Cebu Pacific (CEB) released a travel advisory last night informing their passengers about the need to present a valid ID (identification card) whenever they check-in for a flight and board the aircraft. The advisory was released following a post on social media by a certain Hanifah Dalidig Bedar, complaining how a CEB ground agent discriminated against them for reportedly presenting spurious IDs while checking in at the Laguindingan Airport in Cagayan de Oro.
According to Bedar’s post, the ground agent at the CDO airport was arrogant and treated them condescendingly when her travel companions were not able to present a second identification card.
“Sa isang counter kahapon, si kuya (ground agent) ay nagdabog dahil sa kanya kami pumunta (not sure if dahil marami kaming dala o dahil Muslims kami). Nang ibigay namin ang IDs, hiningan nya si Tita 1 ng isa pang ID (nang hindi sinasabi ang rason). Nang si Tita 2 ay walang maibigay liban sa TIN ID, sunod-sunod na ang aroganteng tanong ni kuya: “Ano pangalan nyo?” “Kailan nyo pinagawa ito?” “San nyo to pinagawa?” “Anong specific store nyo to kinuha?” “Kailan ang birthday nyo?” Yung ibang sagot ni Tita 2 na hindi marinig ni kuya ay inulit ko ngunit pa-bastos akong sinabihan na wag sumagot. Ang masama pa, hindi matapos-tapos ang pagtatanong ni kuya sabay tingin sa ID na tila gustong ipahiwatig na peke ito (mukhang hindi din alam ni kuya ang BIR),” Bedar posted on Facebook.
Bedar’s post has since been shared over 25,000 times with CEB receiving negative reactions from over 41,000 netizens.
CEB management immediately investigated the matter and learned from the airline staff in CDO that the IDs the passengers presented were spurious. “He (ground agent) might not have communicated warmly, but there was attempt at fraud with a fake ID,” said a Cebu Pacific official.
However, a ranking official at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport who requested anonymity refuted CEB’s statement saying, “Whether it’s fake or not, that’s still no excuse for the (ground) agent to treat them condescendingly.”
CEB for its part reminded their passengers that they require all their passengers to present a valid ID upon check-in and at the boarding gate. “We will not accept invalid, expired or damaged IDs. When necessary, a passenger may be required to present more than one identification card,” the airline advisory said.
According to the airline company, they have encountered cases where invalid or fake IDs were presented. These passengers were not allowed to board the aircraft.
Cebu Pacific listed down valid identification as: Company or School ID, passport, or government-issued ID cards which reflects on its face the name, picture, date of birth, and nationality of the guest checking-in (e.g. SSS, GSIS, Driver’s License, Unified Multi-Purpose ID, PRC ID, PWD or PRM ID issued by the National Council on Disability Affairs or a local government unit, or Senior Citizen’s Identification Card issued by the Office for Senior Citizen Affairs in the city or municipality where the person resides).
Cebu Pacific added that they are implementing this measure to protect their passengers. “The safety of our passengers is our utmost concern,” the advisory read.
Valid id ba ang NBI Clearance?