Air industry stakeholders support creation of 'Passenger Bill of Rights'

Tuesday 10th of July 2012

MANILA, July 10 (PIA) -- Air transport industry stakeholders led by airline companies and various consumer groups unanimously expressed their full support for the creation of a comprehensive Passenger Bill of Rights for airline passengers.

In a statement, the Department of Transportation and Communications said that the support was extended during the "historic and unprecedented" first public hearing held over the weekend at the DOTC headquarter to hear and solicit the views of the stakeholders. The DOTC and the Department of Trade and Industry spearhead the effort.

"We will consider all views to balance out the interest of all the stakeholders,” Transportation Secretary Mar Roxas said in welcoming the participants. “We will hear what everybody has to say, we will amend accordingly, and then we will officially convert it into regulation.”

The hearing was presided by Roxas and DTI Secretary Gregory Domingo. Also present were Department of Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Samar 1st district Representative Mel Senen Sarmiento, CAB Executive Director Carmelo Arcilla, MIAA General Manager Jose Angel Honrado, and CAAP new director general William Hotchkiss III.

DTI Secretary Domingo said the effort was to try to strike a balance between the interest of airline companies and the minimum standard for passenger right aside from fostering better relationship between the two.

Among the airline companies who expressed support and presented their views to the joint DOTC-DTI panel were Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, SeaAir, Air Philippines, Zest Air and Sky Airways.

Consumers groups present were the National Center for Commuter Safety and Protection, National Consumer Affairs Council and other private individuals. Representing the travel agents was the Philippine Travel Agencies’ Association.

DOT Secretary Jimenez described the hearing as a “historic day.” He said the problem of runway congestion in our airports was brought about the sudden surge in travel.

“We wouldn’t be in this room today if there wasn’t a sudden surge in travel in our country,” Jimenez said.

The stakeholders were given turn to present their positions and submit their inputs or amendments to the 13-page working draft of the Air Passenger Bill of Rights.

Rep. Sarmiento, member of the House of Representatives’ Committee of Transportation and co-author of the Airline Passenger Fairness Act, similarly extended his support to the administrative order.

Meanwhile, among the issues raised by airline companies were passengers’ responsibility in arriving at airports three hours before their flight, delayed and cancelled flights due to force majeure, the requirement for a reserved aircraft, and the coverage of inbound and outbound international flights.

Elvira Medina of the NCCSP made a pitch for the rights of persons with disabilities and the improvement of emergency facilities inside aircrafts. Other representatives and private individuals also expressed the sentiments of the PWDs, as well as for senior citizens.

Labor advocate and former Undersecretary of DOLE Toots Ople said overseas Filipino workers welcome the development and relayed the sentiments of some OFWs who had been bumped off from their flights on their way to their overseas destination to work.

The airline companies also presented their concerns but vowed to follow the administrative order that would created the passengers bill of rights.

“Let me reiterate to the airline companies that we are not here to ruin their business or cause them to lose money or in any way jeopardize what has been a successful model. But this model cannot be successful at the expense of the rights of the innocent passenger, who is a contractual partner in a contract entered into whenever a ticket is sold,” Roxas said.

Roxas said all written inputs and proposed amendments will be received by the Technical Working Group up to July 16. The next hearing is tentatively scheduled on July 20.

Roxas said the hearing will rationalize and clarify the rights and obligations of the passengers and the airlines and will foster a better relationship between the two sectors. (DOTC/RJB/JCP-PIA NCR)