Budget carrier Cebu Pacific Air has been fined P52 million for the numerous flight delays and cancellations that caused chaos at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 during the recent holiday rush.
The government panel created to investigate the case, including the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), based the P52,110,000 penalty on the more than 10,400 passengers affected by the airport mess.
The CAB resolution fining the airline will be signed either Jan 13 or 14, according to CAB executive director Atty Carmelo Arcilla in a text message.
The airline may file a motion for reconsideration 15 days after receipt of the resolution.
“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 said.
He added that the CAB Board is requiring Cebu Pacific to establish and maintain appropriate service standards for all its personnel, whether organic or outsourced, especially those manning check-in counters.
CAB director Victor Jose Luciano noted that the budget airline also violated its Certificate of Public Convenience. “They are in public service and high absenteeism is not a reason for flight delays and cancellations,” he said.
Data submitted by Cebu Pacific to the government panel showed that the airline had 288 delayed and 20 cancelled flights at NAIA Terminal 3 from December 24 to 26. Hundreds of affected passengers filed complaints that prompted the government to investigate the case.
Cebu Pacific blamed air traffic congestion as well as bad weather for the flight delays and cancellations. Bad weather, particularly on Dec 24 and 25, was seen by the airline as the culprit for the high incidence of absences among check-in personnel.
But the government would hear none of the carrier’s explanations, saying these were not supported by data.
According to Transport Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya, six flights arrived late at NAIA on the early morning of December 24, at a time when there was no congestion.
“These incidents of tardiness caused a domino effect of delays throughout the rest of the day. And yet Cebu Pacific claims that it was congestion that caused the mess,” he explained.
On the morning of December 26, only two check-in counters for domestic flights were open and it was only at 11:00 am, after CAB and MIAA intervened, that more counters opened, according to Abaya. – Roumina Pablo
Photo from Cebu Pacific Facebook acocunt
