This photo courtesy of Ray Robinson Gonzaga shows the international departure area of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport under the new normal.
CEBU CITY, Philippines— The airport sees the happiest hellos and the saddest goodbyes as they would say.
True enough, the happiest hellos are when you finally get to reunite with the people you love and miss and the saddest goodbyes are seen and felt when you have to part ways again.
The airport walls have seen a lot of people from different walks of life.
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In this read, get to know the people we usually see inside the airport, and let us know which of these best describes you.
Family bundle
This is common in every airport. A family that travels together is not hard to notice because they are usually very loud trying to keep everybody in check. You see a mother carrying all the tickets and passes, a dad with the bags, and the kids running around or making faces.
Backpackers
With just one big backpack and some shoes hanging out from the bag, backpackers are usually the most relaxed passengers in an airport. They just like to lounge around or even sit on the ground while waiting.
First-timers
Walking fast, always looking at the monitors, and checking every flight detail every minute best describes a first-time traveler. They can easily be spotted too because they take quite many photos and videos while waiting to board the aircraft.
OFWs or Balikbayans
They don’t stand out immediately in the sea of passengers at the airport, but once they wave goodbye to the people outside the doors, emotional and sad or emotional and happy then you can say these are OFWs. They arrive with happy faces and leave with sad ones. They are usually seen with big balikbayan boxes filled with “pasalubongs” too.
Tourists
Mostly foreigners fit this description. They are the ones asking around for directions or the nearest money exchanger or where to get sim cards. They come in groups sometimes while others come as a couple or some would be traveling alone.
Seasoned travelers
They are the ones in front of the line, making sure they get everything prepared with enough time to just relax and not rush to check-in counters. They are also the ones we see enjoying the VIP lounges as they have earned credits for traveling often. Business executives and retirees mostly fit this category of travelers.
These are just some of the travelers you will meet in a Philippine airport.
If you were the traveler, where would you fit in?