Cruiser Elite
Enthusiast
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2010
- Posts
- 13,861
Had the worst experience in my life recently when I flew MEL-MNL-PVG / PEK-MNL-MEL on PAL – god what a disaster.
I can hear you all saying what do you expect? Everybody knows how bad they are. YES YES YES I agree – they are not top tier but I have flown these routes coupla times previously with PAL and it has worked out OK – August in particular MEL-MNL-PEK / PVG-MNL-MEL in J for $1,683 – and YES YES YES I know PAL J is quite inferior to other alternatives Aus to China but the requirement for brief face to face meetings in MNL required I go this route.
So at $2,783 in J this time open jaw which is perfect and the requirement to meet prospective customers briefly in Manila appeared to suit just fine – but alas tears would be flowing before I returned home - let me explain and I will try to be brief
Early check-in and into Koru Club – PR212 is then 1hr late leaving. I was lucky – previous day it was 10hrs late leaving and apparently PAL would not put J pax up in hotel but rather made them stay in lounge – wonderful service huh.
As soon as I am seated I drop a sleeping tablet and they had to shake me to wake me in Manila – slept like baby even on those dodgyy seats. Meeting in Manila went exceptionally well and I was feeling tiggity boo as I re-boarded at midday heading to PVG. Knowing full well how I enjoyed the Charles Heidsieck on previous PR flights I was all set to give it a serious hiding but was I in for a shock.
As soon as seat belt sign goes off I press call button and ask for Champers – sorry Sir no alcohol on this flight – WTF? – no Sir – transition period between our old catering company and new catering company so no alcohol – I can give you soda.
I don’t want f*cking soda – I want alcohol like you always serve – I want alcohol like a grownup not soda like a child - I want alcohol like any premium class pax in premium cabin on inter flight would expect – sorry Sir on flights less than 5hrs no alcohol – jeez was my blood boiling – but these dudes aint to blame to what can I do?
Jaime J. Bautista is Pres and COO of PAL – his picture, details and email address in in-flight magazine – FA’s suggested I email him and let him know my thoughts – will I ever – and did I ever – told Mr Bautista EXACTLY what I thought of his 2 bob second rate soon to be defunct airline – here is the response received 2 days later:
Dear Mr. Elite,
We acknowledge receipt of your email to Mr. Jaime J. Bautista, our President & Chief Operating Officer, expressing your bitter disappointment on the lack of alcoholic drinks on your flight PR 336/31 October.
We are deeply sorry to have caused you grave disappointment on our inability to service alcoholic drinks on your recent flight with us. It is not because we have changed our caterer. With due courtesy, please allow us to explain that since we implemented our outsourcing/spin-off program of our non-core units of Airport Services, Catering and Reservations, we have been operating under abnormal conditions at the Airport and Catering. ( Reservations has been taken over by a service provider since 2010). The program was scheduled for October 01, 2011 but before we could do that, some members of the Philippine Airlines Employees Association staged an illegal strike to protest the spin-off. Instead of joining our contracted service providers, these employees conducted a work stoppage. We are now in the process of building up our manpower level and gradually attaining normalcy for Airport operations.
Regretfully, we can not say the same for Catering. The protesters have set up camp infront of our Inflight Center which houses our kitchen and catering supplies. Up to this time, they are illegally encamped and we can not access the facility which was supposed to be taken over by our service provider. This being so, we can not make use of our catering equipment to support our requirements. The reason for the lack of alcohol service was the lack of meal carts to store the drinks which are bonded items as mandated by the Bureau of Customs. As such, they have to be in dedicated meal carts under lock & key when brought inflight.
It is very disheartening for us to lose a valued customer for this reason. We can only seek your kind understanding of our labor problem as we work on resolving this issue with the court the soonest. We look forward to be able to serve our passengers at our desired level of service soon.
Mr. Elite, thank you for making us aware of your sentiments. Inspite of this unfortunate development, we remain hopeful that you will give us another opportunity to serve you. From this challenging time of our transition to a better corporate structure, we will emerge better equipped and more focused on our primary goal to provide our passengers with safe and pleasurable service.
Again, our heartfelt apologies for having caused you bitter disappointment.
Sincerely,
Marilou C. Mendoza
Senior Assistant Vice President
Office the President & Chief Operating Officer
Whatever
5 days in Shanghai / Beijing and I head back to PEK to return – forgot I was not travelling with SQ – told taxi drop me T3 - SHOOT – PR depart T2 - really short of time really heavy luggage – down to taxi rank grab first taxi and give him Y50 and explain T2 – finally arrive in 1pc. Check-in – sir you are overweight – (30kg baggage limit in J) – yeah I thought I might be – how much – 12kg – ok I have to pay – yes – how much – RMB310 (A$48) – ok where I pay – that is RMB310 / kg Sir – WTF – you are kidding me - $480 you are kidding me – no Sir – RMB3,100 – you f*cking thieves – where I pay – over here sir – you f*cking thieves.
Into BJS Lounge in T2 – jeez I forgot this old lounge – same lounge I departed out of 100 times with SQ – memories. On board – only 2 pax in J – the other guy had spent 36 hours getting from Tajikistan to PEK and when he heard no alcohol on board PEK-MNL flight I thought he was going to tear the cabin apart – 4.5 hour flight in almost upright position and I slept most of the way – the seats reminded me of the seats in Fred Flintstone’s car – very hard indeed.
Supposedly only 2.5hrs in MNL T2 transit – 2hrs too long but could be worse – virtually no food or drink to speak of in PAL J Lounge – what a disgrace – wifi worked off and on – mostly off – toilets broken – jeez what a disaster.
MEL-MNL flight is delayed 1hr - board again and search for 11C – SHOOT– bulkhead right in front me – first row behind the old first class cabin – when I checked in in PEK I said DO NOT PUT ME IN FIRST ROW – then I get a seat staring straight at a bulkhead and cannot even stretch my feet out – jeez I hate this airline.
Call FA over and explain – she says we will shift you if we can but cabin rather full – if some passengers not arrive maybe we can move you - jeez I was getting angry.
I sit til doors are closed – get up and stroll to back of J cabin – 22 seats in rear section and 4 pax – WTF was that dragon talking about earlier. Change seats and settle in – prior to take-off asked what drink I want – champagne of course – sorry Sir no champagne on this flight – beer or wine – WTF again. Same lame excuse from FA’s – transition period between catering companies.
Only redeeming point was they could find Penfolds wine – until it was all gone – then some dicey Chilean vinegar – god I was so over it.
Land in SYD and head to Koru Club to spend the 1hr layover – sorry Sir we are closing – your flight is late arrival and we do not stay open – jeez I cannot take a trick – arrive back in MEL at 11:45 after departing hotel in PEK at 11pm previous night – nah I am done with PAL – told my staff next day if they ever see me trying to book a PAL flight again they to cough slap me into tomorrow.
I can hear you all saying what do you expect? Everybody knows how bad they are. YES YES YES I agree – they are not top tier but I have flown these routes coupla times previously with PAL and it has worked out OK – August in particular MEL-MNL-PEK / PVG-MNL-MEL in J for $1,683 – and YES YES YES I know PAL J is quite inferior to other alternatives Aus to China but the requirement for brief face to face meetings in MNL required I go this route.
So at $2,783 in J this time open jaw which is perfect and the requirement to meet prospective customers briefly in Manila appeared to suit just fine – but alas tears would be flowing before I returned home - let me explain and I will try to be brief
Early check-in and into Koru Club – PR212 is then 1hr late leaving. I was lucky – previous day it was 10hrs late leaving and apparently PAL would not put J pax up in hotel but rather made them stay in lounge – wonderful service huh.
As soon as I am seated I drop a sleeping tablet and they had to shake me to wake me in Manila – slept like baby even on those dodgyy seats. Meeting in Manila went exceptionally well and I was feeling tiggity boo as I re-boarded at midday heading to PVG. Knowing full well how I enjoyed the Charles Heidsieck on previous PR flights I was all set to give it a serious hiding but was I in for a shock.
As soon as seat belt sign goes off I press call button and ask for Champers – sorry Sir no alcohol on this flight – WTF? – no Sir – transition period between our old catering company and new catering company so no alcohol – I can give you soda.
I don’t want f*cking soda – I want alcohol like you always serve – I want alcohol like a grownup not soda like a child - I want alcohol like any premium class pax in premium cabin on inter flight would expect – sorry Sir on flights less than 5hrs no alcohol – jeez was my blood boiling – but these dudes aint to blame to what can I do?
Jaime J. Bautista is Pres and COO of PAL – his picture, details and email address in in-flight magazine – FA’s suggested I email him and let him know my thoughts – will I ever – and did I ever – told Mr Bautista EXACTLY what I thought of his 2 bob second rate soon to be defunct airline – here is the response received 2 days later:
Dear Mr. Elite,
We acknowledge receipt of your email to Mr. Jaime J. Bautista, our President & Chief Operating Officer, expressing your bitter disappointment on the lack of alcoholic drinks on your flight PR 336/31 October.
We are deeply sorry to have caused you grave disappointment on our inability to service alcoholic drinks on your recent flight with us. It is not because we have changed our caterer. With due courtesy, please allow us to explain that since we implemented our outsourcing/spin-off program of our non-core units of Airport Services, Catering and Reservations, we have been operating under abnormal conditions at the Airport and Catering. ( Reservations has been taken over by a service provider since 2010). The program was scheduled for October 01, 2011 but before we could do that, some members of the Philippine Airlines Employees Association staged an illegal strike to protest the spin-off. Instead of joining our contracted service providers, these employees conducted a work stoppage. We are now in the process of building up our manpower level and gradually attaining normalcy for Airport operations.
Regretfully, we can not say the same for Catering. The protesters have set up camp infront of our Inflight Center which houses our kitchen and catering supplies. Up to this time, they are illegally encamped and we can not access the facility which was supposed to be taken over by our service provider. This being so, we can not make use of our catering equipment to support our requirements. The reason for the lack of alcohol service was the lack of meal carts to store the drinks which are bonded items as mandated by the Bureau of Customs. As such, they have to be in dedicated meal carts under lock & key when brought inflight.
It is very disheartening for us to lose a valued customer for this reason. We can only seek your kind understanding of our labor problem as we work on resolving this issue with the court the soonest. We look forward to be able to serve our passengers at our desired level of service soon.
Mr. Elite, thank you for making us aware of your sentiments. Inspite of this unfortunate development, we remain hopeful that you will give us another opportunity to serve you. From this challenging time of our transition to a better corporate structure, we will emerge better equipped and more focused on our primary goal to provide our passengers with safe and pleasurable service.
Again, our heartfelt apologies for having caused you bitter disappointment.
Sincerely,
Marilou C. Mendoza
Senior Assistant Vice President
Office the President & Chief Operating Officer
Whatever
5 days in Shanghai / Beijing and I head back to PEK to return – forgot I was not travelling with SQ – told taxi drop me T3 - SHOOT – PR depart T2 - really short of time really heavy luggage – down to taxi rank grab first taxi and give him Y50 and explain T2 – finally arrive in 1pc. Check-in – sir you are overweight – (30kg baggage limit in J) – yeah I thought I might be – how much – 12kg – ok I have to pay – yes – how much – RMB310 (A$48) – ok where I pay – that is RMB310 / kg Sir – WTF – you are kidding me - $480 you are kidding me – no Sir – RMB3,100 – you f*cking thieves – where I pay – over here sir – you f*cking thieves.
Into BJS Lounge in T2 – jeez I forgot this old lounge – same lounge I departed out of 100 times with SQ – memories. On board – only 2 pax in J – the other guy had spent 36 hours getting from Tajikistan to PEK and when he heard no alcohol on board PEK-MNL flight I thought he was going to tear the cabin apart – 4.5 hour flight in almost upright position and I slept most of the way – the seats reminded me of the seats in Fred Flintstone’s car – very hard indeed.
Supposedly only 2.5hrs in MNL T2 transit – 2hrs too long but could be worse – virtually no food or drink to speak of in PAL J Lounge – what a disgrace – wifi worked off and on – mostly off – toilets broken – jeez what a disaster.
MEL-MNL flight is delayed 1hr - board again and search for 11C – SHOOT– bulkhead right in front me – first row behind the old first class cabin – when I checked in in PEK I said DO NOT PUT ME IN FIRST ROW – then I get a seat staring straight at a bulkhead and cannot even stretch my feet out – jeez I hate this airline.
Call FA over and explain – she says we will shift you if we can but cabin rather full – if some passengers not arrive maybe we can move you - jeez I was getting angry.
I sit til doors are closed – get up and stroll to back of J cabin – 22 seats in rear section and 4 pax – WTF was that dragon talking about earlier. Change seats and settle in – prior to take-off asked what drink I want – champagne of course – sorry Sir no champagne on this flight – beer or wine – WTF again. Same lame excuse from FA’s – transition period between catering companies.
Only redeeming point was they could find Penfolds wine – until it was all gone – then some dicey Chilean vinegar – god I was so over it.
Land in SYD and head to Koru Club to spend the 1hr layover – sorry Sir we are closing – your flight is late arrival and we do not stay open – jeez I cannot take a trick – arrive back in MEL at 11:45 after departing hotel in PEK at 11pm previous night – nah I am done with PAL – told my staff next day if they ever see me trying to book a PAL flight again they to cough slap me into tomorrow.
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