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PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (Contributed by Peter)
"Stymied by interminable delays in internal connecting flights the family (fretting wife, two wide-eyed youngsters) and I spent several hours in what has to be the least sanitary and most unsavoury terminal one could ever have the misfortune to be "holed up" in (this is the only expression that really fits)!

Here's some sense of what we faced: no air-conditioning (in the world's hottest capital), no food outlet, no running water, blocked toilets, carpeting that was bedraggled and flea-ridden, very smelly in-transit customers (us included), non-existent passenger support/information services, a pack of "predators" stationed right outside the terminal waiting to fleece, rob or murder the uninitiated and/or unsuspected tourist/business traveller.

And this all within the context of an uncertain onward journey - Air Nuginea could not/would not confirm future arrivals or departures ("we don't know anything about your flight").

Post-script: In several subsequent stays at Jackson's (solo travelling - family still too frightened to return) I have noticed some improvement in customer focus but new facilities (around 2000) have quickly deteriorated. They reflect a lot of what is wrong with PNG - lack of management and administration systems, lack of training - but worst of all - lack of pride in built resources." Added 22 May 06

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