Plan enough reserves
Yesterday we wrote about the air-traffic congestion in manila’s NAIA airport (see here). This morning we got another complaint:
Hi There,
Kindly assist.
Our Cebu Pacific Flight 5J – 392 domestic flight CGY-MNL was delayed for 45 minutes causing us to miss our international flight. ( See flight details below )
Kindly assist to furnish us a letter to prove to our insurance company of the delay as we paid additional for another new flight. I understand you would have logs of flight arrivals and departures. Your kind assistance is greatly appreciated as there seems to be no customer service for Cebu Pacific. As a Filipino, I am deeply ashamed of this horrendous experience with my fellow foreign tourist of his first Philippine experience.
Cagayan de Oro (CGY) to Manila (MNL)
Departure: 01 May 2012, Tuesday, 1805 H Arrival: 01 May 2012, Tuesday, 1930 H Flight No.: Flight 5J – 392
Looking forward to receiving your letter or advise.
We cannot help you, sorry! We only have access to today’s and yesterday’s flights. Yesterday the situation had been the same
Afternoon flights always collect all the accumulated delays of the morning and mid-day flights. 1.5 to 2 hours delay are normal in the afternoon and evening. Some flights are even cancelled because the plane is stuck somewhere else.
Below the Cebu Pacific Air delays for the flights from CGY to MNL of yesterday:
[Editor’s comment:] It’s nice to see that people think that Silent-Gardens knows everything and can do anything. Sorry we can’t! While nothing changes in NAIA, travelers need to plan ahead, much ahead. We are always flying the day before to Manila. So we do not risk to miss our international flights. A night in a hotel is much cheaper than a missed international flight.
Sorry to read of your travel problems out of CDO, But I also agree with the editor on this one Silent Gardens is a great source of information, but you are in the Philippines and being ontime and reliable are not a standard, and taking a discount airline like Cebu just adds to your problems
On my last visit to CDO & Camiguin I also had travel problems, but I had allowed myself some options should things not go to plan, even so I still missed my direct international flight, but the airline gave me an option of a non direct trip home, I can not blame the airlines for this, the transit time on paper looked ok for me, but once you have a delay with out a backup flight things can not go well.
From Camiguin the Ferry was very late to go back to CDO, Even worse was there was no information about when it would even arrive, I contacted my hotel to advise that I would be rather late getting there and then caught my flight out of CDO the next day maybe a little tired but I made the flight without the worry of catching the early ferry the next day to hopefully catch my flight.
I will be back again very soon and have even added an extra day in CDO just in case I have the same problem, and for the cost of a hotel night compared to missing connections it is far less stress.
We all want to make the most of out holiday time doing exactly that holiday and not be traveling and waiting to travel, but what good is the holiday if you get all stressed out when you are trying to get home.
Travel well
We filipinos are price sensitive but we dont think , just because cebu pac is always offering low fares on news papers n commercials on tv everyday brainwashed us into thinking they are always cheap …… Think about the hidden charges the separate taxes charge n water you purchase in flight for you cnt bring water frm outside the terminal that will cost…… you add em up youll end up saving only a bit of peso which is nt worth it…. The long lines n jump pack terminal no seat available ….. Youll have to be up so early for your flights are during unholy hours ….. Get into the check in counter very early so that they will nt bump you off once your late even a fraction of a second only so that they can sell your seat at a higher price tothe chance pax. Even if their flts are delayed… And once youll have yourticket rebook or refunded you are at their mercy ……… Youll have to go down n up the stairs n walk under 37 degrees heat for you are nt going to use the air bridge ……. And have you tried being haggled by their personnel outside the office transaction to have your baggage checked in at lower cost no receipt ? Or being forced to check in your tiny bitsy hand carried bag so youll avail their outside office tansaction check in ? Think about how much you have saved n how much hassle you have gone through if its worth it …… Especially when your on vacation is it worth the stress ?…. What about cancelled or delay flts ….. Youll have to yell at the check in counter n do mass protest before they provide you w meal or billet you on a motel accomodation ……. They can do this for we dnt think n complain n weak consumer rights …… And made you think you ask for cheap fare service will also be cheap …….