Repatriating My Mother and A Review Of The Wings Transit Lounge

There is nothing sadder in the world than a near-empty airport, in my opinion.

A few days ago, I went to the airport to chaperone my mom who was in transit to Pagadian city. Much to my chagrin, the checkpoints weren't very strict even though I was told that you could only enter the airport terminal if you had a flight that day (including the gates to the arrival area). I did show the security guard my mom's ticket from Zamboanga city where she was stranded since March of this year and perhaps because of her age, they let me in.

I had an hour to kill so I decided to track my mom's flight using Flight Aware and Flight Radar 24. My friend recommended those websites when I was started feeling restless. Because they only let a few people board the plane at a time (physical distancing), my mom's plane departed late but maybe because there was very little air traffic, the plane still arrived on time.

Looking at the Philippine map while tracking my mom's plane, I realized how very strategic Manila's location was in relation to the early Philippine colony which mostly consisted of Luzon and Visayas. I always thought it was weird that Manila was the country's capital since most video games teach you to always put your capital in the middle of your empire. I guess this is also the same reason the USA's capital which isn't in the middle of present day USA.

The arrival area had considerably lesser people than precorona days but the fourth floor mall area was just utterly desolate. I was not prepared to see the shuttered restaurants and shops and empty hallways. I shudder thinking how many people have lost their jobs just in the airport alone due to the pandemic.

The Wings Transit Lounge is located at the back of the McDonald's in Terminal 3 where people will never stumble into it by accident. My friend immediately alerted me when they announced last July 7 that they have reopened. I sent them an email asking for a reservation but they said that they didn't accept senior citizens which I found really odd. I mean sure they are vulnerable and all that but I really didn't think the answer was barring them entry from all establishments. I mean it's like cutting off your hands if you think masturbation was bad and you couldn't stop doing it. Anyway, I explained the situation to them, that my mother was a LSI (locally stranded individual) and was in Manila in transit to Pagadian city since her doctor advised her against taking long road trips and buses weren't operational. Finally, they agreed.

I'm not sure if these rates are temporary but currently it is at 2,000 pesos for a 24-hour stay in a room with a bunk bed and 1,500 pesos in a capsule room. These rates come with free luggage storage, free toiletries, free finger foods and drinks as well as free wireless internet. The Wings Transit Lounge is equipped with a business center, a massage room, a washroom, a spa and a shower area.

While the facilities aren't very modern, they make up for it by providing excellent service to the guests. But I believe that the biggest draw to this establishment is their location which allows you to hop on a plane by simply going downstairs. If you have an early morning flight like my mom, staying at The Wings Transit Lounge will allow you to check in an hour before your boarding time, have a quick breakfast, and then get on the plane. At their current rates, it's definitely worth every peso.

On the way home, the Grab driver sold me some milk candies. He said that he wasn't earning enough since there were no tourists, students, and office workers. I have always followed John Mangun's articles in Business Mirror and he is very optimistic about the country's economy but his last article was an exception. I don't know if we should be worried but he said that one way to counter the worsening effects of the pandemic to the economy is to make sure that we BUY LOCAL.