My father-in-law had just returned to Manila from performing with his band in Cebu. It was Sinulog Festival season, one of the biggest and most celebrated festivals in the country, so we expected to hear details about how festive it was. Instead, he ranted about what seems be an anomaly with the weighing scales at the check-in counter of Cebu Pacific Air in the Domestic Airport at Mactan, Cebu.
Jan. 14, Friday
Cebu Pacific Air check-in counter
NAIA Terminal 3, Metro Manila
Being a band, my father-in-law and his friends had brought several pieces of musical equipment to check on board. They were ready to pay for the excess baggage, which then had amounted to PHP960.
Since they were on a tight schedule, they didn't get any chance to shop for pasalubong, so we can assume that what they brought to Cebu, they also brought back to Manila -- nothing more, nothing less.
Jan. 15, Friday
Cebu Pacific Air check-in counter
Mactan, Cebu
Upon checking-in their baggage and equipment at the Domestic Airport in Mactan, they were shocked to find that the charges for their excess baggage had gone up to over PHP4,000. A discrepancy of maybe a few hundreds, with the type of check-in items they had, might be acceptable. But the discrepancy was over four times what they had paid for the same amount of excess baggage going out of Manila.
My father-in-law argued back and forth with the personnel at the check-in counter, and demanded to have the weighing redone, but the personnel refused his request, saying that it will take a lot of time, etc. He instead suggested to my father-in-law and his friends to remove some of the excess baggage and carry them on the plane. They removed 3 bags and the excess charges went down to PHP1,400. They settled with that and made the payment, but they went away still very much bewildered.
Here's the million dollar question: What the hell!?!?!
Unless someone can scientifically prove beyond any doubt that gravity is stronger by four times in Cebu than in Manila, it seems that what my father-in-law and co. had just discovered is not just an anomaly, but possibly an outright scam.
There's more to this story: At the Cebu Pacific Air check-in counter beside where they were, an American tourist was having the same "excess baggage" problem. She also insisted that she didn't add anything to her baggage. But unlike my father-in-law, she just paid for the charges so she would be done with it.
My father-in-law told my husband about the incident as a warning, since his own band was also performing during the Sinulog. It turns out that they had already noticed long ago that something was fishy with the weighing scale at the same airport, but they always paid for the excess charges anyway because, that was less stressful than having an argument that will surely go nowhere (plus, you're holding up the line).
It makes me wonder how many more have had the same experience. Does Cebu Pacific Air's executive management know about this? If they don't, you better have a good answer for us -- and pronto! If not, well...what the hell!?!?!
Jan. 14, Friday
Cebu Pacific Air check-in counter
NAIA Terminal 3, Metro Manila
Being a band, my father-in-law and his friends had brought several pieces of musical equipment to check on board. They were ready to pay for the excess baggage, which then had amounted to PHP960.
Since they were on a tight schedule, they didn't get any chance to shop for pasalubong, so we can assume that what they brought to Cebu, they also brought back to Manila -- nothing more, nothing less.
Jan. 15, Friday
Cebu Pacific Air check-in counter
Mactan, Cebu
Upon checking-in their baggage and equipment at the Domestic Airport in Mactan, they were shocked to find that the charges for their excess baggage had gone up to over PHP4,000. A discrepancy of maybe a few hundreds, with the type of check-in items they had, might be acceptable. But the discrepancy was over four times what they had paid for the same amount of excess baggage going out of Manila.
My father-in-law argued back and forth with the personnel at the check-in counter, and demanded to have the weighing redone, but the personnel refused his request, saying that it will take a lot of time, etc. He instead suggested to my father-in-law and his friends to remove some of the excess baggage and carry them on the plane. They removed 3 bags and the excess charges went down to PHP1,400. They settled with that and made the payment, but they went away still very much bewildered.
Here's the million dollar question: What the hell!?!?!
Unless someone can scientifically prove beyond any doubt that gravity is stronger by four times in Cebu than in Manila, it seems that what my father-in-law and co. had just discovered is not just an anomaly, but possibly an outright scam.
There's more to this story: At the Cebu Pacific Air check-in counter beside where they were, an American tourist was having the same "excess baggage" problem. She also insisted that she didn't add anything to her baggage. But unlike my father-in-law, she just paid for the charges so she would be done with it.
My father-in-law told my husband about the incident as a warning, since his own band was also performing during the Sinulog. It turns out that they had already noticed long ago that something was fishy with the weighing scale at the same airport, but they always paid for the excess charges anyway because, that was less stressful than having an argument that will surely go nowhere (plus, you're holding up the line).
It makes me wonder how many more have had the same experience. Does Cebu Pacific Air's executive management know about this? If they don't, you better have a good answer for us -- and pronto! If not, well...what the hell!?!?!
5 comments:
The MCIAA (http://www.mactan-cebuairport.com.ph/) should investigate this ASAP. Cebu Pacific is the airline of hidden and outrageous charges!
Dun nila binabawi yung "discounts" nila sa fares. I was also almost misled by their online check-in thing. It forces you to buy seats at P100 per seat per leg of the flight + tax!
I always bring a travel weighing scale with me whenever I fly. I never realized it could have an added benefit during instances like this!
@Val - sleuth mode na tayo, haha! :))
@Zarah - kadiri sila. What a backhanded way to do business diba? Sana di totoo yung "scam" theory though.
@Chrissie - Good idea! I should maybe do that, too, especially if I'm bringing lots of stuff. I usually pack light, even on a 4-day trip.
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