Cebu Pacific’s tag line “It’s time everyone flies” is a direct contrast to what happened last December 23, 2009 when Cebu Pacific crew allegedly asked Mylene Alcantara’s son to disembark a flight bound for Manila from Hong Kong because her child is “mentally-ill” according to a report from GMANews.tv.
The mother tried to explain to the adamant crew that her son has global developmental delay or GDD but the crew insisted that he is mentally-ill and explained that it’s in their company policy not to allow two special children from boarding a plane. Apparently, another special child has already boarded the plane ahead of the Alcantaras.
A child with developmental delay is a child who is not achieving certain skills as quickly as expected. In otherwords, the child is not reaching developmental landmarks at the usual age. (Source: Trailscenter.com)
Because of this incident, the family is suing Cebu Pacific even though the airline company has already apologized via text message.
In summary, Cebu Pacific should have hired a more competent crew that can distinguish between a mentally-ill person from someone who has a developmental disorder. Granting that it is indeed in their company policy not to allow two mentally-ill passengers at any given time, what is the legal or factual basis for this policy? Why did they not advise the parents about this policy before they boarded the plane instead of humiliating them in front of passengers? Why did Cebu Pacific choose to “apologize” via text message when the humiliation the family experienced warranted at least a formal apology?
Update (1/7): The rude and arrogant cabin crew was identified as John Castañeda according to an article in Inquirer.net. “The policy is clear that special children are not included in the airline’s prohibition. The manual has an addendum that a special child is not classified as being mentally ill,” the lawyer representing the Alcantara family said. This was confirmed by the airline in an official statement — “Cebu Pacific has no policy that discriminates against persons with special needs. The attempt to offload a passenger with a developmental disability was a result of the cabin crew’s misinterpretation of government regulations designed to assure the safety of passengers.” While this might seem like a simple misinterpretation made by Mr. John Castañeda, Cebu Pacific is still going to face the lawsuit from the Alcantara family. This incident also caught the ire of Commission on Human Rights Chair Lila Delima, who will be proposing that all airline crew undergo mandatory human rights education as part of their training.
{ 17 comments }
I wrote the same blog article about relevant experiences and observations with Cebu Pacific and I believe that their management needs to push positive chances especially on customer service. All these issues are to be addressed immediately.
ON TRAVEL WOES AND A RAINBOW BRIGHT
http://ryanericsongcanlas.wordpress.com/2009/12/20/on-travel-woes-and-a-rainbow-bright/
ON FLIGHT DISCRIMINATION AND WHY PETS AND SPECIAL CHILDREN CAN’T FLY CEBU PACIFIC
http://ryanericsongcanlas.wordpress.com/2010/01/06/warning-special-children-cant-fly-cebu-pacific-period/
Hey Ryan, thanks for dropping by and sharing your thoughts. The way Cebu Pacific handled the issue is usually the case with companies who think they can get away with anything. A lot of their employees are rude. I think it's part of their training to be rude or they have a fault somewhere in their hiring policy.
What Cebu Pacific did was very discriminatory. Apologizing via text (?!) and calling the Alcantaras "affected passengers" are downright impersonal, rude and inconsiderate acts and seem unfit to be termed "apology."
I like your opening statement. For Cebu Pacific, this tagline seems more fit – "It's time everyone flies — except the special children!"
I strongly abhor what Cebu Pacific did. Soooo wrong….special man o hindi, tao lahat tayo and we have rights.
The crew member who did this is an idiot. He should be fired immediately as soon as possible and should no longer be allowed to work in the airline industry. Cebu Pacific should also start to rethink their hiring policy so they don't hire morons like John Castañeda and should retrain their employees on sensitivity and using their common sense.
I agree that CebuPac should look into improving their training modules in order to avoid similar occassions. This should serve as a wake-up call on their end to consider customer service as a strong tool in customer retention and better publicity.
I also think that calling someone an "idiot" or "moron" doesn't diffentiate us from the crew who could not distinguish a mentally-ill person from someone w/ GDD. In psychology, an idiot/moron is a person who is affected with mild mental retardation.
Suggestions help rather than adding fuel to the fire.
baka may ADD din yung nanay pati yung may mga negative comments syempre there are to be followed, pero pinasakay din naman sila, gusto lang ng pera…pamasko…
Pinasakay sila nung nakialam na yung piloto. Medyo slow lang siguro yung cabin crew kaya hindi niya ma-gets na hindi "mentally-ill" ang bata.
Joie, pasensya na pero nasubukan mo na bang mag Cebu Pacific? and Do you have at “Special Child” or relative. IF NOT, consider your self as ignorant.
may kaya yun family at hindi nila kailangan ng pera. wala kang makukuhang pera sa justice system ng pilipinas. pinaglalaban lang ng nanay ang karapatan ng kanyang anak. palibasa wala kang paki-alam sa mga mahal mo sa buhay. kung inapi ang anak, kapatid, o parents mo siguro sasabay kang duraan pamilya mo. ikaw siguro meron ADD sa pag comment mo dito na walang kamodo-modo.
I guess same airline had a number of deaf americans allegedly deplaned way back in 2008. No excuses for the crew. they according to Mrs. Alcantara menacingly and repeatedly called their son mentally ill. Mr Gokongwei is a philanthropist and had helped improved the lives of many filipinos, A few incompetent crew should not depict what the company is all about. They should enroll themselves in an institution in Mandaluyong to be able to distinguish special from mentally ill.
Cebu Pacific deserves to be sued. Their crew is very discriminating and it’s not just to special kids. They once tried to force me to check-in my hand carry bag while I was waiting to board the plane. They said that my bag was too big and could not fit in the overhead compartment. I find that hilarious since I always use the same bag for my travels. Anyway, I pointed out some foreigners who had MUCH bigger bags than I did. The staff reluctantly went to the group of foreigners and didn’t bother me anymore.
Their employees are a bunch of sissies who like to pick on helpless passengers (in this case, a mother and her son with special needs). This should be a lesson for them. They shouldn’t discriminate against other people most especially sa kapwa nilang Pilipino.
In line with lawsuits, whatever happened to those who died in sea tragedies like the M/V Doña Paz? A lot of victims' families were fooled by the shipping companies into accepting a smaller amount, thinking the families cannot afford to sue them since they won't be able to sustain a legal battle. Who is protecting the interests of these people?
Joie,
Paano mo sasabihin there are rules to be followed e inamin na nga ng Cebu Pac na mali sila sa pag implement ng rule na di nag a-apply sa situation? Kung may anak ka na narape, would you sue for money? Would you accept a “sorry”? Tapos, because they stood by their rights and refused to deboard sasabihin mo na “pinasakay din naman sila?” Ikaw ata may add. Bagay ka sa crew ng cebu pac.
ATTENTION Ms. or mister JOIE
I can smell something fishy with your comment, are you an employee or official of Cebu Pacific, o baka binayaran ka to post a negative comment? Baka ikaw napapaskuhan kaya nag comment ka ng ganun.
You are very insensitive, kung wla kang magandang sasabihin, huwag ka ng mag aksaya ng oras mo!
You smell and you stink!
Ms. ALCANTARA, dont be bothered with the kind of Joie, sila yung mga walang magawang mabuti, sila yung hindi amrunong tumingin sa salamin, sila yung nabubuhay lang sa mundo na kapag nawala eh wala ng makakaalala. Dont let comments like the one Joie wrote stop you from pursuing the case.
Many are behind you and its about time that this issue surface!!
Mabuhay ka!!
Everytime na vacation kami sa Pinas we always take Cebu Pacific..pero nakakahiya ang ginawa nila sa mag-ina. Ano ba iyang mga cabin crew ng CP na iyan mga bobo yata…Dapat lang na i sued iyan para matauhan
is the case is still goin on? how much million paid the cebu pacific airlines to the complainant in order to dismiss the case?
Yes, I think so. The complainant has already filed the case against Cebu Pacific.
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