When their time in Egypt ended, Pati and Bebee found themselves exiting the shuttle bus between terminals at the Cairo airport. The bus also seems to make various unrelated stops in Cairo but eventually arrived at the international departures terminal. When they got off the bus, Beebee pointed to a sign about 100 feet away that said "International Check-In" and said "I think that's it." At that instant two porters appeared and seized their bags. Since they were used to overly agressive providers of service they went along with it. Egypt is on hard times and they assumed the porters really needed to earn a couple bucks.
The lead porter, who had an official airport uniform on, said "Where are you going?" Pati answered "Etihad international departures." The porter said "Show me your ticket!" that seemed odd but there was a paper sign on the door of the airport stating an admission fee (Pati and Beebee were never charged) so a lot of things seemed odd.
Pati and Beebee produced the ticket and the lead porter said "You are going the wrong way." He and the assistant porter began a rapid retreat with Pati and Beebee's luggage. Pati and Bebee scrambled to follow. They went past dozens of domestic check in gates and turned up a long hallway that didn't lead anywhere.
The lead porter said "Give me you ticket!" Pati said "What?" The porter said "Give me you ticket, I check . You wait here." Pati and Beebee produced the ticket and waited with the assistant porter as the lead porter scampered down the hallway.
When the lead returned he said "Are you in a group?" Pati and Beebee thought this an odd question but answered "No." He said "This way for groups and the line is very long." The long hallway was empty except for Pati, Beebee, and their two porters.
The lead porter said "There is another way with no line but it will cost you twenty." Pati said "Twenty what?" The lead porter answered "Twenty." Pati said "Twenty Egyptian or twenty American?" The porter replied "Twenty." His ability to speak English seemed to have vanished.
Pati had already tipped the porter so he assumed the twenty was some sort of airport fee. He had been to Orlando so he knew any sort of fee was possible. Pati did not have twenty Egyptian (about 60 cents) so he held up twenty American and said "Is this ..." Before he got to say " it," the lead porter ripped the bill from hand and started a rapid retreat. The lead porter had a luggage cart with half the luggage and the second porter was about 50 feet ahead carrying two bags in a near trot. Pati stayed with the lead porter and Beebee trotted after his assistant since she is fond of our luggage.
As they jogged along, the lead porter said "You tip my friend!" Pati said that he had already given the tip for the luggage. He said "You are rich, I am poor, you tip my friend. Obama good." Since they had been so helpful, Pati tipped his friend using Pati's last 50 Egyptian pounds.
When they reached a door with a conveyor belt sticking out of it, the porters literally threw the luggage on the belt and literally ran from sight, probably off to help another traveler.
Pati and Beebee went through the door. Beebee said "This is where we were going in the first place." The line was long and the service proceeded at a glacial pace. Pati said "Do you think we were scammed?" Beebee gave Pati one of her very long looks.
Later, Pati and Beebee wanted a snack. Pati asked if they took Visa or dollars. They said "No, only Egyptian pounds." Since his Egyptian pounds were in the second porter's pocket, he became very angry. As he left without a snack, he saw a sign that said "Public Relations." He went to the desk and said "How can you expect tourists to come to this country if they can't even walk through an airport without being scammed?" Then he described what had happened. They looked at him as if he were the dumbest man in Egypt since Pharoh Akhenaten (Pati thought that too).
Then things got interesting. The man at the public relations counter said "We want tourists to come to Egypt and this should never have happened. Will you help us find this porter?" Since Pati and Beebee still had two hours before their flight, Pati said he would help. The man asked Pati for a description of the porter. Pati, always aware of his surroundings, said "He may have been Egyptian and he wore some kind of uniform." The man behind the desk asked for Beebee to come over and confirm these details.
The man behind the desk then made a call and eight policemen in street clothes, a detective, and a mid-level military officer arrived. They took Pati and Beebee back to the place where they met the porter and started showing Pati and Beebee employees in the various uniforms used at the airport. Pati identified the uniform. Then the officers started bringing individual employees saying "Is this the one?" Pati thought he recognized one but it turned out to be Beebee. Then they brought an employee and Beebee said "That is him!" Every one said "Are you sure?" She said she was. Even though Pati suspected that she might be trying to shift suspicion from herself, he didn't say anything. The police searched the man and found Pati's twenty and the original tip. The police had Pati sign a complaint written in Arabic and gave him back the twenty plus the tip. Pati said he didn't need the tip back but the police said if he didn't take it the porter would go to jail. Pati took the money.
There are good Egyptians and bad Egyptians just like there are good people and bad people everywhere. The good Egyptians want to help and definitely want tourists. They deserve them! The bad ones had better watch their annual performance reviews.
The lead porter, who had an official airport uniform on, said "Where are you going?" Pati answered "Etihad international departures." The porter said "Show me your ticket!" that seemed odd but there was a paper sign on the door of the airport stating an admission fee (Pati and Beebee were never charged) so a lot of things seemed odd.
Pati and Beebee produced the ticket and the lead porter said "You are going the wrong way." He and the assistant porter began a rapid retreat with Pati and Beebee's luggage. Pati and Bebee scrambled to follow. They went past dozens of domestic check in gates and turned up a long hallway that didn't lead anywhere.
The lead porter said "Give me you ticket!" Pati said "What?" The porter said "Give me you ticket, I check . You wait here." Pati and Beebee produced the ticket and waited with the assistant porter as the lead porter scampered down the hallway.
When the lead returned he said "Are you in a group?" Pati and Beebee thought this an odd question but answered "No." He said "This way for groups and the line is very long." The long hallway was empty except for Pati, Beebee, and their two porters.
The lead porter said "There is another way with no line but it will cost you twenty." Pati said "Twenty what?" The lead porter answered "Twenty." Pati said "Twenty Egyptian or twenty American?" The porter replied "Twenty." His ability to speak English seemed to have vanished.
Pati had already tipped the porter so he assumed the twenty was some sort of airport fee. He had been to Orlando so he knew any sort of fee was possible. Pati did not have twenty Egyptian (about 60 cents) so he held up twenty American and said "Is this ..." Before he got to say " it," the lead porter ripped the bill from hand and started a rapid retreat. The lead porter had a luggage cart with half the luggage and the second porter was about 50 feet ahead carrying two bags in a near trot. Pati stayed with the lead porter and Beebee trotted after his assistant since she is fond of our luggage.
As they jogged along, the lead porter said "You tip my friend!" Pati said that he had already given the tip for the luggage. He said "You are rich, I am poor, you tip my friend. Obama good." Since they had been so helpful, Pati tipped his friend using Pati's last 50 Egyptian pounds.
When they reached a door with a conveyor belt sticking out of it, the porters literally threw the luggage on the belt and literally ran from sight, probably off to help another traveler.
Pati and Beebee went through the door. Beebee said "This is where we were going in the first place." The line was long and the service proceeded at a glacial pace. Pati said "Do you think we were scammed?" Beebee gave Pati one of her very long looks.
Later, Pati and Beebee wanted a snack. Pati asked if they took Visa or dollars. They said "No, only Egyptian pounds." Since his Egyptian pounds were in the second porter's pocket, he became very angry. As he left without a snack, he saw a sign that said "Public Relations." He went to the desk and said "How can you expect tourists to come to this country if they can't even walk through an airport without being scammed?" Then he described what had happened. They looked at him as if he were the dumbest man in Egypt since Pharoh Akhenaten (Pati thought that too).
Then things got interesting. The man at the public relations counter said "We want tourists to come to Egypt and this should never have happened. Will you help us find this porter?" Since Pati and Beebee still had two hours before their flight, Pati said he would help. The man asked Pati for a description of the porter. Pati, always aware of his surroundings, said "He may have been Egyptian and he wore some kind of uniform." The man behind the desk asked for Beebee to come over and confirm these details.
The man behind the desk then made a call and eight policemen in street clothes, a detective, and a mid-level military officer arrived. They took Pati and Beebee back to the place where they met the porter and started showing Pati and Beebee employees in the various uniforms used at the airport. Pati identified the uniform. Then the officers started bringing individual employees saying "Is this the one?" Pati thought he recognized one but it turned out to be Beebee. Then they brought an employee and Beebee said "That is him!" Every one said "Are you sure?" She said she was. Even though Pati suspected that she might be trying to shift suspicion from herself, he didn't say anything. The police searched the man and found Pati's twenty and the original tip. The police had Pati sign a complaint written in Arabic and gave him back the twenty plus the tip. Pati said he didn't need the tip back but the police said if he didn't take it the porter would go to jail. Pati took the money.
There are good Egyptians and bad Egyptians just like there are good people and bad people everywhere. The good Egyptians want to help and definitely want tourists. They deserve them! The bad ones had better watch their annual performance reviews.
Posted with Blogsy
I can't believe you got your money back!! Were you able to get your snack then? :)
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