How to fly with Cebu Pacific and not get angry at cancellations: You don’t (Part I)

(This is a two part post, the first one recounting my experience and the second, an insight into the Service Recovery protocol of the company)

Backstory:

I arrived at NAIA Terminal 3 on October 7, 2018,  2 hours 30 minutes early for my 2PM Manila- General Santos City Cebu Pacific flight 5J 997.  I only have a backpack and a hand carried bag with me. I checked in online the day prior. After the pre departure protocol checks, I went directly to boarding gate 120 and fell asleep at the bench waiting for the plane . I heard the paging system announcing  our flight will be delayed “due to the delayed arrival of our turn around flight”.  Cebu Pacific flight 5J 997  arrived ~ 2:30- 2:45PM . Passengers boarded the plane between 3- 4pm.  After around 15 minutes inside the plane, I saw the cabin doors shut and heard the pre-departure announcements on the loudspeakers. The plane backed up,  getting ready to taxi into the runway. Once I felt the plane moving, I immediately fell asleep. I woke up 30 mins thinking we were flying already.  Looking out through the plane’s window I saw our plane still lining up for the runway. When it was our plane’s turn to take off, the control tower advised our planes pilot to go back because our plane will not make it to Gensan airport’s “sunset” limitations. Our plane proceeded to the arrival area as instructed. The flight pilot and crew gave the standard arrival welcome routine. It felt really awkward though knowing we weren’t even an inch off the ground. The pilot instructed us to proceed to the customers desk at the arrival area for rebooking, rerouting and in my mind,  whatever we  can salvage from this debacle. Personally, I think the flight crew handled this flight cancellation per protocol nicely although I still would want an explanation why their arrival was delayed. I frankly don’t know what  “due to the delayed arrival of our turn around flight” mean.

Events turned for the worst at the arrival area’s customer’s desk. The permanent customer’s desk is busy with some other transactions and we were told a temporary customer desk for 5J 997 passengers will be set up immediately.

I am first in line in front of this temporary customers desk. A team of Cebu Pac ground staff gathered behind the desk doing something I don’t understand. First, they were looking for a laptop connected to their network, probably to book us again. Second, they were also looking for WIFI connection (???). Both laptop and wifi dongle arrived late. Third, no one seem to have definite answers or protocol to follow. There’s someone constantly talking to a phone, another holding typing on an ipad probably for their network while others are holding brochures and flyers. Nobody introduced themselves and I don’t know who is the person in charge. Someone or some two maybe three people started announcing and talking  to the passengers. It’s quite obvious some staff aren’t sure of their answers or what to do based on the  tentative answers and announcements we got.

They gave us one free domestic flight voucher as their way of apologising for this flight cancellation, really a mess for most of us. Our tickets were automatically rebooked for the next day gensan flight and was told free hotel accommodations (or 500PHP for those who won’t stay there) for the night. Those who want to rebook or reroute  elsewhere or another time, well we were advised to wait till they finish setting up their transfer desk.

Not wanting to stay overnight and wait for next day flight, I opted for the 6PM flight to Davao. They booked me alright, I was first in line but they refused to give me my 500Php transportation allowance. I did not insist anymore since I only had 30 mins window to boarding for that davao flight. So I ran to the departure area, went through the same boarding protocol and arrive at the gate 15 minutes earlier than the boarding time.

I barely warmed my butt waiting, someone on the paging system announced our davao flight will be delayed also due to, guess what “late arrival of your return flight”. So here I am, waiting for a plane to arrive and writing my thoughts here. I hope I’ll end up in Davao tonight. Let’s see what happens.

Update: 9:30 PM 10-7-18
I finally arrived in Davao. Hope to find a place to stay, as I left my keys to my sister’s place in the car back in Gensan. Needing a massage and coffee too. Then will write on my thoughts on this experience. A chance to learn, so to speak.

cancellations cebu pacific flights service recovery

Last modified: October 9, 2018