CEBU PACIFIC: A HEARTLESS AIRLINES

by Earlie Doriman

I was completely fuming at the news about a ‘special child’ who was offloaded from a Cebu Pacific plane because of a very discriminating reason.  How the F*!K the crew gulped down

such a degrading act of hypocrisy.  A child who is already helpless to protect himself, feebled by his condition, is further humiliated by a bunch of heartless people.  It was an awfully preposterous gesture of the stewards and stewardesses of Cebu Pacific to do that, and such indifference do not only necessitate admonition but a serious legal action for compensation of the aggrieved and dismissal of the few cold blooded parasites.

I was wondering if that is how the management of the Cebu Pacific inducted their people as regards to their job performance and carrying out customer service. What I know is that, the welfare of the clients should be the paramount importance in a provision like airplane services. Most of the airline companies, to my experience, have been very cordial and sincere in serving and accommodating passengers with disabilities or those who are mentally challenged as in the case recently. In fact, big companies have assigned people to look after passengers who need extra help and assistance.  This incident is one of the worst kinds to my recollection.

It reminded me now about a heated confrontation I had last year to one of Cebu Pacific’s staffs at the boarding area of NAIA Terminal in Manila. When we had our holiday in August 2009 in the Philippines, we booked Cebu Pacific a return ticket from Hongkong to Davao. But since the company has temporarily cancelled their direct flights to Davao, we have to go via Manila.  My wife, who was heavily pregnant at 27 weeks, needed some special assistance and convenience similar to what Air France had afforded us, where my wife was fetch with a wheelchair from the time we checked-in until the moment she was secured in her seat.  So convenient and warm.

The contrary happened at Cebu Pacific’s coldness, the moment we gave our documents for evaluation, a staff asked my wife if there’s a medical certificate allowing her to travel and asked for a form that she should have filled out earlier, gave her a waiver to sign without explaining what it contained. So RIDICULOUS and ARROGANT.  That was yet during our flight from Manila to Davao.  My wife was furious and so disappointed with the inferior kind of customer service we got from the personnel of Cebu Pacific. On our return was another fiery experience, we booked for a wheelchair at their main office and the arrangement was clear and fix that a staff was going to fetch her at the check-in area, take her to the waiting lobby until she’ll be settled inside the plane.  But it would have never happened if I did not blow out my flaming words of anger and disgust in front of many sympathetic passengers.  So SILLY and ATROCIOUS. My wife promised to never again take Cebu Pacific in our future flights.

With this latest despicable scenario of gross discrimination, regular customers and clients have to give Cebu Pacific a simple lesson to learn. I know, our voices and our actions could make a difference in overhauling their management and chastising their insensitive workers. Pass the words to friends, and boycott Cebu Pacific until they would know what gratitude means and learn how to pay a price.