Hanoi Noi Bai International Airport Terminal 2 Departure Area
Let's continue my adventure from the previous article...
I was thinking, the title of this blog post should have been "my bumming around the Noi Bai International Airport Terminal 2", since that is just what I did this afternoon!
As usual, I enjoyed it. Maybe I was born to live among airports and airplanes!
This was the last picture in that previous article. I arrived at this airport 12:18NN.
Yes my prayers were heard, that the drowsy driver don't sleep on the road. Salamat!
I may probably have been too excited to have arrived safely - since I took that photo while driver was still offloading my luggage from his taxi (at left, not seen in picture)!
Well, it's been long since I was last in a life-and-death situation hahaha! Anyway...
Departure Curbside
Let's interpret/annotate the photo above. That's the foyer and lobby, by the curbside (left edge of pic), where passengers walk, to enter the check-in area doors (D1 & D2).
Looks familiar 'no? It feels like MNL T2 and CEB T2, although ang sa CEB layo ra sa curbside. Medyo similar din sa TAG. Ang ibang airport natin, di gaanong malalapad.
Ganda di ba? But is that necessary? I'd think at many airports worldwide, 'di naman. But at airports in the Philippines, na 'isang-barangay' ang naghahatid, dapat ganyan.
That is called "cultural sensitivity in building design". O ha, me bagong alam ako!
If there are many people, then make your airport (even if just the outside para sa mga nag-hatid) big enough for those many people. Or else, tell them 'wag kayo maghatid'!
Ganun!
Teka, ba't di marami ang tao sa departure curbside and lobby na yan? Look, pang 6 akong tao at mukhang lahat kami pasahero, asan ang mga naghahatid? Baka wala!
Ahehehe, baka konti ang flights pag tanghali and/or baka di uso sa Hanoi na isang batalyon ang naghahatid! If so why does it have to be that 'big & beautiful' a lobby?
My easy answer.., gawang Hapon yata kasi ang building. Hindi tinipid!
Basta, pangarapin nalang natin na lahat ng airport natin, like that ang bungsaran!
Oist, to be 'technical' about it, the whole thing you see above is not even really part of the terminal building. Napansin nyo? See the previous story for a "clearer view".
But why are we talking about that? Wala lang. Para we have updated knowledge!
Check-in Hall
So I entered the check-in hall of Noi Bai Airport's T2 - this is for international flights.
I didn't do online check-in (since the airline I flew-on today, doesn't have that yet). But I wasn't also going to check-in yet. Look, it was only 12:20PM, my flight was 4:20PM!
Internatioal flights here open their counters at 3hrs BETD. I was exactly 1 hour early!
Actually, I was going straight to the back and up that escalator (can you see it? it's a restaurant). Why so? Aw: 1] lunch, 2] a quick meet-up, and 3] sightseeing & tambay!
But going up there (parang sa NAIA 3 ito), you pass by some of the check-in islands.
I particularly like those high-gloss acrylic panels behind each check-in position. Ito:
Walls at check-in areas are outdated, impractical, and they darken the place. Putting none makes the check-in island topsy-turvey. Low panels make counters look sleek!
Here's a frontal view of VN's Business Class Counters. Great 'executive-class' aura!
Whole check-in islands (G, H) are permanently assigned to them as this is their hub.
Let's go up.
Public Viewing Gallery & Restaurants
Similar to many airports (like Changi or MNL T3) there is part of the 4th floor that is 'public' for restaurants, shops and/or airside view decks (tambayan ba!). Doon tayo!
I proceeded to this place called Lucky Restaurant (this is not a fastfood).
Why here? Ah eh what do I know about restaurants. This was just suggested by one friend and even himself the associates I was meeting today. Masunurin akong bata!
There's an aisle, the end of which is 'relegated' as public viewing area (for those who don't go to any of the restaurants), that, I must say, is too tiny/narrow for "the public".
Pero pwede na if we apply the principle of "we beggars cannot be choosers"!
Look at that pic again. Lower-left edge is THE "public viewing area" which is just as wide as the aisle between this (Lucky Restaurant) and the one across it (behind me).
Ito yun - Ngọc Sương Marina. I think it's a popular restaurant name in Vietnam.
You can see the floor aisle where I stood between the 2 restaurants, right? That is it na, the public viewing area. As if sinasabi 'be inside the restaurant to enjoy the views'.
Eh kung walang budget? Very much unlike here, ano? Anyway...
I think I heard of this restaurant a number of times, and not in an airport scenario.
Not so sure, but not even a Hanoi scene, maybe HCM? Ah baka they have branches.
If you're a diner in 'this' and my 'lucky' resto, views are grand, and in comfy seats.
I'll be honest, looking at the menus (by their entrances na mag-katapat lang, dalawang dipa yata ang agwat), I 'initially' thought I gravitated towards this Ngọc Sương Marina.
But I already had a set meetup at Lucky, suggested by a friend (taga-HCM). Sige go!
Besides, in terms of appearance, both restaurants look relatively the same to me - a Viet aura with touches of this and that from everywhere, here and there. Ganun heheh!
What was important to me this time (really), was a view of the tarmac and runway!
And oh yes I had it - a top view of almost every airside movement at Hanoi's airport.
What sort of things are/were there to see from an airport's public viewing deck? Aw, many things, even for me who has seen and witnessed quite a lot during my travels.
Such as... Plane-Spotting of the present kind! But let's talk about that later.
Meanwhile, I got Cơm thịt ba chỉ translated as Steamed rice with sauteed pork belly.
Ang basa ko dyan rice meat pork belly pero wag tayo mag-marunong, salita nila yan.
Everything familiar, right? Para syang dry na adobo, me kasamang chop suey.
Naaliw ako dyan sa adobong mani. Parang sa atin, titigan me asin ka pang makikita! In that presentation I think the 1 lettuce leaf and fried tokwa are meant to be garnish.
Kumusta naman? Ah eh.., food enough! Lasang-lasang sa kusina ni 'Nang Cynthia! I probably chose it because all 'parts' looked familiar as printed in the menu pictures.
My Satisfaction Rating? Honestly? Bagsak to the nth degree - dahil walang Coke :(
Tingnan mo naman, puro mantika, ang sarap ng hagod nyan pag sinundan ng Coke! Hah ang ganda ng views, smoking area pa, ang bango ng food, tapos walang Coke?
Ay caramba carambola!
Ayan. Kaya hindi ako pwede maging 'food blogger' - dahil bare minimum ko is Coke.
I don't care if your restaurant has wine coffee sprite juice. You'll rate if there is Coke!
But I can still tell you, that Lucky and that one across, are nice flight-watching spots.
Flight Check-in
Let's go down to check-in on Lao Airlines (QV) Flight QV312. I knew where it was.
I could've asked this information desk, but the FIDs already said it's at F01 to F03.
That means Check-in Island F, Counters 01 to 03. And voila, I was not first. Da!
It was only 1357H, the flight was 1640H, yet if my check-in sequence number would be a basis (what else, anyway), half of the plane's capacity were already checked-in!
Hmmn, 2 hours and 43 minutes before departure, more than half of the passengers were already checked-in, all via those 3 counters (they don't have online check-in yet)!
Commendible passenger punctuality. Yes, me ganun ah! Ayan na nga sila - kami pala! This isn't common worldwide. Some airlines open their counters only 2 hours BETD.
Nagkataon lang? Na lahat ng pasahero punctual at mabait? Ta, damay na ako dyan!
Maybe there's a time when all good things on earth align. Today was one of those!
Oh, while lining up I looked at the business class counter. Pa-cute ba, baka maawa at tawagin ako. Can't angas here, a eh, first time ko sa airline na'to. Ito nahimurangtan ko!
Those are check-in positions F00 and F01. Ibang kind kung maka-Merry Xmas, ano?
Ay, Happy New Year pala yun, eto sa counter ko F-02 at F-03 ang Merry Christmas!
That's a stickerized tarplike material (vinyl?), wide enough to cover the front of each check-in counter. Those two greetings alternate at all the counters. Aba, mahal yan!
Para lang sa pasko at bagong taon, ginastusan talaga ng airport nila yan. Sana oil!
Pre-Departure Hall
Then on to immigration control. This was nearer, but I did not enter here - trip lang!
I opted to enter at that other end ("Door A") - doon banda din naman ang Gate 35 ko.
What for? Wala lang. Pasyal! Plus, there were less people entering that door. Wa-is!
Note the elevator and escalators at right. That's where we went eariler - up to the 4F shops, restaurants and public viewing area. But it was time to do immigration. Tara!
Sterile Area
Like 'all over the world', no pictures when passing by the final security and immigration areas, which, due to high-technology, is already being questioned by many travelers.
Pasasaan ba, di mag-tatagal, magbabago rin yan!
Lalo na sa ating Pilipinas, dyan sa mga ganyang lugar nangyayari na tuloy ang mga kababalaghang OMG. They hide their crimes behind the guise of "national security".
Kasi walang camera sa area!
Which is "duhh" to the real bad people! Kung me balak ka gumawa ng kabulastugan against national security pa man din, passé na ang pa-kodak-kodak lang na ganyan!
You know kasi.., ang mga immigration officials sa mundo, karamihan mga 'tanders'. Yes, mga gurang. So resistant to change ang mga yan. Kahit useless na ang 'policy', ayiyi ipipilit pa rin - lalo na kung magiging paraan yan para itago ang mga baho nila!
Ano ba kasi ang importanteng ma-pictyuran sa immigration area? Wala lang hehe!
Not that there are ultra-important things to take pictures-of in those areas di ba? But just for continuity of image capturing for those who have cameras (blow-by-blow ba)!
Medyo mahabang kwento yan. Hayaan nyo, I'll write about only that soon. Promise!
Tutal, wala naman magandang makikita sa immigrations, di ba? Oo wala!
I/Os: so ba't nyo pa ipinagpipilitan mag-kodak-kodak dito eh wala namang makikita? Public: ba't kayo lang ang ayaw ng transparency? Hmm, me itinatago baho kayo 'no?!
Boarding Gates Concourse
Meanwhile, ito hindi mabaho - sori nag-CR lang after immigration. But this is nice!
That's 2 pictures - to my left and to my right once I entered the comfort room. I shot them arbitrarily quickly hehehe! Kalain baya makit-an tang sige'g kodak-kodak sa CR!
But in essence (imaginin mo na lang na) pagpasok mo kaliwa't kanan urinal pero ang diretso is floor-to-ceiling glass wall with good views of the (landside) parking areas.
You turn right to the sink counter and left to the cubicles. Nicely designed.
Anyway, so I was at the gate concourse, which should be familiar to everyone.
Many airports look that way, right? A long concourse with the gates on one side and duty free shops or eateries on the other. In our case, MNL T3 would be most similar.
With one big exception of course. Alams na! Iyang 'travellator' sa gitna ng concourse eh gumagana perennially. I mean dito sa Hanoi. Yes, yang nasa gitna ng picture. Da!
Elsewhere, looks good just like many airports including ours. Maayos.
My flight's gate assignment was Gate 35 - going left after immigration. But this was going right (all the way down to Gate 20). I went this way just to have a look around.
Very familiar airport layout.., I walked around just sight-seeing.., and at right.., voila!
I honestly wasn't looking for it this time. Pramis! But, since I was already there, pasok!
And.., I want to tag this as "an interesting concept" for designing smoking rooms.
Look at the scene. Even if you are not a smoker, it arouses something people want. Peace.., calm.., quiet.., tranquility.., even for fleeting moments while on your journey.
Yan ang THE Smoking Room! Even no need for seats, as long as it is that clean and spacious enough for one to be at peace with his own kaluluwa! Kesa naman ganito.
Behind and above my head as I took that picture by the door, was an FID. Yep, flight information display TV sa loob mismo ng yosihan. So we all know our flight details.
Heto actually yun. I was standing under that FID near the ashtray-cum-trashbin.
Yes, meron din upuan, just good for two! That way, few will stay so long in the room.
Ayos di ba? Zen-like serenity while nagbi-bisyo. Ganyan!
Transparently behind them (us, since I was also smoking at where I stood) was this:
No ongoing flight at Gate 22. Imagine kung meron. Inggit siguro ng mga non-smoker na nagsisiksikan while waiting for the boarding call of their flight at that gate. Ano?!
Anyway..,
After puffing my time away at the smoking room, I went to the edge of Gate 20, the
eastern tip of Noi Bai International Airport's Terminal 2. Over there is T1 (Domestic).
This space between T2 and T1 is a very well maintained equipment and ULD yard.
Oh if you've been with me on this blog, you'll certainly already know all those things!
Moving or not, it's always fascinating to see the "various other things" of a tarmac.
Hey, it is not very clear due to the distance, but the first building after the equipment farm is actually this airport's VIP Terminal. Yes they have. It's a big and swanky one!
Alright, 1519H, at Gate 20, I started walking to the other end of this terminal.
Still more than an hour until departure - that meant I had more than enough time for a leisurely concourse walk - all the way to Gate 36 the western edge of this building.
Atop Gates 28 up to 31 is the 4F Public Viewing Area with restaurants and shops.
That is Lucky Restaurant up there, where I earlier had lunch and 'fun plane-spotting'. But that is a 'public area' - no access to/from these 'sterile areas' after immigration.
Note: comparing the space from side-to-side as I walked, it was easy to tell that our NAIA T3 concourse is wider. But note too: gumagana lahat ang walkalators nila dito.
Left of that photo (partly seen) are most of the duty free shops after the immigration desks, where all passengers come from before walking this concourse to the gates.
I noticed, Gates 28 to 31 is the central block, so, not a far walk after immigrations. If you are a smoker hehehe, read the signage just right after Gate 32 (before Gate 33).
Can you see the blue signage immediately after the JDV duty free shop? Yep, above that dude in black and red jacket (middle of photo), he was about to enter the room!
It looks like just a small room viewed outside, but once you enter the room, it's vast.
Actually a replica of that one across Gate 22! I forgot to ask how many such rooms do they have in this terminal (T2), but it is an indicator they care for all passengers.
Huwag ka na komuntra! Think of it as: their concern is the passenger's convenience here and now, not their future and entire life dahil di naman kami titira sa airport na'to!
Ganoon yan. Kasi airport sila, hindi World Health Organization. Service is different from advocacy. If you are an airport, you have to know what your customers need!
O eto mga gamit ko, they were also re-charging as did my mind and soul!
Katahimikan, de-stressing amid the hustle and bustle of a hectic public area. O ha!
Okay now.., satisfied.., I continued walking to the western end of this terminal.
Gate 36 is the last and farthest gate from the central block (immigration area). Just like Gate 20 at the other end, there were no flights so no people, so I "lounged" there!
Boarding
When boarding was called for my flight, I leisurely walked my way back to Gate 32.
Boarding is also very similar to MNL T3 and CEB T2. After the gate agent tears your boarding pass, you go down to 2nd floor where the airbridge attaches to the plane.
This "style" and make of an airport, is considered the longest gate-to-airplane walk.
Why are some airport gates like that? Ah, there have been many anecdotes about it. Some say 'Architects' ignorance', others say 'form over function', others even say its 'commercialism' - but all of them point to one glaring fact: kabobohan/katangahan.
What ever reasoning an architect offers, it is still clear that they missed the primary airport functionality: safety security comfort & convenience of passengers. Period.
FYI, that is one of the reasons Changi Airport always emerges a winner - dahil hindi madaming pasikut-sikot si passenger during boarding and disembarkation. Simple.
How did I know those things? I travel talk. Ginawa nga akong judge nyan minsan!
Want to be pasaway minsan-minsan? Take your grand time here. Mag pictorials!
Like in my case, at 1622H, I saw so many planes coming and going. Click click click!
Feeling ko lalo tuloy matagal yung boarding namin kasi aside from malayong lakad, ayaw agad magsipasok. Selfie-selfie groupfie-groupfie muna kasi. Para masaya ba!
It wasn't just me. Other passengers, especially three little kids 'like me', had fun too!
Here's a funny proof - because of that distance from the boarding gate to the plane, at an airport I know, there had been 2 instances where the plane doors were closed, even if there were still passengers walking to it. I saw both cases while I sat at Row 1!
What's the issue? When the gate people upstairs say "all aboard" on their radio, their colleagues down by the plane's door sometimes forget that many of these/us folks are still walking down that long zigzag incline from 3F to 2F at hindi na nila nakikita!
It's going down one floor na paliku-liko. Also not good for seniors or the pregnant.
Bottomline, 7mins from the time I gave my boarding pass, until that photo above.
Matagal yun for efficiency in airline operations!
Anyway... so I was finally aboard Lao Airlines Flight QV312 from Hanoi to Vientiane!
But let's talk about that in another blog entry!
I was thinking, the title of this blog post should have been "my bumming around the Noi Bai International Airport Terminal 2", since that is just what I did this afternoon!
As usual, I enjoyed it. Maybe I was born to live among airports and airplanes!
This was the last picture in that previous article. I arrived at this airport 12:18NN.
I may probably have been too excited to have arrived safely - since I took that photo while driver was still offloading my luggage from his taxi (at left, not seen in picture)!
Well, it's been long since I was last in a life-and-death situation hahaha! Anyway...
Departure Curbside
Let's interpret/annotate the photo above. That's the foyer and lobby, by the curbside (left edge of pic), where passengers walk, to enter the check-in area doors (D1 & D2).
Looks familiar 'no? It feels like MNL T2 and CEB T2, although ang sa CEB layo ra sa curbside. Medyo similar din sa TAG. Ang ibang airport natin, di gaanong malalapad.
Ganda di ba? But is that necessary? I'd think at many airports worldwide, 'di naman. But at airports in the Philippines, na 'isang-barangay' ang naghahatid, dapat ganyan.
That is called "cultural sensitivity in building design". O ha, me bagong alam ako!
If there are many people, then make your airport (even if just the outside para sa mga nag-hatid) big enough for those many people. Or else, tell them 'wag kayo maghatid'!
Ganun!
Teka, ba't di marami ang tao sa departure curbside and lobby na yan? Look, pang 6 akong tao at mukhang lahat kami pasahero, asan ang mga naghahatid? Baka wala!
Ahehehe, baka konti ang flights pag tanghali and/or baka di uso sa Hanoi na isang batalyon ang naghahatid! If so why does it have to be that 'big & beautiful' a lobby?
My easy answer.., gawang Hapon yata kasi ang building. Hindi tinipid!
Basta, pangarapin nalang natin na lahat ng airport natin, like that ang bungsaran!
Oist, to be 'technical' about it, the whole thing you see above is not even really part of the terminal building. Napansin nyo? See the previous story for a "clearer view".
But why are we talking about that? Wala lang. Para we have updated knowledge!
Check-in Hall
So I entered the check-in hall of Noi Bai Airport's T2 - this is for international flights.
I didn't do online check-in (since the airline I flew-on today, doesn't have that yet). But I wasn't also going to check-in yet. Look, it was only 12:20PM, my flight was 4:20PM!
Actually, I was going straight to the back and up that escalator (can you see it? it's a restaurant). Why so? Aw: 1] lunch, 2] a quick meet-up, and 3] sightseeing & tambay!
But going up there (parang sa NAIA 3 ito), you pass by some of the check-in islands.
Here's a frontal view of VN's Business Class Counters. Great 'executive-class' aura!
Let's go up.
Public Viewing Gallery & Restaurants
Similar to many airports (like Changi or MNL T3) there is part of the 4th floor that is 'public' for restaurants, shops and/or airside view decks (tambayan ba!). Doon tayo!
I proceeded to this place called Lucky Restaurant (this is not a fastfood).
There's an aisle, the end of which is 'relegated' as public viewing area (for those who don't go to any of the restaurants), that, I must say, is too tiny/narrow for "the public".
Pero pwede na if we apply the principle of "we beggars cannot be choosers"!
Look at that pic again. Lower-left edge is THE "public viewing area" which is just as wide as the aisle between this (Lucky Restaurant) and the one across it (behind me).
Ito yun - Ngọc Sương Marina. I think it's a popular restaurant name in Vietnam.
Eh kung walang budget? Very much unlike here, ano? Anyway...
I think I heard of this restaurant a number of times, and not in an airport scenario.
If you're a diner in 'this' and my 'lucky' resto, views are grand, and in comfy seats.
But I already had a set meetup at Lucky, suggested by a friend (taga-HCM). Sige go!
What was important to me this time (really), was a view of the tarmac and runway!
What sort of things are/were there to see from an airport's public viewing deck? Aw, many things, even for me who has seen and witnessed quite a lot during my travels.
Such as... Plane-Spotting of the present kind! But let's talk about that later.
Meanwhile, I got Cơm thịt ba chỉ translated as Steamed rice with sauteed pork belly.
Everything familiar, right? Para syang dry na adobo, me kasamang chop suey.
Kumusta naman? Ah eh.., food enough! Lasang-lasang sa kusina ni 'Nang Cynthia! I probably chose it because all 'parts' looked familiar as printed in the menu pictures.
My Satisfaction Rating? Honestly? Bagsak to the nth degree - dahil walang Coke :(
Ay caramba carambola!
Ayan. Kaya hindi ako pwede maging 'food blogger' - dahil bare minimum ko is Coke.
But I can still tell you, that Lucky and that one across, are nice flight-watching spots.
Flight Check-in
Let's go down to check-in on Lao Airlines (QV) Flight QV312. I knew where it was.
I could've asked this information desk, but the FIDs already said it's at F01 to F03.
That means Check-in Island F, Counters 01 to 03. And voila, I was not first. Da!
Hmmn, 2 hours and 43 minutes before departure, more than half of the passengers were already checked-in, all via those 3 counters (they don't have online check-in yet)!
Commendible passenger punctuality. Yes, me ganun ah! Ayan na nga sila - kami pala! This isn't common worldwide. Some airlines open their counters only 2 hours BETD.
Nagkataon lang? Na lahat ng pasahero punctual at mabait? Ta, damay na ako dyan!
Maybe there's a time when all good things on earth align. Today was one of those!
Oh, while lining up I looked at the business class counter. Pa-cute ba, baka maawa at tawagin ako. Can't angas here, a eh, first time ko sa airline na'to. Ito nahimurangtan ko!
Ay, Happy New Year pala yun, eto sa counter ko F-02 at F-03 ang Merry Christmas!
Para lang sa pasko at bagong taon, ginastusan talaga ng airport nila yan. Sana oil!
Pre-Departure Hall
Then on to immigration control. This was nearer, but I did not enter here - trip lang!
What for? Wala lang. Pasyal! Plus, there were less people entering that door. Wa-is!
Sterile Area
Like 'all over the world', no pictures when passing by the final security and immigration areas, which, due to high-technology, is already being questioned by many travelers.
Pasasaan ba, di mag-tatagal, magbabago rin yan!
Lalo na sa ating Pilipinas, dyan sa mga ganyang lugar nangyayari na tuloy ang mga kababalaghang OMG. They hide their crimes behind the guise of "national security".
Kasi walang camera sa area!
Which is "duhh" to the real bad people! Kung me balak ka gumawa ng kabulastugan against national security pa man din, passé na ang pa-kodak-kodak lang na ganyan!
You know kasi.., ang mga immigration officials sa mundo, karamihan mga 'tanders'. Yes, mga gurang. So resistant to change ang mga yan. Kahit useless na ang 'policy', ayiyi ipipilit pa rin - lalo na kung magiging paraan yan para itago ang mga baho nila!
Ano ba kasi ang importanteng ma-pictyuran sa immigration area? Wala lang hehe!
Not that there are ultra-important things to take pictures-of in those areas di ba? But just for continuity of image capturing for those who have cameras (blow-by-blow ba)!
Medyo mahabang kwento yan. Hayaan nyo, I'll write about only that soon. Promise!
Tutal, wala naman magandang makikita sa immigrations, di ba? Oo wala!
I/Os: so ba't nyo pa ipinagpipilitan mag-kodak-kodak dito eh wala namang makikita? Public: ba't kayo lang ang ayaw ng transparency? Hmm, me itinatago baho kayo 'no?!
Boarding Gates Concourse
Meanwhile, ito hindi mabaho - sori nag-CR lang after immigration. But this is nice!
But in essence (imaginin mo na lang na) pagpasok mo kaliwa't kanan urinal pero ang diretso is floor-to-ceiling glass wall with good views of the (landside) parking areas.
You turn right to the sink counter and left to the cubicles. Nicely designed.
Anyway, so I was at the gate concourse, which should be familiar to everyone.
With one big exception of course. Alams na! Iyang 'travellator' sa gitna ng concourse eh gumagana perennially. I mean dito sa Hanoi. Yes, yang nasa gitna ng picture. Da!
Elsewhere, looks good just like many airports including ours. Maayos.
Very familiar airport layout.., I walked around just sight-seeing.., and at right.., voila!
And.., I want to tag this as "an interesting concept" for designing smoking rooms.
Yan ang THE Smoking Room! Even no need for seats, as long as it is that clean and spacious enough for one to be at peace with his own kaluluwa! Kesa naman ganito.
Behind and above my head as I took that picture by the door, was an FID. Yep, flight information display TV sa loob mismo ng yosihan. So we all know our flight details.
Heto actually yun. I was standing under that FID near the ashtray-cum-trashbin.
Ayos di ba? Zen-like serenity while nagbi-bisyo. Ganyan!
Transparently behind them (us, since I was also smoking at where I stood) was this:
Anyway..,
After puffing my time away at the smoking room, I went to the edge of Gate 20, the
This space between T2 and T1 is a very well maintained equipment and ULD yard.
Moving or not, it's always fascinating to see the "various other things" of a tarmac.
Hey, it is not very clear due to the distance, but the first building after the equipment farm is actually this airport's VIP Terminal. Yes they have. It's a big and swanky one!
Alright, 1519H, at Gate 20, I started walking to the other end of this terminal.
Atop Gates 28 up to 31 is the 4F Public Viewing Area with restaurants and shops.
Note: comparing the space from side-to-side as I walked, it was easy to tell that our NAIA T3 concourse is wider. But note too: gumagana lahat ang walkalators nila dito.
Left of that photo (partly seen) are most of the duty free shops after the immigration desks, where all passengers come from before walking this concourse to the gates.
I noticed, Gates 28 to 31 is the central block, so, not a far walk after immigrations. If you are a smoker hehehe, read the signage just right after Gate 32 (before Gate 33).
It looks like just a small room viewed outside, but once you enter the room, it's vast.
Huwag ka na komuntra! Think of it as: their concern is the passenger's convenience here and now, not their future and entire life dahil di naman kami titira sa airport na'to!
Ganoon yan. Kasi airport sila, hindi World Health Organization. Service is different from advocacy. If you are an airport, you have to know what your customers need!
O eto mga gamit ko, they were also re-charging as did my mind and soul!
Okay now.., satisfied.., I continued walking to the western end of this terminal.
Boarding
When boarding was called for my flight, I leisurely walked my way back to Gate 32.
Boarding is also very similar to MNL T3 and CEB T2. After the gate agent tears your boarding pass, you go down to 2nd floor where the airbridge attaches to the plane.
Why are some airport gates like that? Ah, there have been many anecdotes about it. Some say 'Architects' ignorance', others say 'form over function', others even say its 'commercialism' - but all of them point to one glaring fact: kabobohan/katangahan.
What ever reasoning an architect offers, it is still clear that they missed the primary airport functionality: safety security comfort & convenience of passengers. Period.
FYI, that is one of the reasons Changi Airport always emerges a winner - dahil hindi madaming pasikut-sikot si passenger during boarding and disembarkation. Simple.
How did I know those things? I travel talk. Ginawa nga akong judge nyan minsan!
Want to be pasaway minsan-minsan? Take your grand time here. Mag pictorials!
Feeling ko lalo tuloy matagal yung boarding namin kasi aside from malayong lakad, ayaw agad magsipasok. Selfie-selfie groupfie-groupfie muna kasi. Para masaya ba!
It wasn't just me. Other passengers, especially three little kids 'like me', had fun too!
What's the issue? When the gate people upstairs say "all aboard" on their radio, their colleagues down by the plane's door sometimes forget that many of these/us folks are still walking down that long zigzag incline from 3F to 2F at hindi na nila nakikita!
It's going down one floor na paliku-liko. Also not good for seniors or the pregnant.
Bottomline, 7mins from the time I gave my boarding pass, until that photo above.
Matagal yun for efficiency in airline operations!
Anyway... so I was finally aboard Lao Airlines Flight QV312 from Hanoi to Vientiane!
But let's talk about that in another blog entry!
Comments
Post a Comment