Travelling light & airport snags

Some parts of the world maybe in chaos but, globally, tourism has continued to flourish. A survey published by the World Economic Forum (The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2013) confirms this.   In the 2013 survey, it seems that it has fully returned to pre-crisis level.   Notably, in the same report, Rochelle Turner of WTTC and Zachary Sears of Oxford Economics revealed that “using proprietary data for 20 countries, including both emerging and advanced economies, they find that Travel & Tourism is one of the most important industries in terms of absolute size of employment and economic output.” 

They described “how the industry employs more than 98 million people directly, representing over 3 percent of overall global employment”. In fact, they further concluded that “when indirect and induced impacts are included, they calculate that the industry contributes to around one in every eleven jobs worldwide.”

Clearly, therefore, the T&T sector remains very significant for the world economy.  It accounts, among others, a sizeable share of global employment and has also provided an important opportunity for developing countries to improve and aim for bigger shares of the pie.  Consequently, uniquely blessed with at least 7,100 islands, we aren’t letting this opportunity pass our way unnoticed.  In fact, to both present and previous administration’s (Arroyo) credit, this is one industry the country is trying to develop to the max.  As a result, the 2013 survey showed that the Philippines is the “most improved country” in the Asia Pacific region, “ranking 16th regionally and 82nd overall”, up 12 places since the last survey (2011).  We ranked highly on account of our “strengths in natural resources (44th), price competitiveness (24th), and a very strong—and improving—prioritization of the Travel & Tourism industry (this indicator ranks 15th, as government spending on the sector as a percentage of GDP is now 1st in the world, and tourism marketing and branding campaigns are seen to be increasingly effective).”

Moreover, the same report suggests “that making Travel & Tourism a government priority can enable development of global connectivity through aviation, which in turn enhances the overall level of productivity and living standards in the long run”.  Truly, this is inarguably right.  More so that our 7,100 islands are separated by bodies of water, aviation becomes more significant domestically.  Availability of planes may not be a big issue since the liberalization of the airline industry has, so far, brought about positive results.  The main issue right now is on our airports and the manner by which these are ran.

For the time being, let us set aside congestion because that’s a known fact.  Let’s tackle the issue on security and the non-uniformity of implementation among airport authorities.  For one, like many other tourists and travelers (foreigners and Filipinos alike), who frequently hop from one island to another for leisure or business, I had a bad experience myself.  A frequent hopper who always travel light, I have always carried with me just one bag in every trip.  Therefore, my bag shall have a laptop (and a battery charger), documents (and some office supplies), clothes (when staying overnight) and personal stuff (toothpaste, shampoo, etc.).  All these years, I have hand-carried these stuff with toothpaste, shampoo, and a spool of less-than-a-yard double-sided tape in a zipped and transparent plastic bag (in compliance with airport rules).  Prior to last Saturday’s trip back home, I have always passed all airport terminals in the country without any hassle.  Therefore, I have resigned to the idea that what I have always been hand-carrying are within the airport authorities’ tolerable limits. 

However, last Saturday, I was caught by surprise.  For the very first time, I checked in at the Surigao City Airport.  To my surprise, after passing through the last x-ray machine, the lady security officer opened my bag and got my double-sided-tape.  It caught me by surprise because I’ve been hand-carrying such in every trip I make.  As she was an officer, I readily submitted myself to such rule.  Then, what followed was something very suspicious, she simply put the tape on her side.  I was expecting that such tape shall be placed in a “transparent glass box” like the other airports do.  Unbearable, I asked her if I can just put it in a designated box myself.  She agreed, and pointed to me a trash bin right beside her.  Honestly, this procedure left a bad taste in the mouth.  For one, it lacks transparency.  

With such unpleasant experience, I did my own inquiries and research regarding confiscated items at the airport.  In my research, I found out that confiscated items included, among others, liquids beyond tolerable limits, Swiss knives and even laptop batteries.   Though expensive, the Swiss knives are understandable, laptop batteries are not.   

Nevertheless, despite their non-uniformity in implementation, we still give in to the airport rules.   On these instances, however, most travelers are asking, where do these items go?  How are these items disposed?  For expensive stuff, can they still get them back if they want to in their next trip? 

Indeed, the airport authorities should make clear cut or transparent procedures in the handling and disposal of the confiscated items.  In a country that is highly touted as a nation of cheats, even such absence of rules could lead to unpleasant conclusions.   

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