Airline's Worst Service

My next blog is supposedly about our adventure blast in Coron, Palawan. But before I give you the good part of the journey, let me tell you a warning about an airline's way of handling canceled flights situation.

 Our flights last June 7, 2012, inbound Coron, DVO-MNL & MNL-USU were both okay. Although our MNL-USU seemed to be a bit scary for some of the passengers. I was mostly asleep within the flight time, but was already awake when the pilot announced he cannot see the runway and will try to go around. Next thing I know, we have landed and the instant that we did, most of the passengers were loudly clapping and cheering for gladness. I asked Labsy if the flight was bumpy, and he said yes, so I thought, "Thank God" we've safely arrived. Some of the passengers even took pictures with the Captain and congratulated him and his Co-Pilot for a job well done.

Well, I'll be telling you about our great and not so great times in Coron next time, but for now, let's fast forward to our supposedly last day, Wednesday, June 13, 2012.

Our flight back to Manila is at 12:35PM. It was a rainy and cloudy day. The rain seemed to bully us, since it will suddenly stop then after a while, it'll go berserk. We were a bit worried that our flight would be scary because of the weather, but then there were flights that went through earlier so we believed we're going to be okay.

The airline of our choice announced that our flight would be delayed, as well as other airlines. We waited for another couple of hours. Around 2:30PM, they announced that our 12:35PM flight has been canceled. We were worried but glad that the airline we chose was concerned with our safety and will not take risk to fly with the weather condition on that day.

A few minutes later, when we were taking our bags back, we saw people lining up at the counter for check-in for the 3:30PM flight going to the same destination as ours, USU-MNL. We immediately asked the airline's staff, why did they cancel our flights due to weather problem when they are accepting guests for their 3:30PM flight? The staff just told us that they (guests) were booked for that flight. So we asked, what about us? If you can fly them out, why can't you fly us? They took our cellphone numbers and told us to wait for them to contact us.

Our group went back to Coron town. It was Php150-ride per person. So for me, Labsy, my brother and his wife, would be Php600. We also called the lodging house we stayed that we are coming back and to reserve us a room, which was another cost we never expected. Airphil Express did not accommodate us since it was due to weather problem.

So we waited for their updates. Dinner time came and we still haven't heard from them. So Labsy started to call them and ask for updates on our flight home while we were finishing dinner at Sea Dive Resort's Restaurant, the only place in town that accepts credit cards by the way, but with additional 5% charge. Despite the sizzling fish, garlic and chilli crabs on our table, I couldn't get myself to be in the mood to eat with how the staff answered to Labsy's queries.

Labsy again asked why is it, that the 3:30PM flight went through while they canceled us, when all passengers patiently waited for our delayed flight. The person from the other line answered "nagbayad po sila sir eh". That irked us more, aren't we all payers? Didn't we all booked ourselves with a fee whether in economy, promo or not? The staff then told Labsy to wait until 7:30PM for their announcement.

I tweeted airphilexpress and asked about our flight as well. Their answer was only this. "You may approach our airport staff for updates. They're in the best position to give you the details. Thanks." Well, that's what we did, and that did not get us anywhere. :(


7:30PM came and a text message from Airphil came as well. Informing us that they will not have an extra flight tomorrow due to unfavorable weather condition...etc... (Please see photo)

From my previous canceled flights experiences, the airline normally arrange us to the next available flight. But in this case, after they canceled our flight, they relieved themselves to that responsibility, instead, made it ours, to rebook ourselves and made arrangements for everything. I asked myself, "aren't they supposed to do that? We felt bad, but knowing we are already in town and we can't do anything for the night, we decided to settle things in the morning.

Morning of June 14 came, we stood and waited for their office to open from 7:00AM to 8:30AM along with some other passengers. When they opened, we inquired when can we fly back to Manila. The staff said there is only one flight to Manila at 3:00PM so she cannot book us there, she can only book us the next day, Friday, June 15 since there will be two flights then. The passengers argued and insisted they make a way, the weather is not anymore an issue since we've got better looking sky than a day before. So we assumed they can give extra flight then, or make extra room or something. The staff also suggested that if we want to try to fly today, we should go to the airport and list ourselves as chance passengers.

So I said, that's new again. When your flight is canceled, you wait in the airport for the airline to take you as chance passengers the following day.... hmmmm... was that cool? You have to be their early to be in the list, and wait for you're-not-so-sure-flight.

While there was a commotion inside the office, I tried to call the airline's hotline. Someone answered and listened to my problem, somehow he understood and said he will forward the complain and make the management listen to the recordings of our conversation. That was the good part, what was disturbing is that, he mentioned as per his record, there was no canceled flight from Busuanga a day before. So I asked, how did that happened when we were still in Coron complaining?

Anyway, our group and a couple more friends and co-dabawenyos went to the airport instead. We packed our bags, went to the airport through a van, and of course, paid Php150 each again for the 30-45-minute van ride to the airport.

When we arrived there, there were already about more than 10 co-passengers waiting for answers but no staff were to find yet at the counter. Some said they will arrive around 10AM for the Coron-Puerto Princesa flight at 12NN.

When they came, we asked again for our flight since they texted that no extra flight due to the weather and since the weather is okay, they will find a way. Well, that was what we thought. Besides, they cannot say it was due to weather condition since Cebu Pacific and Zest Air were flying in and out already. According to those who came earlier (who believed one staff's words to come around 6-7AM for their flight), the Cebu Pacific canceled guests were accommodated to the earliest flight and have flown already. They were even served coffee while waiting for their early flight. Then I told myself, so that's why we didn't see any yelling or angry guests in front of their counter unlike the scene where we were standing.

The airline's staff asked if we received their text a night before, and if so, if we have already booked ourselves. We told him what their office staff told us, to come here. He then said, some of the passengers were able to book themselves, which was true indeed. Our co-passengers who stayed in their MTR office was later booked for the 3:00PM flight. They told us, they almost witnessed a physical fight since one passenger was already too mad to take their reasons for this dilemma. But then one more airline staff arrived and suggested to check the manifest if they still have available seats for the afternoon flight, and sure they did, and then booked around ten of them.

While some of the passengers were booked in their MTR office, (after some fight over it), the remaining chance passengers in the airport insisted on our right to be accommodated. Some mentioned they have less cash left, they can't afford to go back to Coron town again and back, one even mentioned they already ate their "pasalubong". Some have connecting flights to get to, a couple of Koreans are worried that they cannot make it to their international flight via Cebu Pacific. The staffs even suggested if we want to really go home right away, we can book ourselves with the other airlines. Cebu Pacific and Zest Air are accepting passengers for around Php6,000, and in cash, since they cannot process credit cards. One co-passenger, also a Dabawenyo, shell out his Php6000+ for his flight back to Manila via Cebu Pacific. That's good for those who've got cash to pay, but most of us will not pay that much and let this airline just get away with it.

While others are still trying to push the airline's staff to do something, I had enough of the yelling and noise. I went at a certain corner, plugged my phone so I won't run out of battery, turned on data roaming and started tweeting for help.


A political personality (Vice Mayor, I think), happened to be at the airport for his flight to Puerto Princesa, so he was there for check-in. One of the passengers approached him and asked for assistance with our problem. Unfortunately, he cannot do anything re the airline's responsibilities. I thought, if he cannot do something about it, and he was there, where can we turn for help? I thought, perhaps someone who's got the power or  someone who knows someone who has, so I tweeted help to some network and news personalities I follow.

I also tweeted airphilexpress but the reply was unsatisfactory just like the reply a night before. After they replied telling me to file a formal complain to customercare@airphilexpress.com, I did not answer already, we've been complaining and now we are told to file a formal complaint to an email add? What do you think will happen if we did and just wait for someone to answer? I felt so bullied.

So I continued tweeting and asking help to some media personalities, newspaper and network stations. Of course, not everyone mind me, but a couple did. Yey! I heart rejoiced at those moments. I sensed a sudden hope.


Inquirerdotnet replied ("Relayed to the bureau") right away. Although I'm not really sure what that exactly meant for us but I was just glad that someone did something.

Bayanmo tweeted and asked some bayan patrollers to tweet the weather condition in their locations and I grabbed that opportunity to reply to the tweet.

Luckily, someone answered to my tweet to @bayanmo, @indayevarona. She asked me re the situation. She also RTed my tweet and I was hopeful that something good will come out of it.

A few seconds after, all of a sudden, airphilexpress DMed me and later asked for our ticket numbers, and so I did. Then the next tweet is that they have talked to their Busuanga Staff to accommodate us. While almost at the same time as well, my brother is in communication with airphilexpress also through Facebook and told him that they will contact Busuanga.


Then, almost right away, a staff approached our group and he was kinder this time, he said they will make a way to accommodate everyone today. I told myself, that was quick! I wasn't sure which way came through. My recordings through the call earlier, my bro's facebook inquiry, our co-passenger's advise at the NAIA (who flew through Cebu Pacific, which we are also unsure if he did approach and informed Airphil) or my panic-mode tweets to the media. Whichever came through for us, I'm just glad we have these technologies right now. They made life faster and easier in some good ways...


But the dilemma wasn't over yet. They told us to wait until the check-in counter closes at 2:20PM so they can check if they can still accommodate us to the next flight. All of us tried to sneak in some food while waiting, everyone's hungry. 2:20 PM came and they were uncertain how many passengers were already checked-in and provided by a boarding pass. How uncool is that? They asked the personnel handling terminal fees to count his through his receipts. We waited for a few more minutes and then finally they told us we can board the plane.

We flew at 3:00PM and landed almost an hour later. We then went to their passenger assistance counter staff, who then told us to go to lane C and look for the duty manager for the day for our flight to Davao. When we arrived at the counter, they readily recognized us and asked if we were those flying to Davao. They also looked for other passengers with connecting flights to Cebu and some to Kalibo. We were accommodated swiftly and then that was the only time we started feeling safe.

One of the basic things Airphil should learn from this experience is that all their staff should be oriented well especially in handling cases like this and in dealing affected passengers. They should anticipate all not-so-good possibilities they might encounter. Their staff don't even know how to answer well and very inconsistent. I can even say, inconsistencies were nationwide, Manila appeared from our inquiry did not know there was a cancelled flight on June 13 from USU, while USU staff is telling us it was Manila's decision not to provide a plane for us. Being one in reason and in principle should also be looked at and it should mostly, consider first the welfare of their clients, this is supposedly a client-based business right?

Lesson learned, never fly through Airphil Express again unless we don't have much choice. If we do, after booking our flight, we should start praying that things will all work out well and know our rights as passengers. And of course, activate tweeter and Facebook accounts and follow media or known personality accounts for a possible severe and grave situations. ;)