Everyone Needs to Inform Themselves

There was a recent airline accident, which led to numerous delays and eventually become cancellations in the most busiest airports in the country. It happened just when passengers are flocking in to spend their vacation due to holidays in the upcoming week. Though what comes after the accident infuriates me the most.

Being a traveler myself, I have my fair share of delays on different circumstances. I can recall at least three.

• The airline crew manning the gate never had a single clue what happened to our aircraft which delayed the flight for at least three hours. The PA system also informed us that the plane didn't arrive yet. When actually the plane (Airbus A330) was just in front of us all along! Apparently the maintenance crew have to replace one of its wheels for safety reasons if I would assume so. What ticked me off is when they never used any kind of power tools for it!

• Same airline as above but a different case. Boarding was delayed for an hour and another hour by the time we got on. There was a medical emergency that happened the flight before and we were not cleared for taxi unless the required medical equipment was replenished. The airline crew still never had a single clue of what happened.

• Flight was delayed for six hours after assumingly the pilots declared the aircraft we're about to fly into is not fit for flying. Imagine your flight is delayed for six long hours, how would you feel? I for one, just want to be at my destination and go to bed right way. Unfortunately the case for my fellow passengers were far more worse. I can assume most of them are on the last leg of their trip from an international flight. I can also assume that they haven't got enough sleep and now are getting agitated and/or irritated on what the hell is going on with their flight. As I mentioned in the two examples above, the airline crew never had a single clue.

What infuriates me the most is not with any kind of incident but with the passengers themselves. Traveling is not supposed to be a one way ticket for whatever reason your trip is. There will always be unforseen circumstances that sidelines us from the original plan. People will talk about contingency plans after and not before it happens.

It all starts by the time you book your ticket. It's common knowledge that you should be getting travel insurance every single time. Good if you're booking it yourself but not for the rest who book their tickets in travel agencies and in ticketing booths. Not buying insurance just to cut down your expenses will be the single biggest mistake you'll be making when you're traveling. You'll be in a different world of hurt and nothing can save you other than the huge fees you'll be paying, if you're willing to.

Apart from that, another thing that infuriates me is when passengers are getting ahead of themselves in the check-in counter. This happens a lot of times when I'm on budget airlines. They start complaining when their baggage are either oversized or overweight then will pick up a fight since they don't like to pay additional fees. If I can recall your baggage allowance is stated over your itinerary document. Isn't it hard for everyone to read it?

Going back, what happened last Friday was tragic but I can't help myself getting mad with people who know nothing of the basics of air travel. Accidents happen but it isn't the airport's responsbility to take care of stranded passengers. That's the job of the airline. If the airline doesn't cooperate with their grievances, then they have the opportunity to escalate it to the Civil Aeronautics Board. We also do not need another senate inquiry. The gesture is noble but it always end up being unproductive and wasting everyone's time.