🚫 Note to fellow travelers: Avoid transferring through Xiamen Airport at all costs—I mean it.

It was 10 pm in Manila when I reached the hotel near the airport. As evident in the picture, I look utterly exhausted right now.

Initially, I anticipated a stressful 11-hour layover in Manila, but the reality was quite the opposite. The real nightmare unfolded during the stopover in Xiamen.

Xiamen Airport proved to be utterly unfriendly to passengers and horrendously disorganized. The security and customs procedures were painfully slow and seemed unnecessary for transferring passengers like myself.

I found myself queuing for over an hour into Xiamen, only to check in again with the same Xiamen Airlines for my connecting flight to Manila. No time to relax in an airport lounge, which, by the way, was nowhere to be found.

The bureaucratic hurdles included arrival and departure card processes, hand luggage security checks three times over, and a lack of clear signs and directions.

Even my attempt to enjoy a bowl of noodle soup hit a roadblock—only Chinese cashless payment systems were accepted. The alternative was exchanging money at a counter with invisible exchange rates, a move that put me off altogether.

Now, typing this post in a Manila hotel, the 11-hour wait here is a huge relief. The Manila Airport staff is incredibly passenger-friendly, directing arrivals professionally. Grab taxi chauffeurs ensure a smooth transition to the hotel, and the customer-friendly hotel staff speaks English fluently, offering assistance seamlessly.

The contrast between Xiamen Airport and Manila Airport is staggering.

An odd incident in Xiamen involved multiple customs staff questioning my Chinese name, scrutinizing my Swiss passport for extended periods, and repeatedly scanning it. While I understand my 50% South Chinese genes may prompt conversations in Mandarin, my passport accurately reflects my name and nationality. The repeated inquiries felt uncomfortable, but I maintained my composure.

In a few hours, I’ll be off again to Manila Airport, checking in my luggage and finally flying to Nagoya Chubu Centrair—back to my beloved Japan, the epitome of a civilized and organized world.

#TravelNightmare #XiamenAirportExperience #AirportHorrorStory #PassengerExperience #CustomerServiceFail #ManilaAirportRelief #TravelStories #AirlineExperience