THE head of the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) yesterday suggested bringing back a cap on overbooking flights.
Overbooking is a “global practice” wherein airlines sell more seats than the capacity of the aircraft. After a cap on the practice was removed, airlines were required by the passenger bill of rights to offer compensation and shoulder the hotel and food expenses of volunteers who give up their seats on overbooked flights, noted CAB executive director Carmelo Arcilla.
“Iyon ay magiging disincentive sa isang airline para abusuhin ang overbooking,” he said in a televised public briefing.
“Ganunpaman…itong bill of rights na ito, joint administrative order ng DOTr at saka ng Department of Trade and Industry. So, para sa akin, bukod doon sa counterweight na may compensation that will discourage abuse of overbooking ay iminumungkahi ko rin na magkaroon ulit ng cap,” he added.
The Senate this week started investigating numerous passenger complaints against local airlines and flight experiences.
A global supply chain disruption that delays aircraft orders, spare parts and repairs has forced airlines to “downgrade” or use smaller aircraft for flights which were supposed to use bigger airplanes, Arcilla said.
With the aircraft downgrade, some passengers chosen randomly would not be able to board their original flight, he said.
“Sa amin pong inisyal na pagsusuri ay hindi po ito ang tinatawag na overbooking. Kasi ang overbooking po ay may patakaran na kailangang mai-check-in ka at doon sa boarding gate, doon magkakaalam kung ilan iyong overbooked seats, ilan iyong kailangang volunteer – iyan po ang tinatawag na overbooking,” Arcilla said.
“Ngayon, kung ang ginawa po ng airline ay talagang in-overbook tapos biglang sinabihan iyong mga tao na ‘Hindi kayo makakasakay,’ ay iligal po iyan at parurusahan natin. Pero iyong hindi pa po natin alam ang final na finding pero ang lumalabas po, na ang pangyayari po ay iyong downgrading ng aircraft,” he added. (ABS-CBN News)
SSS, LGU Tubay implement KaSSSangga Collect Program for JO, COS workers
TUBAY, Agusan Del Norte – The Social Security System (SSS) and the local government unit (LGU) of Tubay recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) implementing the KaSSSangga Collect Program to ensure the social security protection of the LGU’s 420 job order (JO) workers and contract of service (COS) personnel.
Under the MOA, LGU Tubay will remit the monthly contributions of JO and COS workers through an automatic salary deduction scheme to ensure their eligibility for Social Security (SS) benefits such as sickness, maternity, disability, death, and retirement, as well as avail of loan privileges such as salary and calamity loans. For work-related contingencies such as sickness, injury, or death, self-employed members like JO and COS workers are also entitled to receive Employees’ Compensation (EC) benefits./PN
