I’m live-blogging my SAS EuroBonus SkyTeam Million Mile challenge this week. Click here for background and route information.
While the transit was rather rough in Jakarta, it was easy enough in Xiamen, China, though a great reminder that “Big Brother” is always watching.
Xiamen Transit Was Thankfully Easy
I find the transit procedure in Mainland China is relatively straightforward…and I am grateful for that (I wish the USA made it so easy…).
As we stepped off the plane, we simply followed the transit signs to an area that appeared staffed by Xiamen Airlines workers rather than government employees (they were dressed in civilian clothes and wore Xiamen Airlines lanyards). Our photos were taken, passports scanned, tickets verified, and soon we were on our way through a security checkpoint.
I could not help but notice the cameras everywhere…all over the ceilings…all different types of cameras. Different government ministries having their own feed?
But not to make this a US versus China reflection, but of course, the same is true at US immigration checkpoints as well…
After clearing security we proceeded to the Xiamen lounge closest to our gate. While not fancy, the lounge was clean and offered a decent selection of food (mostly Chinese…no eggs…but some cereal and pastries as well). I did not eat or drink anything, but Augustine enjoyed a bowl of sugar cereal and a cappuccino (I don’t want to stunt his growth, but I do let him sip my coffee from time to time).
I chose not to connect to the internet in the lounge or even open my laptop, not because I am hiding state secrets on my computer but becasue I do not appreciate that even in the lounge, you have to scan your passport or have a Mainland telephone number to receive an internet login code that can be linked directly to you.
No thanks.
(again, oh how we delude ourselves to think it is different anywhere else…)
Soon enough, we were onboard our flight to Taipei.
Can you say that Augustine has been to china now?
Those brown chairs look like something that went out of style in the 1980s. Ditto with a lot of the chairs in the old China Eastern lounge at PVG.
The immigration procedure you went through was actually an entry and exit combined check delegated by the government to airline personnel and an automated computer system, with visa requirements waived for short transit.