MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Senator Nancy Binay is eyeing a Senate probe on recent reports of overbooking, offloading, and online booking glitches by a local carrier, citing a 鈥渟tring of complaints鈥� from passengers reaching her office.
The head of the Senate committee on tourism also suggested a possible ban on overbooking during peak travel seasons.
READ:
Binay said she plans to file a resolution calling for a full inquiry on Cebu Pacific after passengers shared their bad experiences of being offloaded without any verifiable cause or valid reason.
鈥淔or a family with kids in tow who have a confirmed booking; who are already at the airport at least four hours ahead of time; giving up sleep; negotiating the traffic; and enduring the long queues, only to be denied boarding and sent back home鈥攖hat, for me, is unacceptable,鈥� the senator said in a statement on Tuesday.
The government, she said, should 鈥渟tep in鈥� to ensure transparency in the practice of overbooking by airlines and the strict implementation of the Air Passenger Bill of Rights.
Binay pointed out that while air carriers are allowed to overbook certain flights as provided for under the Air Passenger Bill of Rights, it also states that offloading should be done voluntarily.
The senator also cited a joint administrative order where an air carrier is mandated to announce if a flight is overbooked and that it is looking for volunteers willing to give up their seats in exchange for air carrier compensation.
鈥淪a dami ng mga reklamo ng mga pasahero, maiisip mo agad na parang napaka-hassle mag-travel sa Pilipinas lalung-lalo na kapag peak seasons,鈥� Binay lamented.
鈥淪iguro, during peak periods like Holy Week, Christmas season, and during summer, we can implement a ban on overbooking in domestic and international flights鈥攁nd should there be 鈥榥o-show鈥� passengers鈥攁irlines can be transparent and offer the available seats to 鈥榗hance passengers鈥� just like the usual practice,鈥� she then said.
鈥淲e have to uphold public convenience and service,鈥� she stressed.
Also noting what she described as 鈥減revailing public outrage against Cebu Pacific,鈥� Binay said there is a need to check if local airlines observe the 5% allowable overbooking set by the Civil Aeronautics Board.
Binay further lamented that this issue of overbooking and offloading has always been a 鈥渘ever-ending talking point with Cebu Pacific, not to mention the online booking nightmares and a number of very public meltdowns under its wings.鈥�
鈥淭ravelling in the Philippines has become incredibly frustrating. It鈥檚 no longer a pleasant experience. Sobrang dami na actually ng mga issue sa atin dito sa Pilipinas which have not only inconvenienced local and foreign passengers but have also drove away tourists. Any bad experience just wipes out the nice memories of a good holiday and a great time in the Philippines,鈥� she said.
鈥淲e understand what budget traveling is like, and the promos that go with it. Whether or not you paid 鈥榩iso鈥� or the regular fare, it鈥檚 not about the price. It鈥檚 actually the case of the airline being truthful, upfront, and transparent to its customers and passengers. Hindi 鈥榶ung kung anu-anong dahilan ang sasabihin sa pasehero at basta na lamang iiwanan sa ere,鈥� the senator also said.
搁贰础顿:听Cebu Pacific, PAL brace for 鈥榬evenge travel鈥� on Holy Week 2023