Lost Filipino tourist heads to airport, only place he knows in Hanoi

On Jan. 2 Junnie Reyes, 64, became separated from his tour group near Hoan Kiem Lake, and, unable to remember the name of his hotel, went to the only place he could recall, according to the airport’s official website.

He got dropped off at Terminal 2.

He had no phone or identification and was carrying less than VND200,000 (US$7.61).

Due to the language barrier, he was unable to find immediate assistance and spent the night at the airport.

On the morning of Jan. 3 Minh, a student at the Hanoi University of Foreign Languages who is interning as a customer care ambassador at the terminal, noticed Reyes’s confusion and escorted him to the information counter on the first floor.

Since Reyes was exhausted and unable to communicate fluently, staff used pen and paper, gestures and translation tools to assist him.

Airport staff then contacted the airport’s security and border police, who, after checking immigration records, identified the Bonsella Hotel on Bao Khanh Street in Hoan Kiem Ward as the place his group was staying.

They contacted the hotel, and Reyes’s relatives said they had been searching for him for more than a day.

After eating dinner on Jan. 2, Reyes went out for coffee without his phone or hotel key card, when he got lost.

Following his safe return, tour leader Grace Chang sent a letter of thanks on behalf of Reyes to Noi Bai Airport, expressing appreciation for the support provided by its staff and the police.

"Our holiday in Hanoi was very memorable. We were truly impressed by the kindness, helpfulness, compassion, and hospitality of the airport staff," she wrote.