CAB called on by CebuPac to clarify P52.1-M fine

Cebu Pacific check-in counters at NAIA Terminal 3 (Mattun0211 / Wikipedia)

MANILA, Philippines – Cebu Air Incorporated, operators of Cebu Pacific, is calling on the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) to shed light on how they determined the P52.11-million fine imposed on the carrier

Jorenz Tañada, Cebu Pacific vice president for corporate affairs, said via text message: “We would like to understand the basis for the fine so we would be guided moving forward.”
He added that the company has not yet received an official statement from the CAB, with regard to the fine.

The penalty was meted out by the CAB on Monday, as a punitive action for flight delays and cancellations over the Christmas holiday travel rush.

According to CAB Director Jose Victor Luciano, they received scores of complaints, 10,400, to be exact, from passengers whose flights via Cebu Pacific were cancelled or severely delayed beginning December 24.

CAB Executive Director Carmelo Arcilla said that because of the volume of complaints, and the carrier’s lapse in efficient service, the agency decided to take punitive action on Cebu Pacific; imposing upon the airline a fine of P5,000 for every affected passenger.

“The fine is based on a finding by the Board that Cebu Pacific’s operational lapses and passenger mishandling constitute a breach of the basic condition of its CPCP, i.e., to provide proper, suitable, convenient, safe, adequate and reliable air transportation services,” Arcilla said.

He added that the CAB strongly reprimanded the airline, apart from issuing a steep penalty. The agency also required the airline to set into place appropriate standards of service to be strictly followed by all its crew; particularly ground personnel assigned to check-in counters.

“After considering all available data and arguments, the Board concluded that the main culprit was Cebu Pacific’s operational lapses and mishandling of passengers,” Arcilla noted.