Cagayan de Oro Representative Rufus Rodriguez on Monday, June 26 filed a House resolution seeking the suspension of the legislative franchise of low-budget flight carrier Cebu Pacific Air as a punishment for its unsatisfactory service to its passengers.
In House Resolution No. 1101, Rodriguez proposed to suspend the franchise granted to Cebu Pacific under Republic Act No. 7151, also known as An Act Granting Cebu Air, Inc., a franchise to establish, operate and maintain transport services for the carriage of passengers, mail, goods and property by air.
"The principal reason a franchise is given is for the benefit of the public. Cebu Pacific has a history of unsatisfactory service to the public," he said.
"Passengers of Cebu Pacific experience flight delays and cancellation, and to make matters worse, their customer service is also unreliable with passengers complaining that Cebu Pacific does provide immediate assistance or support regarding their concerns despite seeking help from the airline's customer service hotlines and in-person help desks," Rodriguez added.
The lawmaker cited that several reports online revealed that Cebu Pacific’s revenue allegedly grew by 270 percent or ₱1.45 billion due to rebooking, refunds, and cancellation fees.
He added that the airline profited nearly ₱2 billion in the first quarter of 2023 alone.
Rodriguez said these reports had demonstrated that the low-budget flight carrier "is more interested in more profits than good service to the riding public."
The lawmaker first recommended suspending Cebu Pacific's franchise during the Senate investigation into the complaints filed against the airline last week.
Among the complaints shared by passengers on their respective social media accounts were overbooking, offloading, and failing to address their grievances.
In 1991, Congress granted Cebu Pacific a 40-year franchise to operate.
