Martes, Marso 13, 2012

My Horrible Airphil Experience in Lumbia Airport

“i love airphil no doubt about that but my airphil express lumbia airport experience makes me think twice…”



This is how my fb post started.. APX became my buddy when travelling.. I always choose it because of its cheap price and a very accommodating staff especially in Manila.. but last February 28, 2012 I had a very horrible experience happened in Cagyan de Oro Lumbia Airport with Airphil Staffs.

Our fight scheduled going to Manila is 9:50 am, we arrived at the airport at exactly 9:05 AM but since there’s line going inside we need to wait.. we reached the check-in area at about 9:10 AM and there is already a closed sign. The girl named Marianne (APX staff) told us that we are not allowed to check-in and that they were closed since we were late for 5 minutes. They are strict “DAW” with their policy that their counter closes at exactly 45 minutes before estimated time of departure. She even encircled the statement in our ticket. We begged, pleaded and asked her to accommodate us and we really need to go back to Manila because of our work schedule. She stressed that it’s not allowed. Sabi pa nga niya “out of 135 passengers, kyo lang ang late.” Is that a proper way of talking to your customer? Did you guys (APX) teach your staff in Lumbia Airport customer service 101? We saw the baggage of the passengers, they were not yet loading it. We are still saying things and talking to her but what she did was so repulsive. She looked at the computer, as if she’s checking something and don’t listen to us. She talked to her co staff beside her using their dialect so definitely I don’t understand what they’re talking about. Okay to end things we have no choice, we are late, that’s our fault and we accepted that. We will be on their next flight at 3:55 PM and we need to pay 1650 pesos for their LCI fee. To kill time and withdraw some money to pay for the LCI fee we went to CDO SM. We went back to the airport at 1:10 pm. We saw group of people falling in their counter. Thinking they have same flight with us going to Manila we fall in line and wait for our turn. The security guard approached us and asked us if we are going to Cebu and we said no, we are going to Manila. He told us to move away from the counter. Our conversation go something like this:

Me: diba pede ng mag check-in kahit 2 hours pa? nakapila naman kami ah.
Security Guard: oo nga pero dun nalang kayo magintay (pointing to side near their office)
Me: Pag late kami ayaw nyo kami i-accommodate, tapos ngayong ang aga namin ayaw niyo parin kaming i-accommodate?
SG: anong problema mo?! Blah-blah-blah

Naginit ang ulo ko sa sinabi niyang iyon pero para hindi na lumaki hindi nalang ako nagsalita at umalis. When we are waiting for them to accommodate us someone approached me and ask if the line we were was for Cebu flight. I said no and ask what is her departure time, she said 1:50 pm. It’s already 1:20 pm in their clock. Holding on to what they said that they are strict with their 45-minute before eta policy I expected that they will not allow that passenger to check in, I even told the girl that they might not accommodate her. Me together with my cousin and sister looked at the lady as she approached the counter. Wow! What was that? They allowed the lady to check in even though she was 15 minutes late. What are they trying to imply? We felt discrimination, we are discriminated. Just because we are on their piso fare they will do that to us? We were 5 minutes late and  they did not accommodate, the lady is 15 minutes late and they allowed her to check in. C’mon they are really strict in that 45-minute policy, aren’t they?

On our turn to check in we had a conversation with their staff named Maria Balacait (SJ is my cousin and EJ is my sister)

SJ: strict pala talaga kayo sa 45-minute before departure policy nyo ano? Kya pla yung babae na pa-Cebu na accommodate nyo kahit 15 minutes late, tapos kami 5 minutes hindi pwede. How inconsistent?

Maria looked at Marianne and talked to her in their dialect and looked again in the computer in front of her and grin.

Maria: imposible po yun close na  kami ng 1:20.
EJ: imposible? Kitang kita namin. 1:20 andyan siya nagche-check in.
ME: kami pa ba ang magkakamali sa oras ngayon? Dapat pala kinuhan ko ng picture. By the way do you have cctv camera here?
Maria: wala po

Shoot!! Sayang. That can be the best evidence we can have.

That incident made us think, are we going to use Airphil on our future filghts? Hell, no! if their staff would be someone like Marianne and Maria who I think don’t know what the meaning of customer service and fairness were. Bakit naman ganon? Hindi naman ganyan ang staff niyo sa Manila ah.. I saw how your staff in Manila respond to cases like this. They didn’t do things like what the two of them did to us.

Another thing, the guard they have is so impolite. He shouted not only on me but to other passenger. How rude? Nakita pa namin siyang dinuro duro ang pasahero.

No offense but do you have a proper training for you staffs in Lumbia Airport. I don’t want to change the good impression Airphil staffs in Manila had imposed to me but now im in doubt because of the incident happened in CDO.

That day we also had a delayed flight. They made us waited for 2 hours. 5 minutes kaming late and we paid 1650, they are late for about 2 hours, babayaran nyo ba kami Airphil? Muntikan pa kaming ma-late sa work namin. Eh what if we were late for work or worse wasn’t able to go to work, are you going to pay for our 1 day salary? We are not just talking for hundreds here, we are losing thousands.

DO SOMETHING AIRPHIL!!

I sent an almost similar article to Airphil last March 5, 2012. I haven’t received a reply from them after 3 days so I need to resend my email and include in the end that I need a reply as soon as possible. They replied naman (thank God!) on that same day saying that they  will initiate a feedback with the offices concerned to provide them with the necessary information and that they will communicate again with me once they complete their reports. Unfortunately up to this very moment “WALA PA RIN NANGYARI.” Delaying tactics I think!

My ultimate getaway turned out to be a nightmare because of what happened. Ilang araw din akong hindi nka move on ah dahil sa inis at galit. Haaayyy! I am very frustrated! 

Nevertheless, I still love my adventure in Cagayan de Oro. 

Huwebes, Pebrero 9, 2012

INTRAMUROS: Stood the Test of Time!

Last February 5, 2012, I attended a blogger events named as Intramuros Bloggers Challenge 2012 or simply IBC 2012. I am very excited for this will be the first time that I’m going to attend such kind of challenge. I’m not an expert blogger, just started my blog by the way, but the place made me thrilled and more eager to be part of the event.
I’m talking about Intramuros. Literally known as “Walled City” Intramuros is approximately 64 hectares which is surrounded by walls from which its name is derived. The ruins, structures, establishments and the wall itself are the witness why Intramuros stood the test of time.
A day of walking experience in the place is not enough for sure. This will make you realize that you want to go back in the place, somewhat grasp the reality that you left your heart in Intramuros and you are begging for more. In this place, everyone seems to walk through nostalgia, appreciate a historic past and be astounded with bygone age.
Carlos Celdran became my tour guide that day. He’s amazing! He wittily discuss Intramuros and it’s history. Every tour guide Intramuros has will definitely make you understand what Intramuros is all about, that’s love for work and love for place I think. Intramuros has a lot lot more to offer and visiting the place will give you hundreds of reasons to go back all over again.










Let me summarized my experience by giving you of things to do and know in INTRAMUROS

Incarceration of Rizal. Jose P. Rizal is our national hero who was imprisioned in Fort Santiago until his death in Bagumbayan on December 31, 1896. Look over Fort Santiago and visit the Rizal Shrine.










1.       Never leave Intramuros without taking pictures. It is a good place for some photowalk or simple jump shots. Intramuros is also popular as venue of pre-nup pictorials. Who knows, you might have yours to be taken there.







Try to eat at the restaurants within the wall city. Intramuros offers different style of dine ins. Some have cultural show, buffet, fast foods and fine dining. For the list of restaurants, food chain and coffee shop in the area please visit http://www.munchpunch.com/restaurants/results.aspx?t=b&h=14

1.       Romance. Fall in love with Intramuros. Find out why people keep coming back to Intramuros. The nostalgic feeling you will have as you walk in the street may be one reason.



1.       Agustin Church or the San Agustin Church. It was previously known as St. Paul of manila . San Agustin Church is the oldest church in the country. Witness the historic place and discover why the church is considered to be the mother of all colonial churches.

1.       Manila Cathedral. Located at KM0 of Intramuros, the Manila Metroplolitan Cathedral-Basilica undergone a series of tragedies of weather and calamities of earthquakes. It went under series of renovations and restorations, see for yourself its majestic view.




1.       Uncover the nationalism in you. Visit Intramuros, learn history, appreciate the past and enjoy life as Filipino.



1.       Ride a calesa. Nothing would be more exciting than having a tour while riding a calesa. It feelis like ur back in the old age since calesa is no longer the usual kind of transportation now a days.


Photo credits to Jann Cris of http://technophobia1.blogspot.com/. Super Thanks :)

1.       On the map, Intramuros is a must visit place for every Filipino and every tourist from other nation who will visit the Philippines. Discover history or plainly enjoy walking around. 

1.       Sip a cup of coffee or have a cup of frapuccino  at Starbucks. A coffee addict, coffee lover or simply wants caffeine overload? Starbucks in Inramuros is definitely a must stop. Be flabbergasted with its location and style that is totally different from its other branches.


























Miyerkules, Pebrero 1, 2012

Walkathon. A Day in Boracay!

I’m not a beach lover but this beach invited me. I’m not a traveler but the experience encouraged me. I have the stress in work but I give myself a time to enjoy, this was the reason why I chose to look for a place where I can have my worries away, washes the toxicity my work environment brought me , relax and enjoy and so to have a productive work when I go back. This time I chose Boracay.

Being a first timer, I have a lot, lot more to expect in the place and discover why everyone should go in the island atleast once in their lifetime. Upon arrival, I knew to myself, this is the perfect place ive been looking for. I immediately unloaded my things as I arrived in my hotel and was so excited to explore the place.
What best describes the experience is a day of  walkathon. The fine sand you will step in seems to say, “hey, take those slippers off and walk barefooted”. I went to Boracay July 2011. The weather is fine, not the usual summer weather but just enough for some sight-seeing.

It may be a very long walk being in station 2 going to station 1 but it will not cause you exhaustion since u will enjoy every detail you see in the place.

First, the water that calls you to have a swim
Masarap mag swimming sa may waves, pwamis!

Once and a while you can stop at the beach chairs the hotel has few steps away from the beach, have some rest and take lots of pictures





Got tired, try the famous Jonah’s shake



Schedule check muna while waiting for the shake

Nom-nom-nom

Be amazed by those kitesurfers


Though wanting to walk more, I find myself so sleepy since I haven’t got enough sleep the day before going to Boracay (not because I’ excited but because I’m from night shift..hehehe).  that was the time when I decided to go back to the hotel and have some rest.

After recharging myself I am back to my adventure
 isa sa mga hinanap ko, fire dancers! I want someone who is macho sana.. lol ^_^

Stopover at my oh so favorite starbucks coffee

uy free wifi! Status check-in muna!

Fact: Why I love starbucks @ Boracay, the barista told me that im “GWAPA” and the barista is gwapo din. Nahiya lang akong kuhanan ng picture.. hahahaha

Last thing to do, buy pasalubong

And that Is how my whole day went through in Boracay. Since I was not yet allowed to have vacation leave at work, my Boracay experienced was summed up in 1 day. I know it is super bitin and im looking forward to have another vacation in this wonderful place. Hoping this time, I have more days to spend. And now I’m refreshed and back to business. :)


 


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