Sunday, May 25, 2008
Lim: Cebu Pathetic
By Melanie T. Lim
Wide Awake
CEBU Pacific has now been dubbed “Cebu Pathetic†and by another, “Sorry Pacific.†These monikers are not mine but of those whom Cebu Pacific has so aggrieved. The horror stories are real. (Check out this link:
http://www.philskies.net/forum/viewtopic.php) Or you can email me and I will send you the link above.
Some say, “You get what you pay for,†when you fly Cebu Pacific. Let me ask you, when you buy an airline ticket, what are you paying for? Are you paying to NOT get to your destination? Are you paying to get to your destination three hours late?
No matter what price you pay for an airline ticket, you expect to GET TO YOUR DESTINATION on TIME because THAT is WHAT you are PAYING FOR.
The decision to go on a price war with the industry leader is a corporate decision. Consumers should not have to bear the brunt of this business strategy. Consumers should not have to be misled into thinking they are getting “value for money†by paying X amount of pesos for Y level of service.
We don’t pick up our phones because we are understaffed. We don’t hire managers because we need to cut costs. We don’t entertain complaints in person or over email. When you visit our offices, you will languish for hours. Don’t come screaming at us when your flight is five hours delayed or when you get to the airport and find that your flight is canceled and therefore must pay rebooking charges to get on another flight or when you get your refund in eight months. Remember, we are a budget airline.
When you pay low-end prices, you don’t expect high-end service. Still, no matter how low a price anyone pays for an airline ticket, no one ever signs up for CRAP. Everyone expects DECENT service at any price level. You don’t expect lies, sorry excuses or public humiliation. You don’t expect to bear the blame of others because a company has no conscience.
A no-frills airline is not expected to provide “perks†to its passengers. But getting passengers and their luggage to their destination ON TIME is NOT a “perk.†It is a contractual as well as moral obligation. In the event, therefore, that an airline is unable to fulfill this basic obligation for whatever reason, it should rightfully compensate the aggrieved passengers or at the VERY LEAST, apologize to them.
An airline that decides to drop its prices as a business strategy does not have carte blanche to treat its customers shabbily. Or it should advertise: LOW PRICES. NO CUSTOMER SERVICE. PLANES FLY WHEN FULL. This way, the public can make informed decisions about whether or not they should take the risks of flying with a budget airline.
Cebu Pacific has extended a luncheon invitation to Sun.Star columnists. In light of what’s going on, I find the invitation highly inappropriate. Cebu Pacific knows what I want—and it won't cost them a single cent. Cebu Pacific has been informed that I will not be wined, dined and gagged.
(
[email protected])
Linkback:
https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=12831.0
Topic: Cebu Pathetic (Read 2670 times)