SOON, we won’t have to prowl the pre-departure area at the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA), ready to pounce into a power outlet as soon as it is left vacant by a passenger. The airport will be adding charging stations to help power-hungry passengers keep our gadgets running.
That was among the developments announced during a users’ forum last week at the MCIA.
The airport will also soon have improved free Wi-Fi coverage with speeds of at least 20 mbps, with the option to pay for higher speeds and the ability to download large files.
The airport also got its first delivery last week of new seats, which are more comfortable and suitable for high-traffic facilities like airports compared with the existing chairs, said GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. chief executive adviser Andrew Acquaah-Harrison.
Harrison and the GMR-Megawide team hosted a users’ forum last week to listen to suggestions by various airport users on how they could improve the facility. There were representatives for persons with disabilities, older people, airlines, frequent flyers, and parents. I was part of the geek contingent, invited because of our startup’s work on digital tourism.
Harrison talked about the changes they have done so far at the airport, all aimed at improving the travel experience of passengers. They’ve re-configured and centralized the security checks, for example, to address congestion.
He also talked about upcoming changes: from improving the check-in counters, making toilets bigger, enhancing the public address system, opening of more food outlets like that of Jollibee, to the building of an 800-slot multi-level car park. He also said tables for food concessionaires would be standardized and potable water made available to passengers. Harrison then presented the plans for what has been described as the world’s first “airport resort.”
It’s refreshing to see a company like GMR-Megawide listen to its stakeholders on how they can make their facilities better. It’s also enlightening. The representatives for people with disabilities and senior citizens, for example, detailed how the facility can be made friendlier to its users, especially to those in their sectors. They pointed out that building standards set by Philippine laws are already outdated.
My interest, meanwhile, was on two things critical for today’s mobile worker: more power outlets and improved Internet connectivity. I suggested that apart from making sure the free Wi-Fi is working and fast, the airport also work with telcos to amplify their mobile Internet signal inside the facility. Many travelers prefer to use their own mobile Internet plans as public Wi-Fi can be insecure with today’s widely available tools for packet-sniffing.
One can feel palpable excitement when listening to plans for the Mactan airport. Apart from being a landmark, the new facility will boost Cebu as an important business and investment destination in this part of the world.
(max@limpag.com)
(Note: What is packet sniffing? Adrian Hannah of LinuxJournal.com defines packet sniffing or packet analysis as “the process of capturing any data passed over the local network and looking for any information that may be useful.” It was designed as a network tool to detect intrusions and troubleshoot problems like sluggish speeds, but “that didn’t stop people from finding more creative ways to use these tools.”)