CAGAYAN de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez has filed a resolution seeking the suspension of the congressional franchise granted to Cebu Pacific airline for what he called is its “terrible” service to the public.
“Passengers of Cebu Pacific experience flight delays and cancellations, and to make matters worse, their customer service is also unreliable with passengers complaining that Cebu Pacific does not provide immediate assistance or support regarding their concerns despite seeking help from the airline’s customer service hotlines and in-person help desks,” the lawmaker said in the still unnumbered resolution.
Rodriguez said that while the principal reason for granting a legislative franchise to a private company “is for the benefit of the public,” Cebu Pacific “has a history of unsatisfactory service to the public.”
In a statement, Cebu Pacific said: “We are aware of the congressional resolutions which have been filed at the House of Representatives. Following the recent Senate hearing, we have taken serious note of the issues raised therein and are currently in the process of implementing various measures in support of our passengers.”
“We look forward to sharing these to our lawmakers in the spirit of cooperation and collaboration so that the industry can continue to contribute its share to the overall effort in accelerating tourism and economic growth in our country. We remain committed to provide access to safe, affordable and reliable flights to all our passengers,” it added.
During last week’s Senate hearing, CebPac executives pointed to engine and supply chain issues that held up the global aviation industry for its numerous flight disruptions which have been the subject of passenger complaints in recent months.
In his resolution, Rodriguez cited the complaints of some passengers during the hearing of the Senate Committee on Tourism, with one recounting how bad they were treated by the airline on their return flight to Manila from Tokyo on June 5 when their flight was delayed due to “noise problems from the aircraft’s engine.”
The passenger claimed that they were given different reasons for the delay, and they were left without food and any commitment for accommodation while waiting for their flight, forcing them to sleep on the floor of the Narita International Airport in Japan.
Another passenger had told senators that she nearly missed her dentistry board exam when her flight from Dumaguete City to Manila on May 1 was moved four days later.
This same passenger also said she was surprised to learn that her aunt, who was in Australia, was able to buy a ticket, which cost more than P10,000, on the morning of May 2.
Rodriguez said this is proof that seats are available to highest paying customers even though there are a lot of passengers bumped off by delayed flights waiting.
He said other complaints include changing flights of passengers who have already checked in, problems accessing customer service when claiming for refunds, changing flight details of passengers who only check how much rebooking a flight would cost, rude ground personnel, and inadequate or even lack of compensation for inconvenienced passengers.
The lawmaker also cited the grievances of his own constituents in Cagayan de Oro City, including members of the Waga family, who were booked on a flight from Cagayan de Oro to Manila last May 25 at around 6 a.m. He said the family’s flight was cancelled without explanation which forced them to rebook on their own.
