Please explain? Should I really choose Cebu Pacific?
Hi....
I am a very strong supporter of Cebu Pacific even after I left the company, simply because it is Cebu Pacific which has in a way regulated air travel in the Philippines and I appreciate the Gokongweis for doing so. However, the recent experiences I have had made my appreciation for the airline I worked for almost 5 years dwindle. I can tolerate 1 to 2 hr delays but I can NEVER tolerate FLIGHT CANCELLATIONS a week before I'm suppose to travel with OPTIONS which are NOT options at all because of the hassle and burden of connecting.
I personally know the dynamics of a LCC being exposed to it for so many years. I may not be the expert of it but I know enough. I also understand as a passenger that in order to get cheap fares, one must book early to pay less, which is evident in some of Cebu Pacific's marketing collaterals - posters and even the ones they have in their offices. I also understand that for "Marketing reasons", the airline can cancel a flight if the passenger load is not enough. However, what I cannot understand, and since I believe that is their mission/vision anyway is why cancel a direct flight in this case SIN-DVO less than a week before a scheduled flight, which by the way, the ticket was bought last February w/ their PHP888 seat sale - that was even before their PHP0 seat sale, AND CANCEL the next best option connecting flight, which is via CEBU (5J 593)? I mean if you cancel one, offer a GOOD alternative/option for the affected people, (NOT a lousy one)
to show that you value them.
I would have not voiced this as I love flying with Cebu Pacific even if I had some bad experiences before, however, this is causing me so much stress especially on my upcoming wedding. When 5J had a seat sale, I convinced my colleagues here in Abacus in Singapore to actually buy their tickets and try Cebu Pacific for the first time, and this is the experience they got. With the BAD connections provided (having to wait at least 3 hrs and fly double the time when they thought the flight was a direct one), I literally LOST my face to them because they are BLAMING me NOW. In addition to that, they CANNOT attend my wedding because they don't want to WAIT for 3 HRS and travel almost 6 HRS to reach DAVAO. And these are all happening a week before my wedding.
I still have 1 trip left with 5J on October - which was suppose to be a direct SIN-DVO flight, after that, I don't know if I'll actually champion that airline to my friends/family. 5J's seat sale is exciting BUT who knows, the same flight might be CANCELLED again.
I have a long list of complaints, but like what I said, I do appreciate what 5J did to the Aviation Industry in the PH, I just hope they CAN achieve their being a high quality low cost carrier - things repeated every orientation of 5J's new hires. Definitely flight cancellations with BAD alternatives are not good signs in achieving that. This experience of mine is actually an anti-thesis of one of their previous ON TIME commercials - the grandson officiating his grandparents golden wedding in Iloilo. Can you just imagine if that flight is actually cancelled and offered a connection which is too bad, instead of officiating it, he was in trance during the ceremony? It may sound funny, but really, that's how I am feeling right now.
Still disappointed,
xxx