Cebu Pacific

[Tim16]

Hi,

I am trying to book flights(from UK) with Cebu Pacific - Manila to Bangkok and Hong Kong to Manila.

Have booked with them before, but now my visa credit card is declined every time I try to book. I have read on other forums that other people are having same problem, they no longer seem to accept UK credit cards. Have phoned them and they will not accept my card on phone either. My bank say that there is no problem with my card and there has been no attempt by Cebu Pacific to request money.

I know that there are other airlines but they are about three times the cost.

Have tried local travel agents and on line airline booking agents but none deal with Cebu Pacific.

Does any one know of any agent who deal with Cebu Pacific or have any suggestions?

Tim

[chiang mai]

Hi,

I am trying to book flights(from UK) with Cebu Pacific - Manila to Bangkok and Hong Kong to Manila.

Have booked with them before, but now my visa credit card is declined every time I try to book. I have read on other forums that other people are having same problem, they no longer seem to accept UK credit cards. Have phoned them and they will not accept my card on phone either. My bank say that there is no problem with my card and there has been no attempt by Cebu Pacific to request money.

I know that there are other airlines but they are about three times the cost.

Have tried local travel agents and on line airline booking agents but none deal with Cebu Pacific.

Does any one know of any agent who deal with Cebu Pacific or have any suggestions?

Tim

You are going to fly almost half way round the world with Cebu Pacific, an airline from a country whose national carrier has one of the worlds worst safety records, I hope you are getting a very very cost effective deal. Sorry Tim, I'm prepared to cut corners and take risks on a range of fronts but never on air travel. Good luck.

[nonthaburial]

Chiang Mai, kindly read the post. Manila to HK and Manila to Bangkok is hardly "half way round the world". For your confirmation, Cebu Pacific do not fly UK to Manila so he will obviously not be using them on that leg.

Your attempt to connect Philippine Airlines with Cebu Pacific is also a little unfair, a bit like comparing TG to Phuket Air

[farang2002]

Hi,

I am trying to book flights(from UK) with Cebu Pacific - Manila to Bangkok and Hong Kong to Manila.

Have booked with them before, but now my visa credit card is declined every time I try to book. I have read on other forums that other people are having same problem, they no longer seem to accept UK credit cards. Have phoned them and they will not accept my card on phone either. My bank say that there is no problem with my card and there has been no attempt by Cebu Pacific to request money.

I know that there are other airlines but they are about three times the cost.

Have tried local travel agents and on line airline booking agents but none deal with Cebu Pacific.

Does any one know of any agent who deal with Cebu Pacific or have any suggestions?

Tim

I have used CPA several times over the past 4 months with good success. Booking using a credit card from outside the Philippines will get you this problem.

The first time I called CPA's Manila office and ended up faxing them copies of my credit card, credit card statement and my i.d. Pretty risky business but i did it anyway and ended up with no problems and a ticket.

The second and third times I tried online with my US credit card and had the same notice posted to my booking inquiry: pending. So lucky me, i have a friend who lives in Angeles City. He booked the flights for me using his Philippine credit card and emailed me the receipts and I deposited the proper amounts in his US checking account.

The real trouble is CPA credit card system isn't set up to handle the international credit cards.

[blackbooks]

I've had the same problem. You can buy Cebu tickets from these Bangkok agents, as listed (buried) on the Cebu site

http://www.cebupacificair.com/help/contact.html#iso

In Bangkok:

Thai Sky NTT Tours Co., Ltd.

1362 Suthisarnvinijchai Rd.,

Dindaeng, Bangkok 10400, Thailand

Tel No.: (662) 693-7888 / 6550

Fax No.: (662) 693-7575

Nancy Aviation Co. Ltd.

322/68 Surawongse Watthanakarn Bldg.

(Gems & Jewelry Towers) 26th Flr. Surawongse Road,

Bangrak, Bangkok 10500

Tel No.: (662) 266-9608 / (662) 266 4751 to 4

Fax No.: (662) 238-4521 to 2

I bought from Thai Sky and they were fine - I didn't want to go and pick them up in person so the agent very kindly met me at a BTS station! They don't seem to have a standard courier.

I'm also avoiding flying with Cebu these days

[hansunger]

i fly frequent for many years with cebupacific and had many problems with creditcard payment. im still waiting for 3 refunds (can take around 4 months...if ever u get back the money). i never had any payment problems with other companies in the internet. only with cebupacific.

there are allready a few foren where they discuss the problem:

http://www.pinoytux.com/rantings/cebu-paci...s-evil#comments

i will not book&pay with with my creditcard in cebupacific again. its useless and hassle. also there hotline is often busy and hassle. if you live abroad and dont have friends in philippines (who can arrange/pay bookings localy), then really: better forget to book via their website......

[aries27]

I think the reason why some would prefer to fly CPA or Philippine Airlines than the other budget airlines is because of time saved as well as money too.

Manila-Bangkok is only 2 hours, cross China Sea and Vietnam and you're there.

If you fly Air Asia, not only are you landing in Clark (1.5 hours away from Metro Manila) but you are also going to take a long route, Mnl-Klu is 4 hours and 1.5 hours to Bangkok so you will be a flying long.

Well, I did not know it is difficult to book with an international card on CPA. Maybe it is a preferential treatment to Philippine nationals?

[davee58]

At the start of September I booked Clark to Bangkok on 8th Nov, and in Mid October I booked the return flight, no problems at all with my online bookings made from the UK using my Citibank UK debit card.

Only once was my card refused when I was trying to book Manila to Tacloban from within the Philippines. I had to pay a premium price to buy the ticket from an agent.

The Cebu Pacific customer services has a reputation for being incredibly bad.

I find both Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific to be decent airlines, however on the safety front I hope that no corners will be cut by the Cebu Pacific ultra cheap fare policy.

BTW as I mentioned in my other post today, cebu pacific now offers both Bangkok and Hong Kong as destinations from their new Clark hub which opened yesterday. However through (connecting) flights are not possible.

[grahamhc]

I have just booked a flight from BKK to Clark (Saves having to travel from Manila to Angeles).

The booking on line went well, until the payment option.

Tried my UK Visa Barclaycard - system dropped out.

OK, try my Kasikorn VISA card (OK, ity was Debit Card, bot CC), That was xdenies.

So went to Supattaya Travel Agent on Third Road, Pattaya, and they obtained the ticket. Intresting that they charged 8,000 Baht for the round trip, whereas the online booking cost was going to be 8,748 Baht.

All my friend are warning to expect delayed flight, departure time changes or even change of dates...... We shall see.

[freeurmind2]

PAL and CPA, both owned and operated by old school Fil-Chinese. They are not interested in customer service. Bottomline is their god. CPA offers cheap airfare, cuts corners on manpower and technology, and leaves you disgusted by the lack of service. But they know many will be back for seconds because nothing else is cheaper, and to hel_l with the niceties. This is the way most of them operate their businesses.

edited: I've just read a TV post on yet another ferry mishap in Phils. Mostly of these inter-island ferries are owned by Fil-Chinese, (what did I tell ya?) who toss caution to the wind and play with the lives of their poor passengers through negligence and just basic apathy. They should have been shut down a couple decades ago.

Edited November 9, 2008 by freeurmind2

[aries27]

I think this should be another thread...

Regarding sea mishaps in the Philippines, you have to understand that...

1. the Philippines is an archipelago, 7.100 islands on high tide eh? No, not all those islands are habitable, but many are.

2. the Philippines is a country of 80 million or even more.

3. the most popular means of transporting between islands is by sea (by economy, tradition and ease...)

4. many people depend on the sea for their livelihood (fishermen, boatmen, etc).

finally

5. accidents happen

there are times when a typhoon changes course or strengthens speed without warning.

many of these fishermen and sea travelers know and understand the nature of the sea, or of the climate we are in. they were born in it. but some people just have to go home (maybe the reasons far outweigh the risks) or some people just have to earn a living.

usually what happens is that the weather conditions are good when a fishing boat or a big ship or ferry goes out to sea, but in the deep of the night, nature takes its course.

people who do not live in the islands cannot often empathize what these island people go through. and please don't feel defensive, even filipinos who live most of their lives in the biggest island of luzon who have never ventured out or the few wealthy who only travel by air, also don't understand and just shoot from the hips, criticizing this and that when a navigation accident happens.

sometimes, even at the height of the typhoon, people insist on traveling and even quarrel with the ferry company if the latter refuses to sail. sometimes the reasons are valid (e.g. urgent medical needs, financial like one has to get money, can't be stranded in an island for work or school, sometimes, it is a case of overseas workers going home after a year or so, so excited to see their families like many of the victims of last june's ferry accident). you get the picture.

but this morning, some good news. 11 fishermen who were caught in typhoon when they went out to sea last nov. 6 were rescued, fit and healthy (they ate raw fish to survive) from the island of occidental mindoro. they were rescued by a philippine ship after almost a week floating in the waters. in fairness, they didn't look too bad after those days at sea.

this typhoon (filipino name is quinta made an about face after nearly exiting the country and is again back in the country today). fortunately it is not a strong one (unlike hurricane ike).

in conclusion, while a lot can be done to reduce sea accidents like installing state-of-the-art weather facilities and high tech communication between the weather station and the sea going vessels, proper monitoring of the coast guard, etc., the philippines as pointed out being an archipelago, and because of its huge population, would naturally have, per capita, more accidents than other countries. not trying to give excuses but more of explaining why these things happen here.

i hope this has given you a fresh perspective on the country.

thanks! have a good day all!

[jbaldwin]

Cebu Pacific does not accept Visa cards issued by non-Philipines banks. I think that Mastercards are OK. The website used to make this clear but now does not seem to

[danny55]

I'm booked on CebuPacific in June - Bangkok to Clark/luxon. Anyone done this route? If so any comments, Thanks