A. NINOY AQUINO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (Philippines) – for International flights, aircrafts depart from NAIA Terminal 1
1. Enter NAIA Terminal 1
Upon arriving NAIA Terminal 1, you have to look for the “Passenger Entrance”... sign where you have to enter in order to go inside the entrance. There is a guard standing. He is responsible in checking your passport and airline ticket. After the checking your passport and ticket, he then tells you to proceed to the next door.
2. Baggage and carry-on baggage Scanning at the Entrance gate
You have to carry your own baggage and place it one by one to the scanning machine. You have to be quick because there are a lot passengers waiting. Each baggage and hand-carry is being scanned for safety and security reasons.
3. Placing of bag tags on the carry-on baggage
After scanning your things on the machine, you have to look for the window where you can check-in your baggage. In this case, you have to take note of your airline since it is the basis in checking-in. Big airline companies have lots of windows inside the airport so you can actually choose one window where you can have your line. While falling in line, an airport personnel is tasked to put a tag on the carry-on baggage of the passengers. You really have to be patient in falling in line and wait for your turn.
4. Security Check
Before you approach on the location where you are to check-in your baggage, you still need to undergo on a one-on-one interview for security check to an airport personnel. But before that, he will ask for your passport, visa , Commission on Filipino Overseas (CFO) Sticker and DS2019. Common questions are – Who packed your things?; Are there any explosive materials, liquid items, deadly weapons or sharp materials inside your baggage?; Did someone asked you to place something on your bag?; and the like. These are actually being asked very fast so you should be alert and attentive in listening to the questions so that you will be able to give the exact and appropriate answers. You should not be panic. You are given a paper which you have to fill-in and you have to submit it to the Bureau of Immigration officers on the proceeding steps.
5. Orientation of Seat Plan
After the security questions, you are then to proceed to the area near where you are to check-in your baggage. Another personnel is there who will give you an information about the structure of the aircraft. Using a touch screen monitor, she will show you the seat plan of the aircraft which includes the seats which are already occupied or reserved. They are also the one who will give you the number of your seat. However, you can request for some changes if you wish to be seated near the window or any part of the aircraft.
6. Issuance of Boarding pass
In my case, the issuance of boarding pass is done by another personnel, but in other passengers, the same person is conducting the procedure as with the seat plan orientation. This personnel will ask the same 3 identification documents as stated above. This will only take few minutes and you will now be given your boarding pass. Since this is a connecting flight, you are given more than one boarding pass. In my case, I was given 3 boarding passes (Manila-Japan, Japan-Portland, Portland-Phoenix.
7. Check in baggage
This is done on the same area simultaneously with the 6th step. You have to put you baggage in the baggage counter. For international flights, you are only allowed to bring 2 baggage with 23klgs(standard) each baggage. Each baggage must not exceed 23klgs or else you have to pay for the excess.
8. Pay terminal feeThe same documents are being asked (passport, visa, DS2019) before you will pay the terminal fee. The fee is P550 for the international flights.
9. Bureau of Immigration
The same documents are being asked (passport, visa, DS2019). They have to check it.
10. Scanning of Carry-on baggage
Carry-on baggage are being checked again by the Bureau of Immigration. Items that are not supposed to be placed on the carry-on baggage should be placed on the check-in baggage or else the officers will confiscate those if they are detected by the scanning machine. You have no choice but to surrender it.
11. Looking for the gate
12. Final Scanning (carry-on baggage, laptop, shoes, belt, phone)
In this step, all items you have with you should be scanned again for final checking, including of course your carry-on baggage. If you are carrying laptops with you, you have to take that off from its bag since they are checking if you don’t have a fake version of the OS system. If found to be fake, all files on your laptop will be deleted by them. Belts, shoes, jackets will also be removed. After which, you are now to proceed to the waiting area, sit there and wait for the announcement for boarding.
13. Boarding
The gate is now open and boarding the plane starts. But for international flights, they always observe organization in boarding the passengers. There are 3 zones in the aircraft (Zone 1, Zone 2, Zone 3). These zones represent the columns of the seat plan in the aircraft. The crew would announce that those who are seated in the Zone 1 should board in first, and then followed by Zones 2 and 3 consecutively. This is to ensure the safety and avoid overcrowding. Upon boarding, the crew will ask for your boarding pass and he will scan its barcode for you to enter.
B. NARITA, TOKYO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (Japan) – your checked-in baggage need not to be taken since the airline has to do the transfers already
1. Scanning (carry-on baggage, laptop, shoes, belt, phone)
This step is the same thing with one of the preceding steps while you are still in the Philippines. Again, all items you have with you should be scanned again for final checking, including of course your carry-on baggage. If you are carrying laptops with you, you have to take that off from its bag since they are checking if you don’t have a fake version of the OS system. Belts, shoes, jackets will also be removed. After which, you are now to proceed to the waiting area, sit there and wait for the announcement for boarding.
2. Boarding
The gate is now open and boarding the plane starts. Once again, there are 3 zones in the aircraft (Zone 1, Zone 2, Zone 3). These zones represent the columns of the seat plan in the aircraft. The crew would announce that those who are seated in the Zone 1 should board in first, and then followed by Zones 2 and 3 consecutively. This is to ensure the safety and avoid overcrowding. Upon boarding, the crew will ask for your boarding pass and he will scan its barcode for you to enter.
C. PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (Portland – port of entry in US) – this has stricter procedures that you need to pass since United States is very aware of the safety and security of the people and their country.
1. Passport Checking (I-94)
Upon arrival in the airport, you have to proceed to the windows for passport checking. The officer will ask for your passport, visa, I-94 form and DS2019. I-94 form is actually given while you are on the aircraft going to the port of entry. Another form is also given together with the I-94 which you also have to fill-in. That form contains the declaration of the items placed in your baggage (foods, plant, specimen, deadly weapon, etc.). While looking at your documents, they may conduct a minimal interview – just about some important details upon your stay in US. Common questions include the place where you are going, the work that you will be doing there, the salary you will be receiving, the pocket money that you are bringing, and the like. You should be very knowledgeable about this things and should make sure that it will coincide with your documents because if will commit a mistake in answering, there is a 50:50 chance that you can enter US. If you committed a mistake in answering, they may doubt on you and you will be detained in a room for an investigation. The pocket money you will declare should not exceed $10,000 because they may doubt on you again. They will think that you will have illegal business such as smuggling, or planning to become “TNT” in the States. By these, you will be investigated and be detained in a room again. The common question asked will be the reason why you have that very big amount of money, the purpose of having that and how did you acquire that amount. You have to be very honest with these information.
2. Baggage claim
You are now to get your baggage since it is the point of entry. If your baggage have locks, you have to unlock it for the scanning and check-up to be conducted by the Bureau of Customs.
3. Baggage check (Bureau of Customs)
Your checked-in and carry-on baggage will undergo again a scanning. However, you baggage will also be manually checked that’s why you unlocked it a while ago or else they will destroy your locks. Yes, the officers of the Bureau of Customs will open your baggage and check it. If they found some items (especially noodles with beef or chicken or other foods in connection to the livestock) which are not allowed to enter, they will take those out of your baggage and confiscate it. After which, you have to pack your things again.
4. Baggage check-in
Our baggage were attached again with another baggage tags and were checked-in. Our flight was actually delayed from Japan, so we were not able to catch our exact connecting flight with Delta Airline. In that case, we were given another boarding pass in which we will be boarding US Airways.
5. Boarding
The same procedures are being followed. Zone 1 to Zone 3 sequence in boarding. The boarding pass’ barcode are being scanned.
D. PHOENIX SKY HARBOR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (Arizona)
1. Baggage Claim
Upon arrival on the airport, announcements are being said on what carousel number will the baggage will be out since there are a lot of carousels in the airport. Each carousel represents a flight. You have to be attentive again for you to be able to locate your baggage
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