Travel woes of elderly too much even for able-bodied

Last Aug. 30, my husband and I took a plane from Iloilo for Manila at 10:20 a.m. Our hand-carried items included a 7-kg cabin trolley, my handbag and my husband’s attaché case.

The flight was called for boarding at 9:30 a.m. As we were moving toward the tube, we were told to go down the stairs. My left arm was in a cast on a sling, so my husband, who is 80 years old, had to carry all the bags down the stairs, while I, 71 years of age, held tight to the steel banister with my left hand for fear of another fall. On the ground we walked some distance toward the waiting Cebu Pacific plane.

With so much effort, we managed to get to our seats panting, so we asked for a glass of water. But lo and behold, water, which was not even cold, was for sale for P50 per bottle.

Upon arrival at Naia 3, my poor husband had to struggle down the stairs again, with the bags and trolley, after which we had to walk some 500 meters toward the Naia 3 Terminal, under the noonday sun.

At the Naia 3 Terminal, all escalators were out of order. Again we laboriously climbed the stairs, hand-carried luggage and all. The walkalators within the airport were also out of order.

What happened to the tubes which are supposed to be a passenger’s gateway from the terminal to the plane and vice versa? Did they all conk out too?

Even able-bodied person would find domestic travel an ordeal.

—EVA S. DE VEGA,

29 Sunrise St., Rimview Park,

Marikina City 1811