Shape Up, Cebu Pacific!

The very first flight I had with Cebu Pacific was in February 2009 to Coron, Palawan with some friends at work.  If not for the fact that they had already booked the tickets, I wouldn't fly with Cebu Pacific because of the many traveler's horror stories I've heard before, most of it involving their epic flight delays.  But, apart from the very rough landing (which I've come to expect with all Cebu Pacific flights), our ride to Coron started on time and even arrived at the destination a few minutes ahead of time.  We had absolutely no problems even on the flight back to Manila, so I began to reconsider.  Add to the fact that PAL's been having problems and their tickets are pricier than Cebu Pacific's, it is no wonder that thousands of other Pinoys are now fans of "5J".  Their "Piso Fare" sales are anticipated all year round; it is panic-inducing as seats are sold faster than you could blurt out "Susmariosep!"

However, recent events are making reconsider once again.

It started with a horrid experience last January and a fishy thing with their weighing scales at Mactan Airport.  A month or so after that, one of my best girl friends was flying back to Singapore after a short visit to Manila and she had arrived at NAIA T3 well within the required check-in time.  But, because of the snail-paced check-in, she was bumped off her flight because, acc. to the staff, she was late.  Good thing her dad was there with her, so they stormed off to Cebu Pacific's office and demanded that they make things right.

Just last Sunday, my college friend Aileen Apolo, was stranded at Mactan Airport for 10 hours.  All they got from Cebu Pacific was 1 bottle of water, a sandwich, and a free 1-way ticket to any local destination (one-way lang?!) for all the inconvenience.  At the end of it, she told me: "1. Don't fly CP, 2. once a flight is delayed due to engine trouble go find another airline na."  I wonder if passengers could demand reimbursement for their additional expenses at the airport?  Besides, one of the reasons why travelers fly with Cebu Pacific is because of the cheap tickets, which also means they're on a budget. Why spend extra in a situation that could have been avoided?

And then yesterday, the latest victim was Carlos Celdran.  He was also bumped off a flight, prompting him to declare war over Twitter with 5J: "Hell hath no fury like a tweeter scorned, Cebu Pac. Watch out. I am not alone. #BITEME5J" (see related story here)

There are so many more, and these got me wondering: was it really the Piso Fare that is moving travelers to support Cebu Pacific or was it more due to the lack of better options?  There's really only PAL or 5J to bear with.  People wouldn't usually go with SEAIR, if not for their flights to Batanes, while Zest Air (formerly known as Asian Spirit -- remember the joke "fly an Asian, land as a spirit"?) still has a lot to prove.  Lately, I've been hearing some good feedback about AirPhilExpress (well, save for one friend's recent bad experience, which I'll blog about in a separate post).  It looks like PAL's "junior" is now giving 5J a run for their money.

These recent issues are also making me nervous about my upcoming flights with Cebu Pacific in a few months.  I've been studying their Terms & Conditions very closely because I really don't want another stressful traveling experience.  It's my responsibility as a consumer to know my rights and to protect myself from unfair practices.

Cebu Pacific, I really hope you are paying attention.  We, your frequent customers, are the ones who have pushed you to the top of the game.  The least that we ask is for you to treat us with some respect.

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