THE PHILIPPINE government is reviewing its air passenger bill of rights, the Transportation department said on Tuesday, amid complaints about poor service.
“It’s under review right now by the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB),” Transportation Undersecretary Robert C.O. Lim told reporters. “It does not mean that it has become obsolete. It’s a very forward-looking document.”
He said there is no need to legislate air passengers’ rights since that would be inflexible. The rights are contained in an order issued by the Transportation and Trade departments.
“An administrative mechanism like that is adequate and can be more responsive because you can easily change it,” he added.
The air passenger bill of rights, issued in 2012, lists the rights enjoyed by a passenger upon purchase of a ticket and upon arrival at the airport.
Passengers are entitled to accurate information before purchase and have the right to compensation.
The order also requires airlines to submit a monthly report to the CAB on the number of passengers who have been denied boarding, whose baggage got lost, damaged or offloaded, and who got injured during a flight.
Mr. Lim said the bill of rights is “adequate,” adding that it is under constant review. He also said they welcome suggestions from lawmakers on how to improve it.
Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus B. Rodriguez has filed a resolution seeking to suspend the franchise of budget carrier Cebu Air, Inc. amid a Senate investigation of mounting customer complaints.
He said the airline, which operates Cebu Pacific, “has a history of unsatisfactory service to the public.” “Passengers of Cebu Pacific experience flight delays and cancellations, and to make matters worse, their customer service is also unreliable,” he said in House Resolution 1101 filed last month.
“Following the recent Senate hearing, we have taken serious note of the issues raised therein and are currently in the process of implementing various measures in support of our passengers,” Cebu Pacific spokesperson Carmina Reyes-Romero said in a Viber message on June 26.
During a Senate hearing last month, Cebu Pacific Chief Commercial Officer Alexander Lao said engine supply issues and weather disturbances had disrupted some of its flights.
“Cebu Pacific acknowledges the difficulties and frustrations that our passengers have been experiencing lately,” it said in a statement on June 21. “This is primarily driven by fleet availability issues affecting the global aviation industry along with specific environmental factors.”
In his resolution, Mr. Rodriguez cited complaints against sudden flight changes for checked-in passengers, refund issues, rude ground personnel and the lack of compensation for inconvenienced passengers.
He also cited complaints about unreliable customer service hotlines and in-person help desks.
Mr. Rodriguez said Cebu Pacific is “more interested in more profits than good service to the riding public.”
He said the airline’s revenue from rebooking, refunds and cancellation fees had almost quadrupled to P1.98 billion in the first quarter from a year earlier.
Mr. Rodriguez said Congress should suspend the airline’s franchise until its services improve “to the satisfaction of the riding public.”
He earlier called for the resignation of officials from CAB, the Transportation department and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines for failing to act on the passenger complaints. — Justine Irish D. Tabile
