Cheap and crap

Yep they go together. Cheap = crappy.

That's how I'd call budget airlines. That's how I would call Cebu Pacific. They may offer zero or 1-peso airfares around this country, and if you're lucky you'll really enjoy the cheap part. It's the crappy part that you'd better pray won't happen along with the cheap.

Am not talking delayed flights - worst delay I've encountered so far is an hour, which is apparently "standard" everywhere nowadays. No, delayed flights are the least of my gripes. 

I'm talking long lines and frequent "system" changes that this airline seems to have in store for you all the time. Their flyers say "avoid the line, go online.." but guess what? That's what I did and I ended up wasting 5 hours of my life getting things done. Five hours which should have been spent packing (I only need half for Christ'ssake)...

First they tell me, (twice!), that the ticket office near my place is authorized to handle my booking changes. Then 2 days before our departure, ticket office tells me their system changed, that I have to transact at their main office. On my way there,  a call center agent calls me informing me they've changed my return flight. Then, at the main ticketing office in Galleria, you wouldn't believe (or you would) how long the line is. Thirteen counters, 12 agents (is that what they're called?) ... and they are all serving - ONE person at a time??? Wadapak?

Yes, that surely would set anyone off to get a bomb and detonate the place along with himself. Sana nga ganun na lang. But it's Broody and Mopey's first Boracay vacation as a couple, and while this do-it-yourself booking has gone from heavenly click-and-pay to a murderously wait-all-you-want-we-don't-care affair, I'd better hold on to whatever patience left in me and suffer this ordeal. They'd better not have delayed flights!

Anyway, long line (este, story) short, I got the re-booking hoopla fixed. While waiting for my turn with the cashier, I overheard an old lady arguing with another counter agent about how she's being made to pay extra re-booking charges for the agent's mistake. Apparently, a few minutes ago, she wrote her desired flight schedule on a piece of paper to guide the ticketing agent in booking her family (they're traveling separately). The agent, finding some dates closed (and too lazy to check things out, I suppose), apparently decided to book them under one flight notwithstanding the old lady's written instruction. When the old lady realized the error, she called the agent's attention and ask that she change the booking, to which the agent responded that to do so the old lady will have to pay for re-booking penalties. WADAPAK? 

Well, I guess it's too much to expect Cebu Pacific to at least have some redeeming qualities other than the P0-fare or P1-fare that's attracting customers to their side. I'm just thinking, rather than offer "savings" thru their budget fares, why not provide better service (at least better customer service) for regular fares? 

My take? The rhetorical "is it too much to ask" gets answered by the name of the conglomerate behind this airline.