Today is the start of my first foreign assignment for Asahi Shimbun. I’ll be boarding a plane going to Singapore to cover the 41st ASEAN Ministerial Meeting and related events there.

But before anything else, some observations on our Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1:

1. It is really too old.

2. Long lines everywhere a traveler has to go: Long lines at the check-in counters. Long lines at the counter for paying the P750 terminal fee (for what? for standing in long lines?). Long lines at the immigration counter. Insert also the lines at the security checks.

3. The system seems to be too inefficient for an international airport.

Anyway, it is really a pity!