Coffee kills Mactan Airport scanner

14 January 2010 9 Comments

Departing passengers at the Mactan airport have to resort to have their hand carried baggages manually checked=Just a few days before the much awaited, grandest of all Cebu’s and one of the country’s biggest event, the Sinulog, departing passengers who have hand carried baggages at the Mactan International Airport, domestic departure waiting lounges have to open their bags for manual inspection. All because of a passenger’s coffee.

As one airport personnel told me, at around 4AM yesterday, 13 January, a passenger placed his/her coffee inside a paper bag and placed it inside the scanner. It got spilt and short circuited the mother board of the equipment and is now non functional. They got the personal details of the offending passenger and he/she might be charged for the damage.

This is a big time problem for such a critical week. If the scanner won’t be repaired on time, this will be a big headache for departing passengers especially after the Sinulog this Sunday. It is really advisable to be early at the airport.



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Estan Cabigas is a multiawarded blogger, freelance photographer and writer based in Makati City, the Philippines. A true blue Cebuano, he makes stunning images and meaningful photo stories. He has contributed to local and international publications including CNN Go, National Geographic Magazine, Geo (Germany), Sunday Times Magazine (London) and other publications.

To know more about him and his photography, visit estancabigas.com.

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  • http://www.habagatcentral.com Berniemack

    Geez, can’t he/she just leave her coffee? Or she could have just carried it…and wait, I think upon final check-in, you’re not even allowed to bring any liquid inside the airport except when purchased inside the pre-departure area…

  • http://langyaw.com estan

    bai, the liquid ban has been relaxed na man guro. i haven’t had problems before pud.

  • queeniebee

    Hi Estan, What a bummer! What nimrod would do a stupid thing like that? I wonder how much it will cost to repair it? Ouch!

  • http://langyaw.com estan

    queeniebee, it’s indeed a bummer and with the motherboard damaged, that might cost a lot! enjoy the sinulog :)

  • http://soloflighted.com Ed

    Good luck to the person. Aside from the embarrassment, the costs… the costs.

  • http://my_sarisari_store.typepad.com/ Sidney

    Do they have free Wi-Fee with the coffee at the airport of Cebu ? ;-)

    Anyway…I can imagine that some people think their coffee need to be X-rayed… the safety policy in the airports are getting so silly and crazy that I guess some people are confused about what to do…

    I am sure I would not pay for the damage if there was no signboard telling me not to put my coffee in the scanner… :-)
    I might even sue the airport for spilling my coffee…

    Looks like a nice case for lawyers ! :-)

  • http://my_sarisari_store.typepad.com/ Sidney

    Sorry..typo…WI-FI

  • http://langyaw.com estan

    sidney, you also have a point. there is free wifi at the cebu airport but one passenger complained that he can’t connect :)

  • http://traveleronfoot.wordpress.com/ Traveler on Foot

    Yup Sidney, there’s no wifi connection actually. Thrice that I was in the airport but was not able to get a connection.

    There is an internet kiosk though available but you have to wait in line and be considerate with those behind in line. So sandali lang ang gamit.
    ____

    that problem with the scanner will make a lot passengers frustrated. Thanks for the tip Estan. Need to inform my wifie about it to set her expectations so she can prepare early for her flight.