Sunday, May 04, 2008 Lim: Calling Lance G By Melanie T. Lim Wide Awake
CEBU Pacific claims to fly on “Cebu Pacific time” meaning “on time.” It claims to offer “low fare, great value and a lot of fun.” Well, my friend had a traumatic experience—terrifyingly different than advertised.
Camille Go-Uy writes, “My husband and I were booked on flight 5J-553 scheduled to depart Manila for Cebu 1005 last Saturday, April 26. We arrived at the airport around 0830. While waiting, airline staff asked if anyone was bound for Cebu. I immediately raised my hand. I was then asked if I would like to be moved up to an earlier flight. I asked what time the earlier flight was departing and the reply was, ‘Ngayon.’ I readily agreed. By 0900, we were about to board.
“What met me and my husband when we stepped onto the plane was something I will never forget. We were met with applause. Scowls and sarcasm, however, greeted us as we walked down the aisle. One passenger remarked loudly, "Siguro, nag-shopping pa itong babae sa Makati." At that moment, I did not understand what the cynicism was all about. A few seconds later, someone scornfully said, ‘It's about time!’
“After settling into our seats, I asked the lady beside me what time they had boarded the plane. “0800,” she replied, because the flight was supposed to take off at 0830. They were told, however, that the flight was going to be delayed because THEY WERE STILL WAITING FOR SOME PASSENGERS. Now I understood why the sight of our faces caused the passengers to fume. They had been misled into thinking we were the cause of the delay.
“Soon after, the crew announced they were still waiting for passengers. Two more ‘innocent passengers’ just like us then came onboard. Finally, someone asked a flight attendant how many more passengers we were waiting for. I understood why the flight attendant could not give an answer.
“Cebu Pacific victimized all of us on flight 5J-553 that day. My husband and I were needlessly maligned by irked and irate passengers who were also victims not just of a flight delay but of misinformation by Cebu Pacific. And the crew, yet another set of victims, was also compelled to be party to the great, white lie.
“Cebu Pacific should have done one of two honorable things: ONE--fly on time unless there were genuine technical reasons to do otherwise. Or TWO—tell passengers the truth for the flight delay and NOT make scapegoats of innocent passengers moved to earlier flights to fill up empty seats.
“I write for three reasons: ONE—so no one ever gets victimized by Cebu Pacific again; TWO, so companies can learn from this incident and give paying customers the service they rightfully deserve and THREE, to call the attention of Cebu Pacific. I do NOT seek compensation from Cebu Pacific. I will NOT accept any compensation offered to me. What I DO seek is a PUBLIC APOLOGY.”
MTL: I now call on Cebu Pacific President & CEO, Lance Gokongwei to lead by example, live up to the Cebu Pacific spirit of accountability and integrity and respond to Camille Go-Uy.
