I checked out of my hotel at 8am and was in a taxi at 8:15. I wanted to be sure I was there with time to spare so I could have a coffee and something to eat. The taxi arrived at the airport a little after 8:30, they are supposed to open the counter for check in 2 hours before the flight. The flight was scheduled to depart at 10:55 and arrive in Ho Chi Minh City at noon. I had scheduled the departing flight to Da Nang for 1:45 to arrive at 3:10.
So after arriving at the Phu Quoc airport, I had about 20 minutes until I could check in and check my bag. Went and got a coffee and a muffin. finished before 8:50, then walked the short distance (small airport) to the check-in counter while they were still checking in passengers for a Hanoi flight. 8:55 came and went, signs didn't change to HCMC until 9:15. stepped to the counter and got my seat assignment and checked my bag, good, I got an aisle seat row 11. You couldn't check in online for this airport, which is when you normally choose from the unselected seats available, but row11 aisle is good!
Like I said small airport, six gates I think. Still had plenty of time so I bought a beer before going through security and wandered around outside for a while. went through security about 10 with boarding supposed to begin at 10:35. We didn't board till 11:10, and left the ground at 11:30, I'm beginning to get nervous about the Da Nang flight. Luckily the pilot made up some time in the air (pedal to the medal I guess) and we exited the plane at 12:15 I was feeling better.
Unfortunately, the luggage didn't hit the belt till about 12:40, I'm starting to sweat again! got to the check-in counter line in about 10 minutes (12:50), cleared check-in in 15 minutes (1:05), boarding pass says boarding at 1:25 so I feel better until I see the queue for security. All the zig-zag lines are full and the line to get in it is almost out the door. below is me in the line looking first left, then right.
Not looking good! By the time I arrived at the security checkpoint my plane should have been boarding, there are no bins to put your stuff in before it goes thru the x-ray machine, people are scrambling and trying to find bins to get through security and to their gate. I find a bin, throw all my stuff in it, and walk through whatever the contraption is to see if there is any metal on you. Well, I just so happen to have my ATM card in a tiny RFID blocking pouch on the inside of my shorts. The guard is wanding me to find the metal (the clip on the pouch). He is patting me down so I just figure I'll pull out the pouch and show him what he's looking for. He say's "put in machine". I'm holding up the line, there are no bins, and I just put it on the belt to go through the x-ray machine. I go back through the "scanner" and start collecting my stuff in the bins. Totally forgot about the ATM card in the pouch in my rush to get to the gate. Get to the gate and there is a line, but not boarding, I'm standing in line for 15 minutes before the sign changes from 1:45 departure to 2:45 departure. All that stress and a lost ATM card, and the flight is delayed an hour! I didn't even think about the ATM card until I got to the Hotel and started to organize my stuff, then I remembered exactly where I and the card parted.
I think the moral of this story is don't travel during the holidays.
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