I should be happy right? But I am not.
Why?
10 hours flight delay
Our flight at AirPhil Express in Mactan Cebu Airport was scheduled at 10:10PM of Sunday (July 25, 2010) but because of the bad weather condition in Manila that night, we were re-scheduled to leave at 1AM of Monday, July 26, 2010.
This was understandable on our part, they just wanted our safety. Besides all other airline flights bound to Manila from Mactan Cebu that night were delayed some were even there as early as 3PM. Mom even said the weather was really bad in Manila so this was understandable.
1AM came and we were asked to board the airplane. Everyone were seated comfortably in their seat designations. Some, including I even fell asleep immediately. We were hearing some few announcements here and there that the flight will be a bit delayed because of “ground servicing“. But since we were all in the airplane we were all O.K.
2AM came and a flight attendant announced that we should disembark the plane . No reason was stated we were just asked to go down again . We thought the weather was really bad in Manila so we have to cancel flight.
The flight wasn’t canceled when everyone was at the waiting area, Gate 8 of the departure area of Mactan Airport in Cebu, an announcement was made that our flight will be delayed for 5PM.
This is when the passengers started to get aggravated, including me. No reason was stated or we were not able to grasp whatever they were saying anymore because we are all exhausted and want some decent sleep. We want to go home. Its a Monday for Christ sake, most of the passengers have a work and school to catch.
Segfred Santiago the idiot ground supervisor of AirPhil Express Mactan
Hungry and exhausted with a kid who has been inconveniently been moved from the lounge/ departure area Gate 5 , to the airplane, to lounge/departure area Gate 8 (she was half awake as we move her) I immediately approached this man to ask for an explanation.
This idiot told me that this is none of my concern and that he don’t need to explain anything to me. I raised my voice immediately and told him how could this not be my concern when this is my flight going home and you are delaying my flight back home, how dare he tell me this is not my concern.
Segfred Santiago said it wasn’t my concern because its an airplane problem and I don’t have anything to do with it.
What? An airplane problem?
Apparently, the ground crew or the pilot of AirPhil Express did something that caused them to hit their own cargo bay after landing. A slip of the tongue of Segfred Santiago said this happen before their staff made us board the plane just to have us deplane afterwards.
Santiago even pulled his ID card away when one of the agitated passengers tried to take a photo of him and his ID card and said “you don’t have to know my name” “you don’t have to take photos of me.” But of course this angered the passenger the more to which some took their video camera and video taped our discussion.
5am flight delayed
Knowing about the problem all the passengers have no choice but to surrender to the fact that we have to wait at the departure area Gate 8 for 3 more hours since the announced was made at 2am. We were all complaining because we all wanted to go home but since its out of our hands we have no choice but to wait.
At this point Segfred Santiago, who was the ground manager of the Airphil Express Mactan operation has the authority to do whatever he deemed necessary and is in line with their company policy which is “ friendlier andcustomer-centric”.
He tried to calm us by giving us some cold sandwich (a choice of Tuna, Chicken or Ham and Cheese) from Dunkin Donuts and a bottle of lukewarm mineral water. It would have been nicer if the sandwiches were warm and instead of water hot chocolate or coffee was offered.
Also, by the time the Airphil Express operations at that time already offered to check us in a nice hotel so we can all rest and not sleep and get more exhausted trying to squeeze our body on the cold and stiff metal chairs at the departure area.
We also learned that after we disembarked the airplane, the captain and the crew of that airplane booked themselves at Days Hotel so they can all have a good rest before the next flight.
AirPhil Express Poor customer service
Ten minutes before 5AM another announcement was made to inform all frazzled passengers that our flight will be delayed again for another hour because of the bad weather conditions in Manila which is a complete bull. The weather was fine in Manila that time as Cebu Pacific’s first flight bound to Manila already flown already.
All of us were livid at that time because we were all hoping to go board a plane and fly to Manila that time. This time the morning shift manager of AirPhil Express Jim Patindol arrived and was confronted by upset customers and tried to tell us some crap which we don’t accept at all. We wanted action we’ve been patient for 10 hours with them they should do something.
At 6AM AirPhil Express buses arrived and picked us up without a word or announcement that delayed passengers will now fly back to Manila.
In the airplane bound to Manila the usual round of food cart while up in the air did not happen. They didn’t realize all of us were hungry. They didn’t even offer us coffee or anything.
Filed a complaint against AirPhil Express Mactan Staff in Manila
We were back in Manila at 8AM. Most of the passengers missed their work, some were even suspended from work for not making it in time, missed school and connecting flights out-of-the-country. The inconvenience this delayed flight have caused us is not to be left alone.
At the Terminal 3 in Manila Airport some of the passengers went to the authorities to file a complaint which was backed up by the signature of the other passengers. We passed around a paper to get the number and names of our co-passengers. We plan to file a formal complaint because they never offered us anything to calm us down.
It took us 3 hours to get a result of our complaint.
We didn’t leave the airport without any assurance that something will happen. We were offered the round trip ticket to any of their 24 destination flights and the hotel accommodation at our chosen destination. This was admitting their wrong.
We were asked what else do we want.
We said we want the manager at the Mactan Airport to be fired because he is incompetent. We were told we were too brutal to have someone lost his job and livelihood. On our part that manager was the one who was brutal to us.
There was a baby among the 177 passengers and his milk supply/medicine was checked in. The parents asked for them when we were told we will leave at 5AM it was given to him at 5AM only. Someone missed a flight to China for an important business meeting. Someone was suspended from work because he didn’t make it on time. The lechon we intend to give as coming home gift to all perished! This was the inconvenience this delay caused us. Now they tell us we are rude?
The comfort they offered us at the Mactan Airport was a cheap way to avoid spending for hotel accommodations. That manager should be removed from his post for being incompetent.
Filing a complaint is a waste of time and useless
It saddens me to know that some of the passengers with us that day did not waste time to join us confront the management of AirPhil Express because they said “wala namang mangyayari dyan” (filing a complaint is a waste of time and useless).
This mentality we have here in the Philippines taking in shit should be changed if we want to improve the quality of customer service. We should not let them bully us around because its our right. The almost perfect weekend trip in Cebu I had was ruined by this flight delay and inconsiderate airline staff.
I know being passed around is very inconvenient and yes a big waste of time with the bureaucracy we are so used to. But if we want change we should strive to get the change we want.
It was a good thing that there were eight of us who got some time to spare to talk to the higher ups of AirPhil Express, if not this will all be forgotten and incidence like this will happen to other passengers again and again and again.
This will be my worst airport experience ever. This was the first time I had a flight delayed. What was your worst airport experience? Care to share?
Stay gorgeous everyone!
122 Comments
This is our ver bad experienced at Airphil Express last Oct.27,2012..We had flight from Naga to Manila with my husband at 4:30 pm..We already checked in and waited for boarding when they cancelled the flight around 4:00pm due to sunset limitation..So we went to their check in counter and told them we have connecting flight to Australia at 10pm same day..they asked me and my husband to go inside their office and asked to show them our international ticket so i gave them..They said they going to rebook it and give it to us next morning..So I asked again if they are going to pay for the rebooking and assured us yes because it’s their fault and responsibility.We are not satisfied of what they told us so we told them if we can talk to their supervisor/manager in Naga..and they said he was not around..We decided to leave it till next morning and they put us in a hotel..
Next day,we went to their office again and waited for their manager to talk to us but he was busy talking to the phone..they checked in our baggage and when we asked if they already book us our international flight,the manager said they dont have access at Jetstar in Naga so they said we will forward you to Manila and they will assist you there.So they sent us to Manila and the ground personnels assisted us including the other passenger who had connecting flight to Singapore..
so we walked and walked at nalaman namin na assistance lang pala ang ibinigay sa amin ng Naga,kinausap ko ang mga personnel sa booking counter Ng Airphil Express sa Terminal 3 at hindi daw nila pananagutan ung Nacancelled na International namin.I told them hindi yan ang sinabi sa amin ng Airphil sa Naga..tinawagan nila ang Naga at itinanggi na nila na may sinabi silang ganun..sabi assistance lang daw ang mabibigay nila sa amin patungo sa terminal 1..We tried to talk to their supervisor but OIC lang ang lumabas..same explanation..as long as nahatid na daw nila kami sa destination namin tapos na ang pananagutan nila.My Australian husband told them they need to do something about it..and he said I want to talk to your manager not Oic..Ang masama pa non ngtuturuan sila kung sino ang magpapakilala na manager..ung una namin na natanungan kung asan ang manager ang sabi wala daw at siya dn ung ngpakilala na manager in the end.All they can give us daw ay certification that we are from cancelled flight..which is useless for us..All they said is sorry Its not their responsibilty..Sobrang abala ang nagawa nila sa amin,sa sobrang inis ang asawa ko umalis na lang kami at nagparebooked ng panibagong ticket to Australia kasi my husband really need to go home because of his work at baka makunan pa ako when I continued to have argument with them..Nakakairita at nakakahiya na hindi man lng nagpakita at nakipagusap ang manager/supervisor nila sa T3..I want to do something about what happened but i dont know where to complain..anyone knows?
Our flight from Cebu to Hong Kong was cancelled due lack of passenger Feb 18 2012. Our VISA went out same day and we had a connection fligth in Hong Kong so we couldn’t take a later flight. We have to bought a new flight for 930 US dollar with another company. Now after 6 months no money back or any compensation. Airphillexpress support say they have sent money to my bankaccount but when I ask for reciept they cant show me any. Somebody stold my money in Airphill? They have stop to reply my mail so nothing happen!
My mom and my son travelled from Iloilo to Manila last May 31. They were allowed 10kg free baggage each as per ticket. But when they reached the airport in Iloilo, they were told by an AirPhil ground steward that they were allowed 10kg in all. My mom, who is a senior citizen, hasn’t travelled to manila for almost 20 years so she believed the man and had to leave the 10 kg pack that she has already weighed thinking that it was what they allowed.
How can they keep attendants like that?? Attendants should be cleared on this.. my poor mom. SO can Airphil send the excess baggage for free to manila?
I will tell friends and relatives not to use the service again….
Hi!
I share similar thoughts about a bad experience with AirPhil Express.
I am currently still trying to get my refund from them due to a cancelled flight last January 2012. My follow up calls and email inquiries did not seem to matter.
I read the thread here and saw that the VP Maria Java communicated with you. I wish to send my complaints directly to her, If you can provide me her email address or other modes to contact her, I will greatly appreciate it.
More power!
air phil express has a bad service. there was this time binantayan talaga ako ng crew, ang yabang mas mabait pa yung flight sa kanya akala ko sya yung supervisor sa flight, pinahiya talaga ako dahil may pinapalagay lang ako ijured kase hand ko that time. Leander name binigay sakin ng supervisor nya.