Dec 04, 2008 05:02 AM
3470 Views
(Updated Apr 09, 2009 10:32 PM)
Traveled recently a few months ago, the airport has changed a lot since my last visit, which was 4 years ago.
The immigration officers at arrivals and departure really need to learn some people skills; almost all of them are grumpy old guys who seem like they would die if they broke a smile. I smiled and said hello to one while handing my passport and he gave me a dirty look in return, nice way to welcome someone into the country. Still a bit of baggage scam going on, collaboration of baggage scanners and security/customs people, where a scanner scans the bags before they get on the carousal and if anything valuable or electronic in the bag, marks the bag with a piece of chalk, which the customs people (right before you exit the area) can recognize and take you for a joy ride (a random check is the official word). Seen this 4 years ago and saw it still happening. So word of advise, check for any chalk marks on your bags once you get em off the belt and wipe them off if you have any. Even though I didnt have any marks on my bags, got stopped by the customs guy who blatantly asked me straight up "How many laptops in the bags?" "None". and he insists again "How many laptops in the bags?" "Excuse me? you think i'd try to smuggle laptops in the country? besides even if I had any, I would never put them in my checked bags" "No?
What else you have in bags?" by this point, I was really getting mad and was about to get into an argument when another customs guy taps the first guy on the shoulder and waves me through and they both laugh. And whats with all the hangarounders outside the airport? The minute I walked out with the trolley, 2 random guys walked up, one grabbed my trolley while the other tried to get my bags off my shoulder. I was caught off guard and got all defensive, till I saw my brother and he explained that these people would offer to carry your bags to the car for money, sorta like unofficial airport porters. I turn to the guys, No thanks but I think I can carry my own bags. Nope, they wouldnt budge, I grabbed the cart and started rolling towards the parking lot. Both guys kept following me, trying to push me off the cart couple of times on the way till I pretty much screemed at one and told him to pis* off. They still followed me to the car park and once we got to our car, threw the bags in the back, they stuck their hands out for money. Money for what? Apparently they offered me help but I didnt accept, but they still followed me around, so they wanted money. Really irritating. Though it was'nt much had I decided to pay them, but I didnt. And I would advise other travellers to do the same. These people will take off with your stuff at the first chance they have. Please dont encourage this behavior. The police dont seem to do anything but stand around.
And whats with all the security drama during departures, specially the security stamps? Apparently you have to get your carry ons tagged and stamped when you go through security (before the departure lounge). They check the stamps before you enter your boarding gate, check it again a couple of feet after the gate, and yet again before you enter the airplane (where by the way, you go through a physical search again, which apparently is random search but if your skin color is any shade of brown, you will go through it). So make sure you get those ever-so-important stamps on your tags when going through security or else be prepared to be frustrated and go back to security and literally beg them for stamps while they chuckle at your helplessness.
The airport authorities might have changed the outlook of the airport structure but the staff attitude is still pretty crappy, which I think makes all the friggin difference. I'm going to try to avoid this airport in the future cause it doesn't seem to be getting any better as they claim.
