CEBU PACIFIC

We hear about the role of budget airlines in the future of aviation, and Cebu Pacific is a name that has drawn attention in Hong Kong, since there are 250,000+ migrant workers from the Philippines, many would pick the nation's flag carrier, PAL, or Cebu Pacific. On our recent trip to Donsol it was the only choice and let me say this, loud and clear, we loved the experience.  The Hong Kong - Manila legs were, much regrettably, on Cathay Pacific & Dragonair whose individual and joint performance were pitiful.

I lost my appetite and respect for CX after being a Diamond Member, aka 120,000+ miles per year, for 15 years.  I lost touch with reality, naively thinking they treat all pax royally until I lost my status post retirement. Despite the recent fanfare of a super Y-Class, CX has close to zilch interest in pax who turn right after they enter the cabin.  Already charging a premium for regular Y-Class (no one can tell me what for as food and service certainly do not justify it) the 'New Economy Class' is nothing more than further efforts to squeeze more $ from unsuspecting pax.  'Arguably the most profitable airline in the world ....' no wonder! The word loyalty in CX lingo is probably defined as ' ... our customers must be loyal to us, but that does not mean we have to be loyal to them at all ... ' something like that.  Dragonair KA used to be quite good until they were unceremoniously swept under the CX carpet, now she runs the risk of losing indentity and standards.

Let me share this story : we were booked on a CX/KA flight for 830pm departure from Manila ... no one said anything about delays at check-in ... the boards says 810pm boarding (I must give them a bit of rope here since this is Manila International afterall, and you know what that means) .... CX people said 'on time departure' ... until we were at the gate ... sorry Sir, the flight is delayed, but we do not know when, possibly 11pm ... why did you tell us earlier, why did I not receive an SMS as a Marco Polo Members, people asked ... sorry Sir, we do not know, we are only here to inform you the flight will be late ... at 10pm an announcement was made that the plane will arrive at 11pm 'due to technical difficulties out of Hong Kong' ... it never arrived until almost 1130pm ... we did not leave until after midnight, arriving home almost 2am.

I was so impressed I told my agent to stop flying me on CX from now on, it is just not worth the hassle anymore.

Back to Cebu Pacific, on time departute to Legazi, back to Manila, efficient check-in, friendly smiles from young and attractive attendants, no attitude but lots of good will, no food or drinks which is a world better than awful trays disguised as food, plus waterdowned, no longer frizzy soft drinks from dour and bored attendants on CX Economy Class ... OMG, where do these cattle looking pax come from, they ask!

Cebu Pacific, I will fly with you again soon, budget or not ... adieu CX, it is goodbye but I shall not kiss you!