THE leadership of the House of Representatives on Thursday said an apology from Cebu Pacific is not enough to compensate all passengers affected by the airline’s poor management that resulted in 20 flight cancellations and 288 delayed flights last December 24-26.
Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. expressed dissatisfaction with the action of Cebu Pacific management following the airline’s holiday fiasco.
Belmonte said the problem should not stop with a simple apology, saying that Cebu Pacific should give the public a concrete assurance that the fiasco would never repeat again.
During the recent hearing of the House Committee on Transportation, Cebu Pacific CEO Lance Gokongwei admitted the holiday incident was caused by the lack of personnel to staff Cebu Pacific’s check-in counters at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.
The Civil Aeronautics Board already ordered Cebu Pacific be fined P52 million, after finding the airline liable for “operational lapses and mishandling of passengers” during the holidays.
It also required the airline to establish and maintain appropriate service standards for all its personnel, organic and outsourced, especially those manning the check-in counters. National Unity Party Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. of Cavite said, with 10,400 passengers affected for three consecutive days during the Christmas holidays, a simple apology would not be sufficient.
“Aside from reimbursing these 10,400 passengers, Cebu Pacific should give something more, such as additional free airfare, to assuage the feelings of its passengers and also to show the public its utmost good faith,” he said.
“After all, under our laws, a common carrier, such as Cebu Pacific, is required to exercise extraordinary diligence in transporting its passengers safely to their destination. Regrettably, Cebu Pacific miserably failed to comply with its contractual obligations to 10,400 passengers,” he said.
Party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares of Bayan Muna, who seeks the probe, said the offer of Cebu Pacific for refunds is not enough to compensate its customers for its several flight delays and dismal service.
Nationalist People’s Coalition Rep. Rodolfo Albano III of Isabela, member for the minority bloc of the House Transportation Committee, said the Cebu Pacific management should compensate for the lost time and opportunities of the passengers.
Albano said the airline should find ways to correct the problem and avoid its recurrence.
Party-list Rep. Jonathan de la Cruz of Abakada, however, said the move of the Gokongwei management to apologize for the mess was a “welcome” move, saying, “I hope this will be the start of a more pro-active effort not only on the part of Cebu Pacific but of other airlines to return to service and provide the necessary care for the traveling public.”