Cebu Pacific Flight Review: Manila to Roxas (Round-Trip)

It was a slow and sunny day at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 on the day of our departure to Roxas City. Every queue starting from the entrance security check to boarding was quick and easy.

I didn’t even notice that our take-off was slightly delayed due to air traffic until the captain apologized. (Take-off was kind of wobbly, by the way.)

I guess I didn’t notice the delay because I was too engrossed with reading about Roxas City on Cebu Pacific’s in-flight magazine, “Smile.” In all my years of traveling, this was the first time my actual destination was featured on a current issue. It felt serendipitous.

Soon after the take-off, the snack cart was rolled out which I didn’t bother with as I already had my breakfast at home.

It may be corny but I always look forward to Cebu Pacific’s games if only because I was curious about the prizes and their gimmicks. This time around, they were promoting their Kuwait flight so the game was about having passengers sing a song with the word “Kuwait” in it. (For the foreign readers out there, this is a typical Pinoy party game where we mangle an English song by substituting another English word or a Filipino word into the lyrics to make it mean something else---hopefully funny.) At first, I didn’t get the word even after the male cabin attendant belted a sample song, “Kuwait playing games with my heart.”

Anyway, they started asking for volunteers to come up front and become sure winners. No one was biting so I slowly raised my hand and pointed a finger at my sleeping friend. I was just in a teasing mode so I, along with my unsuspecting friend, was startled when some minutes later, an attendant came up to her asking for a song. Good thing that the passenger seated beside my friend was willing to take over and got herself a portable fan. I don’t even remember what she sang.

The flight was smooth with no turbulence at all in spite of the weather forecast of some rain. What spoiled the flight was the presence of three stowaways buzzing around.

We landed a few minutes after the estimated time of arrival.

We were given umbrellas to shield us from the heat of the sun that seemed to be mocking PAG-ASA’s forecast.

On our way inside the airport, we passed by evidence of progress at work.

Upon entering, we were greeted by folk singers standing by the carousel.

Outside, we were greeted by hawking porters which turned me off. They reminded me of the porters in NAIA coming up to you intrusively offering their unsolicited service.

One can get to the city proper by tricycle but we opted for our hotel’s pick-up service after being advised that the “airport tricycles” charge P250 whereas our hotel charges P100 pax in a comfortable air-conditioned van.

BACK TO MANILA

This is the first thing that one sees at the departure area of Roxas airport.

I’m not complaining here, mind you. After all, renovation means progress.

First things first, one must present his/her plane ticket and valid ID before being allowed to enter.

Then you go through security checks. That’s the porter assisting my friend and me without our knowing. I turned around and saw that the hotel shuttle driver simply turned over our stuff to the porter without asking us. When I mentioned my annoyance about porters later to a lawyer friend, he said the number of porters you see is indicative of that city’s employment rate. The more porters you see, the higher the unemployment rate as these porters are not salaried and rely only on tips. That got me to shut up.

Upon check-in, we were told that no dried seafood was allowed for hand-carry unless they were commercially and properly sealed.

I don’t think staple wires fall under that category. My friend and I then removed our pasalubong and transferred them to an ecobag but we were asked to pay over P500 to check it in as we opted for no-check-in-baggage. As the penalty cost more than the pasalubong, we decided to make some porters happy by giving our crispy palad to them as extra tips. My family and friends back home just have to take me at my word at how delicious Roxas’ signature crispy palad was.

Speaking of pasalubong, the famous and ubiquitous BongBong’s pasalubong shop is located at the check-in area.

But what I strongly recommend is Spanggo’s buko pie which I’m sorry to say to anyone from Laguna out there, can give you a run for your money. The stall is next to BongBong’s.