, so that I would be first to get off the plane, and be quickly transferred by their ground staff to my connecting flight, that would be the plane flying from Cebu to Tacloban. I obliged syempre!

From then on.., I was never able to take another picture, nor was I even able to check what time it was! Everything was rush. Once the DVO-CEB airplane opened its doors, the stewardess endorsed me to a waiting ground staff. I was then quickly asked to board one of the airline's pickup trucks that they use for themselves at the tarmac area, and whisked to the plane going to Tacloban that was still boarding!

Whew! Okay, fine, I "connected"!

But this smaller aircraft (ATR72) flying me from Cebu to Tacloban actually waited many minutes more for some remaining passengers - a busload of them actually! And even when the door already closed, it still took time until we pushed back, taxied out to the runway, and flew into the night.., to Tacloban!

Aha, the next time I checked, it was already 8:20PM, I was waiting for my food at Gerry's Grill!

That should be our next story.