Returning from an overseas trip earlier this month, I traveled on the 7pm ferry from the Hong Kong airport to the new Pac On ferry terminal in Taipa. I got off the ferry with eager anticipation – what would this behemoth of a building, which has taken over 10 years to build, be like?
Certainly the ‘gangway’ that we walked out onto had a fresh new blue floor paint, but after a few steps this then made way to concrete with crudely installed floor uplights running on the edges either side of the walkway. “It’s early days”, I found myself thinking, the place has only been open since the start of the month. And unlike the temporary ferry pier where one had to walk several hundred meters and would get wet if it rained, this was just a matter of a few feet – a big improvement!
Into the cool of the main building, past well-located toilets and small waiting area, following the crowds and the excellent clear signage (in Chinese, Portuguese and unusually for Macau, in English too), and into the immigration hall where one is faced with a vast bank of check points, I think I counted at least 15. But only two were in operation, one for Residents, the other, with a good 60 people in line, for visitors. Lady immigration officer was smartly dressed, and pleasant in manner.
Through then into the baggage reclaim point – two airport style baggage carousels. After 25 minutes the cases started to arrive. Hmm, longer than it would usually take to get bags off a plane, I thought, but hey, give the staff the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps they’re just getting used to the technology.
Speaking of technology – a large screen in the centre of both carousels sadly announced that ‘a problem has been detected and Windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer’.
Heavens. Surely this should have been sorted out by now by the carousel manufacturers? There’s only two of them, how difficult could it be to get the screens synchronized with a computer that simply says the ferry number and embarkation point?
We look around for a luggage trolley; follow the signs with big arrows, but alas, no trolleys. Not a single one. Come ON! A less-than-a-minute Google and one can find airport luggage trolley carts for sale, HK$1,300 each (and much cheaper I’m sure for a large order), with delivery promised within 25 days. Even if one wanted to customize them with a Macau or ferry terminal logo, surely someone, somewhere, responsible for the operations of this new terminal, would have thought to place an order for trolleys a few months ago in anticipation of opening day? Or brought over the handful from the old terminal. So I watched a large group of Indian visitors with young children stumbling and struggling with all their bags out through customs. Welcome to Macau!
Not a single staff member checking at customs. Only a rather scrawny-looking black Labrador – a drug sniffer I supposed – hovering in the background, patiently pacing up and down with his owner, going nowhere near many cases.
Then the taxi queue, with a good 20 people waiting, dripping in the evening humidity and heat. With such a state-of-the-art design and so long to plan and build this terminal, did no one think of providing an air-conditioned taxi waiting area? Goodness knows where the bus pick up point was – further than the eye could see; I thought again of the Indians and all the other poor souls with heavy cases and no trolleys.
I’m a strong believer in giving credit where credit’s due. I’m also a believer in pointing out where things can be improved. There’s no doubt that the Pac On terminal is an impressive piece of construction and the Macau government is to be congratulated in seeing it through, finally, to completion. But if the 18 berths are supposed to move over 400,000 passengers a day, the ops people need to get their act together, and soon, if we are to present an efficient, welcoming first impression to our visitors.
