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United Passenger Brutality Brings Back Memories |
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Instead of waiting several days for a U.S. military flight, I opted to go by the newly-reestablished Philippine Airlines. It had just resumed daily service throughout the island nation. As I boarded at the now-named Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport, I should have had a clue as to what I was in for.
With the civilian airline yet to receive new aircraft, the flight was on a beat-up two-engine plane that had spent ragged, stained and the aisles full of trash.
That was the best of it. Most of the passengers were farmers returning to their newly-liberated homes, and many brought animals with them. My two-hour flight companions included bleating sheep, calves, pigs and chickens.
The aisles were full of running, jumping, coupling and other animal sounds, smells and sights. Several times I had to fight off some pecking roosters, and four or five hungry goats when I was attempting to eat a candy bar.
After two days on Mindanau, I was lucky to snag a ride on a Navy PBY Catalina bomber returning to Manila. Instead of sharing my seat with goats and pigs, I spent the entire flight curled up alone in one of the machine gun mounts.
For info about today’s very modern airline service in the Philippines, go to www.philippineairlines.com |
TRAVEL JOURNAL