My Bad Experience with Philippine Airlines
Written: Oct 26 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Philippine Airlines is unreliable.
Cons: The staff are incompetent and discriminate passengers. They would deny boarding you without valid reason
The Bottom Line: Do not use Philippine Airlines! They are unbelievably unprofessional and they might refuse boarding you on their flight without valid reason.
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| lizgsanchez's Full Review: Philippine Airlines |
This is regarding my bad experience with Philippine Airlines concerning my supposed trip to Costa Rica.
I have planned for my trip to Costa Rica as early as August to visit my fiance. I've checked with the different travel agencies to get a fair price and I've learned that I won't need a transit visa for my connecting flight to US. I've booked with New Horizon Travel Agency and paid for my tickets last September 5 amounting to $1,323 Manila to LA via Philippine Airlines and LA to San Jose, Costa Rica via United Airlines. Both airlines assured us that I won't need a transit visa since the policy is the ground waiting time should not exceed 8 hours. Mine was only 3 hours and 20 minutes.
I was scheduled to leave on September 21 and after the World Trade incident I was worried so I asked my travel agency to check with PAL and United Airlines if there were special restrictions especially with the transit visa. We were told none although security with be very strict. I called both airlines myself on September 19 just to be sure and I got the same response. No transit visa is still being imposed with US connecting flights.
The day of my flight, September 21, I gave my tickets and passport to the the boarding staff. After checking them he checked in my baggage and was readying my boarding pass while asking me questions. He asked me if I was traveling alone and I said yes. And then he asked me if I traveled before and I honestly told him no. To my surprise he referred me to his supervisor and I was told I couldn't board the flight without a transit visa. I told them we've already checked with them and I was told my having without a transit visa was not a problem. He at first reasoned it's a new US policy because of the World Trade Incident which was in conflict with what his manager told me. He said that they require a transit visa for first time travelers. So I asked how come we weren't informed about this. They insisted it was the US Mission imposing such rules. That was Friday. On Sunday, I called PAL's 24-hour information service pretending I was a prospective customer. I asked if I would require a transit visa for my trip to Costa Rica via US. I told Anna Lou it was my first time to travel and asked her if it would pose a problem. She asked if I was holding a Filipino passport and I said yes. She put me on hold and later confirmed that I don't need a transit visa.
The next day, Monday I went to my travel agency and faxed my complaint letter to PAL. We called the US embassy like we were told by PAL. We talked with Emma Noel and she said confirmed the no transit visa requirement. PAL was still not satisfied with that so we called the US Non-Immigrant Visa toll call number. We were also told by Lala that no transit visa is needed for my connecting flights. My travel agency showed me a copy of Northwest Airlines memo of September 21 stating the same policy on transit visa. We've contacted PAL's Customer Service again and the next day we were told by Patricia that I could now board the flight without a transit visa. She said she has instructed someone from the airport desk to assist me.
I've rebooked my flight on September 25 got ready and went to the airport. To make a long story short, would you believe when I got there they still refused to board me? It was unbelievable! I went to the same experience twice.
When I went to United Airlines to refund my ticket and they told me that they have encountered this problems with
Philippine Airlines many times so they advise their passengers not to use PAL for their connecting flights to avoid
problems.
So to all Filipino travelers out there beware! This could happen to you too!
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
lizgsanchez
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Reviews written: 1
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