Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Friday, August 14, 2009
Dog Owner Update
Thought I might as well give a quick update on the dog owner I mentioned earlier that stopped for her little dog to poop in the hallway at the airport. As I headed back down through Concourse B, I saw her again and her dog had a diaper on! I'm not making this up. Also, the spot where she had left her puppy's deposit, had been cleared of the offense. So I don't know if she was stopped by the fezes policia and her doggy ordered to wear Pampers, or she rectified the situation on her own accord, but I felt it worth commenting that the airport is actually fairly clean and the people polite after all.
Next in Line
After grabbing a sandwich and double espresso for lunch, I decided I might as well check in for my domestic flight and wait by the gate, (where I am now). I suppose it's a good thing (or maybe not, read on) that I left plenty of time to do this because it took an hour to complete the process.
I don't know if it's Brazil in general or just GOL airlines, but waiting in line, it seemed like the only thing moving was the clock. Sure, there was some movement behind the counter, where GOL staff milled about, but nothing that looked overly purposeful. Except every once in a while, someone would announce that a flight was boarding, so the ground staff would call out, "Is anyone in line for flight 123 leaving in 10 minutes?!" and a few people would raise their hands. These people were ushered to the front of the line so they could check in and catch their flight. Effectively, this gives zero incentive to check in early and lots of encouragement to wait until the last minute, when you'll be dealt with promptly.
Sadly, it took me 30 minutes to get to the counter and there were only four people in front of me--and one of them was later removed from our line for "express processing". So that puts the per passenger processing time at 10 minutes per person, compared with, say, the minute and a half it took me to check in at Narita in Japan.
But I digress. Actually, once I got to the ticket counter, it didn't take long at all for her to check my confirmation number and issue my ticket, then check in my bag. And all that was done without knowing a word she was saying in Portuguese. Maybe that helped move along the process??
After that, I went through security and then a police check of some sort (not really sure, but it was similar to going through Immigration, but for domestic travel), and all that seemed to go fine. Then I strolled on down to Gate 20 and, luckily, found a power outlet to plug in my laptop (44% and charging).
I don't know if it's Brazil in general or just GOL airlines, but waiting in line, it seemed like the only thing moving was the clock. Sure, there was some movement behind the counter, where GOL staff milled about, but nothing that looked overly purposeful. Except every once in a while, someone would announce that a flight was boarding, so the ground staff would call out, "Is anyone in line for flight 123 leaving in 10 minutes?!" and a few people would raise their hands. These people were ushered to the front of the line so they could check in and catch their flight. Effectively, this gives zero incentive to check in early and lots of encouragement to wait until the last minute, when you'll be dealt with promptly.
Sadly, it took me 30 minutes to get to the counter and there were only four people in front of me--and one of them was later removed from our line for "express processing". So that puts the per passenger processing time at 10 minutes per person, compared with, say, the minute and a half it took me to check in at Narita in Japan.
But I digress. Actually, once I got to the ticket counter, it didn't take long at all for her to check my confirmation number and issue my ticket, then check in my bag. And all that was done without knowing a word she was saying in Portuguese. Maybe that helped move along the process??
After that, I went through security and then a police check of some sort (not really sure, but it was similar to going through Immigration, but for domestic travel), and all that seemed to go fine. Then I strolled on down to Gate 20 and, luckily, found a power outlet to plug in my laptop (44% and charging).
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Back to the Amazon... on Continental Airlines
I'm headed back to Manaus this week for a nearly 40 day assignment. Last time I flew on Japan Airlines, but due to various new regulations put in place by our government contracting agency induced by the "economic downturn", I am flying on Continental this time. It's my first time to fly this airline, and instead of flying into JFK, I'm at Newark Airport at the moment. Continental has a huge hub here at Newark, so I'm currently in their "Presidential Lounge" looking out a window at a half dozen jumbo jets with their insignia emblazzoned on the tailwings.
Continental also offers a special "J Support" service for special Japanese travellers, and since I'm on an official "technical cooperation" project, I automatically qualify for this. It entails attaching big yellow tags that say J SUPPORT to your luggage and carry-on so that (a) your luggage comes out first at the baggage claim (it did!) and (b) an attendant meets you as you disembark from the aircraft. This second benefit, however, did not go quite as smoothly as one would hope.
The attendant is meant to assist Japanese travellers through the US customs and transfer process, and a brochure I received about the service assured that the attendant speaks Japanese and English. Well, I figured I really did not require such service since I would be transfering in my own country in my native tongue afterall. Well, when I got off the airplane, there was a woman holding a sign that said my name on it, so I stopped and she said she would meet me by the baggage carousel. I said okay, headed on to Immigration, which went smoothly, and I was at the baggage claim some 10 minutes later. My bag came out right away and I picked it up and then waited for about 5 minutes. I didn't see her so I thought, "Meh, I'll just go on my own," and headed for customs. Note to self: "When offered a special service, stick around for it!"
I was almost immediately stopped by a customs officer (homeland security?) for a special inspection of my luggage. He quized me about my trip, how much cash I had on me, went through my bags, my papers, asked if I speak Japanese, wrote down my company name, etc. Then, at the end of it, I was told to repack my things and shown the exit. Now, on the other side of customs, I heard an announcement of my name on the loudspeakers. The attendent was likely looking for me, but there was no way I was going to get back IN to customs, so after craning my neck a bit looking for her, I carried on.
After dropping my check-in luggage off to be sent on to Sao Paulo, I headed to check myself back in so I could get to the lounge. The line was loooong and looked like it would take at least 30 minutes, if not more. I pulled out a magazine, but was soon told to head off to Check-in Counter C-1 for a shorter line. Of course they don't mention that it takes 10 minutes to walk there and another 5 to wait in that line. But still, I suppose it was faster than waiting where I was, and besides, my flight wasn't for another 5 hours anyway!
So now here I am in the lounge, camped out in a corner chair with a glass of complimentary white wine and wireless Internet. So far the trip is going well, I suppose, considering I was able to sleep comfortably on the flight for at least 6 hours, and that was after watching Annie Hall (had never seen it before!), and Pretty Woman (a classic, but now classically outdated knight-in-shining-armor movie). Upon getting to the lounge, I tried to talk to the receptionist about the J Support attendant, since I sort of felt bad at that point. However, no one I spoke to had ever heard of the program, and probably couldn't figure out why I was talking about a service for Japanese travellers anyway.
Well, it's now 8pm and I can board for my next flight in a little over an hour. I'll get to Sao Paulo in the morning and then have a 5 hour layover there before I can take a 4 hour flight to Manaus. This is far too much travel time to feel like the 21st century, but I suppose in the meantime, I'll make the most of the complimentary wine to pass the time.
Continental also offers a special "J Support" service for special Japanese travellers, and since I'm on an official "technical cooperation" project, I automatically qualify for this. It entails attaching big yellow tags that say J SUPPORT to your luggage and carry-on so that (a) your luggage comes out first at the baggage claim (it did!) and (b) an attendant meets you as you disembark from the aircraft. This second benefit, however, did not go quite as smoothly as one would hope.
The attendant is meant to assist Japanese travellers through the US customs and transfer process, and a brochure I received about the service assured that the attendant speaks Japanese and English. Well, I figured I really did not require such service since I would be transfering in my own country in my native tongue afterall. Well, when I got off the airplane, there was a woman holding a sign that said my name on it, so I stopped and she said she would meet me by the baggage carousel. I said okay, headed on to Immigration, which went smoothly, and I was at the baggage claim some 10 minutes later. My bag came out right away and I picked it up and then waited for about 5 minutes. I didn't see her so I thought, "Meh, I'll just go on my own," and headed for customs. Note to self: "When offered a special service, stick around for it!"
I was almost immediately stopped by a customs officer (homeland security?) for a special inspection of my luggage. He quized me about my trip, how much cash I had on me, went through my bags, my papers, asked if I speak Japanese, wrote down my company name, etc. Then, at the end of it, I was told to repack my things and shown the exit. Now, on the other side of customs, I heard an announcement of my name on the loudspeakers. The attendent was likely looking for me, but there was no way I was going to get back IN to customs, so after craning my neck a bit looking for her, I carried on.
After dropping my check-in luggage off to be sent on to Sao Paulo, I headed to check myself back in so I could get to the lounge. The line was loooong and looked like it would take at least 30 minutes, if not more. I pulled out a magazine, but was soon told to head off to Check-in Counter C-1 for a shorter line. Of course they don't mention that it takes 10 minutes to walk there and another 5 to wait in that line. But still, I suppose it was faster than waiting where I was, and besides, my flight wasn't for another 5 hours anyway!
So now here I am in the lounge, camped out in a corner chair with a glass of complimentary white wine and wireless Internet. So far the trip is going well, I suppose, considering I was able to sleep comfortably on the flight for at least 6 hours, and that was after watching Annie Hall (had never seen it before!), and Pretty Woman (a classic, but now classically outdated knight-in-shining-armor movie). Upon getting to the lounge, I tried to talk to the receptionist about the J Support attendant, since I sort of felt bad at that point. However, no one I spoke to had ever heard of the program, and probably couldn't figure out why I was talking about a service for Japanese travellers anyway.
Well, it's now 8pm and I can board for my next flight in a little over an hour. I'll get to Sao Paulo in the morning and then have a 5 hour layover there before I can take a 4 hour flight to Manaus. This is far too much travel time to feel like the 21st century, but I suppose in the meantime, I'll make the most of the complimentary wine to pass the time.
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