A report which was aired Friday evening on TV news show “24 Oras” stated that a lack of Cebu Pacific counter personnel at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 caused passengers to miss their flights over the holidays; despite the fact that many of these passengers arrived at the terminal 2-3 hours prior to departure.
“Parang 15 meters na lang pero hindi gumagalaw ang pila kasi walang tao na umaasikaso (It seemed like we were only 15 meters away (from the counter) but the line was not moving because there was no one manning (the counter),” Overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Elmer Bajao told reporters from the news show.
Bajao said that due to this inefficiency, he missed his scheduled flight and would have to try his luck on another flight or be forced to spend the night at the hotel until the next available plane out.
An unidentified tourist disdainfully commented to reporters that this was his “first time and last time” to visit the Philippines.
“I won’t tell my friends to come here to the Philippines,” the tourist added.
Cebu Pacific officials offered to refund or rebook the tickets of passengers who missed their flights on account of the slow check-in process.
“Marami po sa mga regular counter agents namin, di nakapasok on time or nakapasok at all kasi over the last couple of days, medyo nag-overtime or nag-stretch (Many of our regular counter personnel were unable to come in on time or at all because over the last couple of days they out in overtime or stretched hours.),” Juan Lorenzo Tañada, Cebu Pacific vice president for corporate affairs, reasoned out.
Although the carrier was able to open all 32 check-in counters at Terminal 3 by noon of Thursday, the backlog caused by the delayed morning flights, as well as by passengers who were unable to board, affected flights throughout the day.
Meanwhile, the Civil Aeronautics Board has asked that the carrier provide a sufficient explanation for the lack of counter personnel that led to the flight delays and cancellations which occurred on December 24 and 25.
On December 24, 192 flights were delayed and 11 were cancelled, while 144 flights were delayed on Christmas Day