Rogue Airports of SOUTH EAST ASIA

I had a nasty experience with the United States immigration officials at Los Angeles airport during the height of the American war on terror. I was stopped and questioned for more than 2 hours. I asked the person who took my photo, told me to smile and finger printed my 2 thumbs “Why me?” The officer answered matter-of-factly, “You are a Moslem and you come from a Moslem country.” They gave me an SN number on my multiple entry visas. It means that I will be subject to the same 2 hour welcoming reception that I went through every time I come to the United States. That would be my last trip to the "land of the brave & home of the free".
LA Airport, officials treat Muslims like terrorist suspects

In South East Asia, the brushes with airport officials came in different contexts. At least here they don’t discriminate you for your religious beliefs. Instead, you are treated like a visitor, with a lot of loose changes. The airport officials welcome you with open arms and open palms.

Polonia Airport in Medan, Indonesia is top of my rogue airport list. I had been to Medan on many business trips and weekend golf escapades. Medan is ideal destination for Malaysians given the short flight time, favourable exchange rate and same language. However, the officials at the airport including porters, airport workers and drivers were truly out to make some quick bucks. The immigration officers normally would hit visitors on return flight.

On one of my trips, an officer pulled me into a room just to ask me to leave any leftover Rupiah that I had. He was about to stamp on my passport, looked as if something was amiss and ordered me to follow him into a room. He only let me go when I pretended to call the Malaysian Consulate. Once, I parted with a few hundred bucks just to enable my already properly documented maid to board the plane. The harassment went all the way to the boarding hall until I told them that I only had enough money left to pay for my taxi from KLIA to my house.

The “daylight robbery” started the moment you walked into the airport. I remember on another trip I was carrying a golf bag in one hand and a luggage in another. I held the air ticket dangling from my mouth walking towards the check in counter. I wanted to make doubly sure that no porter or tout would grab my bags and demand for payment later. Instead, one guy just snatched the ticket from my mouth and went on to check in for me. He charged me Rp25,000 (about RM10) for his efforts.

The immigration officials at Soekarno Hatta Airport in Jakarta had a different thought. On my most recent trip to Jakarta, the officer queried whether I had any “oleh-oleh” (gift) for him. I pretended not to understand him and told him that I would definitely get some “oleh-oleh” on my way back. Then he started to find fault and asked for my return ticket. My traveling companion kept the one page Air Asia print out with all our names on it. After seeing this, he became direct and asked for some Rupiah.

During an earlier trip to Jakarta, one porter grabbed one of our golf bags as it was coming out from the scanning machine near the exit door. We had no choice but to let him carry to the waiting transport about 20 feet away. I gave him Rp5,000 (about RM2). He just flashed the money into my face and asked “Apa ini?” (What is this?), referring to the tip as meager and miserable. In Thailand, I would get a big, grateful “wai” and “kop kun kap” for that amount. Not wanting to create a scene, I paid him more for the task I didn’t request.

Surabaya’s Airport officials were equally mischievous. A returning maid told me of how the officials “detained” a bunch of Tenaga Kerja Indonesia (Indonesians working in Malaysia) including herself until almost midnight just because they refused to pay Rp100, 000 (RM40) each.

Surabaya Airport

I would rank Bandung and Bali as the best Indonesian airports when it comes to not getting fleeced. When we were at Bali’s Airport, I told my family members to hold tight to our luggages. The porters were polite enough to ask whether we needed any help with our bags. The aggressiveness found in Medan, Jakarta and Surabaya were conspicuously absent. The Balinese were more polite. My tourist guide told me that Bali was heavily dependent on tourists’ dollars; they would not do anything to jeopardize that.

The officials at Diosdado Macapagal Airport in the Philippines were equally mischievous. The former American Clarks Airbase was converted into low cost carrier terminal for visitors to Manila and the Philippines. Air Asia and Tiger Air fly to the airports regularly bringing an influx of Malaysian and Singaporean tourists as well as returning Filipino workers.

Clarks Airport, the Philippines

The modus operandi has been the same during my last two trips to the Philippines. On my return flight after formalizing immigration’s procedure, we had to go through final security check. Somehow the security scanning machines would not be in working order. The officials had to go through our bags. Anything of interest would be demanded as souvenirs. Once I had to part with my only Saigon Hard Rock Café cap to get away from the check point. On another occasion, the officials managed to frisk out the leftover Pesos I was carrying. They bluntly asked for some. I refused to hand over my money, PhP9,000 is still quite an amount to me. They even asked me to buy them liquor from the duty free shop.

I had been to other friendlier airports in the region. Bangkok is still the best in terms of welcoming tourists. I am not sure about KLIA. As a returning citizen, I am always proud to be greeted by our ultra modern airport and hassle free immigration and custom checks.