CAGAYAN de Oro City 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez late last week called for the suspension of Cebu Pacific's legislative franchise as punishment for their alleged poor service.
Rodriguez, who has been receiving numerous complaints from passengers, criticized the airline's excuse of spare parts and maintenance issues for a 50% deterioration in service.
According to Rodriguez, the issue is not just about spare parts or maintenance but also about Cebu Pacific selling tickets without adequate aircraft to accommodate passengers.
He insisted that the airline should cease ticket sales altogether.
Rodriguez also criticized Cebu Pacific for frequent overbooking, resulting in passengers being offloaded.
The lawmaker also slammed regulators for their failure to address passenger complaints and penalize erring airlines.
He called for the government to allow foreign airlines to operate in the country, citing recent amendments to the Public Service Act.
Rodriguez believes that offering alternatives to Cebu Pacific's poor service is necessary.
Furthermore, he urged other domestic carriers, particularly Philippine Airlines, to improve their services and match Cebu Pacific's fares.
Rodriguez expressed confidence that if fare rates are comparable, Filipinos would prefer Philippine Airlines, emphasizing the need for the flag carrier to regain its position as the most preferred domestic and international airline.
Meanwhile, in one of the Senate hearings, Xander Lao, president, and chief commercial officer of Cebu Pacific, apologized to affected passengers for flight delays and cancellations.
Lao presented data showing the airline's on-time performance for May dropped to 58%.
He attributed the disruptions to engine and supply chain issues faced by the global aviation industry, including Pratt & Whitney engine problems and delays in Airbus aircraft deliveries.
Lao acknowledged the challenges and promised to resolve them for the benefit of passengers.
