I’ve been hitting the backspace over and over again trying to fine tune this article but it always ends up with the saddest if not an uglier picture of what happened to us last January 10, 2010 with Cebu Pacific airlines. I am merely pointing my fingers to CEBU PACIFIC STAFF only but we all know how things work – CEBU PACIFIC itself is responsible for the actions of its staff. I have no intention of putting anyone out of job but I have to write this article to at least warn some people about it so they will be prepared or be able to deal with any situation the same as ours. I’ll tell our story as mildly possible as I can as I really get upset each time I remember what happened to my Mom. At the end of it, please do tell me honestly if we are right to be so angry about what happened.
We – me, my husband, my 5 month old baby and my 61 yr old mom – were on a flight back to Singapore from Manila, 5J 801 at 6:25 AM. We arrived at the Terminal 3 and was already at the check-in lane at 5AM. I know some of you will say that we have to be at least 2 or 3 hours before the flight. This part I know, we were wrong to assume that 1 hour is enough. But just last November (my first time to take cebu pacific at terminal 3, I was with my baby and my parents-in-law and we did checked-in an hour before the flight and we didn’t have any trouble. We still managed to have coffee after we checked-in. Nothing was asked with regards to the Singapore pass of baby Cheska. Anyway, while on the queue, my husband asked me to stay while he pays for the travel tax which the cebu pacific staff told us to stay on the line and checked-in first and do the payment of the taxes later. I guess he too assumed that there won’t be any problem. Few minutes later, we were already in front of the counter pleading with the staff to give us consideration with the 3kg excess. As expected, she didn’t give in so we pulled out some stuff from our checked-in bags and put it in our hand carry bags (this, i really don’t understand as it’s still the same 3 kilos we’ll be carrying on the plane with us and they know that pinoys do that). This incident was not the one that caused us delay. It’s the staff’s way of checking us in (and I don't know how many things you have to enter into the computer to checked-in 3 adults and an infant) and asking us so many times the irrelevant stupid question regarding baby cheska’s pass. We’ve told her the first time that baby cheska’s PR application (no matter how stupid the question may seem we still gave her an answer) is still on the process in singapore. She told us that this is important and asked us 2nd time for any paper or supporting document which we replied that it was baby’s 2nd time now to travel back to singapore without any of the “papres/documents” she’s asking. Still, for the third time, she insisted for “any document”. Makulit talaga or nang-aasar ng todo todo. Irritatingly, I asked her the relevance of her question which she replied that we MIGHT HAVE a problem with the immigration. When I said no and told her that it will be our problem, she further delay checking us in. Hubby (who’s the most patient person I’ve known) and I were both wound up. At almost 6AM, she let us pay for the taxes without releasing to us the boarding passes. (My question to those who have parents holding a LTVP, did you also pay Php1650 for the travel tax? I maybe misinformed that we only have to pay the 200 pesos the same amount as what we are paying. This I still have to clarify with some of my friends). After hubby paid the airport taxes and already queuing in the immigration, there is a cebu pacific staff who’s calling out for the 5J 801 passengers, and yes we were the last ones. He’s been standing beside the immigration officer which she called out to him irritatingly “Ano ba, iniistress mo ko ah” (you’re stressing me out). After we have been cleared in the immigration and passing through the scanner thing, he keeps on asking us to hurry and radioing to whoever on the other line and mentioning about 3 or 5 minutes. He even ask hubby not to wear back his shoes. He’s been stressing us all the way to the plane. We we’re carrying heavy hand carry bags and even my 61 year old mom’s been stressed with almost every minute of telling us to hurry. My mom has a heart problem adding to the fact that she’s already 61 and was not used to stress and carrying heavy things in a hurry. I’ve always been on the look out for my Mom but I just couldn’t help her with the bags as I’m carrying baby cheska, my laptop and a small hand carry bag. I saw her half-running, half-walking after the cebu pacific guy. THEN I SAW HER STUMBLE, FACE DOWN :( My heart skipped a beat and I called out to her almost crying. Seconds passed and she was not standing or even moving. I’m definite that she passed out in that few seconds that we’ve been calling out on her. We were frantically running towards her. One guy reached out to her and helped her out before we could reached her. Still, the guy is in a hurry pace towards the plane. When I had a glimpse of her, I saw her lips bleeding and already bruised. Hubby’s already shouting angrily. I was too worried sick about my mom’s safety. I couldn’t check on her yet at that time if what she had was a minor one only so ugly things came running into my mind while walking towards the plane. When we reached the plane, we were embarrassed thinking that the people are already assuming it was us that causes the delay. I checked on my mom and saw her upper left lip were bruised and her gums were bleeding. It was already plump so we asked the flight attendant to give her ice (yes, we have to ask even after they’ve seen what happened to her lips). After I’ve checked that Mom was fine (thank God but I was still worried. No first aid checks done if that’s what you’re going to ask), I sat down and cried. I just couldn’t contain the emotions of anger and worried about my mom at the same time.
We may be partly to blame for assuming 1 hour is enough but the staff should be well trained and informed. The lady in the checked-in counter should be well informed that even if an infant doesn’t have any valid singapore pass, she can still enter singapore as a tourist with any of the baby’s parents. Or is there any policy to ask this kind of questions that I am not aware of? (i remember the recent news about the special child passenger which they refuse to board the plane. hayyzzz) Aside from that stupid irrelevant question, I don’t know how long should you checked-in 3 adults and an infant but I'm sure it wouldn't take an hour to do that. Unless intentionally prolonged of course. And as for the guy with the radio who thinks he’s Mr.. big shot stressing out people carrying bags let alone carrying an infant and a 61 yr old lady, I think they should undergo training on how to help out older people first if you want them to hurry. But I don't think it’s not obvious that we were all cramming up running after him like obedient dogs. I know they’re only doing their jobs. But a proper training would save both the passenger and the airlines some trouble of facing issues like this.
We have been travelling via cebu pacific a lot of times since they opened a flight from Singapore to Manila. We won’t deny that we are so grateful for the cheap fares as it helped us afford to see our families in manila as often as the need arises. But if having a cheap fare means dealing with anxieties each time you travel back home, I might as well saved up for the not so cheap flights were I can be pampered even for a 3 hour flight only. I have heard a LOT of troubles that cebu pacific had caused but we still choose to fly with them because their fares are really affordable (plus the fact that I don’t have to go to old NAIA airport where I always almost wanted to wipe out the irritating smirks off the immigration officers’ faces and that is a different story). Delayed flights I can deal with though I still find it unacceptable. I have friends who have to adjust their schedules because either their flights got delayed or cancelled or faced with the “over booking” excuse. I MIGHT be able to handle them but with what happened to my mom just because they were not properly trained or they lack knowledge on the real process I’m keeping my word that I will channel all the energy that I have up to the last drop to let at least a fraction of the population of the people I know be informed of what had happened to us.
I have not send any letter to Cebu Pacific and I’m still contemplating to do so. The flight attendant already asked us on what had happened and as advised, she will be filing the report herself along with the form she asked hubby to fill up. I couldn’t find the faith that it will reach their higher management or if it does I’m not sure what actions they will do. They look like they don’t care whatever bad publicity is thrown at them. I don’t care. But I have my blog to vent out this anger. I’m not asking people to ban taking the airline and I’m sure I don’t have that much power. Even I couldn’t promised myself that I won’t take cebu pacific anymore. But they really have to do something about the ISSUES they’ve caused their customers. It’s a waste to see it sunk just because they couldn’t care less.
I hope this won’t give my mom any trauma. Right now, she’s doing ok. Her upper lip has gone back to it’s normal look but it has left a bluish bruise a size of a 10 cent coin. I took a picture of her bruise but mom asked me not to post it.
