Karaniwan nating nababasa sa mga social networking sites ang mga hinaing ng mga pasahero ng mga eroplano na nakakansela at naaantala ang kanilang lipad. Madalas na nangyayari ito sa mga pasahero na napakaagang pumunta sa paliparan upang umabot sa itinakdang check-in at boarding time para lang masabihan na kanselado o naantala ang kanilang lipad dahil sa maraming mga dahilan ng airline companies.
Sa pagtutulungan ng Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) at Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), binigyan ang mga nasabing pasahero ng kanilang mga karapatan sa pamamagitan ng DOTC-DTI Joint Administrative Order No. 1, Series of 2012.
Ayon sa Section 11 ng nabanggit na Administrative Order, kapag mayroong flight cancellation o pagkansela ng lipad na ang dahilan ay sa kagagawan ng airline company, ang pasahero ay may karapatang tulad ng mga sumusunod:
“11.1 In case of flight cancellation attributable to the carrier, a passenger shall have the right to:
(a) Be notified beforehand via public announcement, written/published notice and flight status update service (text);
(b) Be provided with the following, if he/she is already at the airport at the time of the announcement of the flight cancellation: sufficient refreshments or meals (e.g. snacks consisting of at least a bottle of water and a sandwich, or breakfast, lunch, or dinner, or a voucher for the same, as the case may be); hotel accommodation (conveniently accessible from the airport); transportation from the airport to the hotel, v.v.; free phone calls, text or e-mails, and first aid, if necessary; and
(c) Reimbursement of the value of the fare, including taxes and surcharges, of the sector cancelled, or both/all sectors, in case the passenger decides not to fly the ticket or all the routes/sectors; or
(d) Be endorsed to another air carrier without paying any fare difference, at the option of the passenger, and provided that space and other circumstances permit such re-accommodation; or
(e) Rebook the ticket, without additional charge, to the next flight with available space, or, within thirty (30) days, to a future trip within the period of validity of the ticket. However, for rebooking made in excess of the aforementioned thirty (30) days for a trip likewise within the validity of the ticket, fees and/or fare difference shall apply.
Provided, that in case a carrier cancels a flight at least twenty-four (24) hours before the ETD, it shall not be liable for the foregoing amenities, except, it shall be obliged to notify the passenger, and, in accordance with the preceding provisions, to rebook or reimburse the passenger, at the option of the latter.
11.2 In case the air carrier cancels the flight because of force majeure, safety and/or security reasons, as certified by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, a passenger shall have the right to be reimbursed for the full value of the fare.
11.3 The provisions of this Section shall be the minimum entitlement of a passenger in case of cancellation, and shall not prohibit the air carrier from granting more favourable conditions or recourses, as it may deem appropriate.”
Ayon sa mga nabanggit na probisyon, nararapat na maabisuhan ang mga pasahero bago ang napipintong pagkansela ng flight. Kinakailangan din na kapag nasa paliparan na ang mga pasaherong nakansela ang flight ay mabigyan ng makakain, matutuluyan na malapit sa paliparan at ng masasakyan mula sa paliparan patungo sa lugar kung saan patutuluyin, kasama na rin ang libreng tawag, text o e-mail at first aid kung kinakailangan.
Kapag umayaw naman na ang pasahero na umalis, ibabalik sa nasabing pasahero ang kabuuang halaga ng kanyang pamasahe kasama ang mga kinakailangang buwis o surcharges. Maaari ring makapamili ng ibang airline company ang nasabing pasahero para sa kanyang flight at hindi ito magbabayad ng anumang kakulangan sa pamasahe kapag mayroon pang upuan sa napiling airline company ng pasahero.
Bukod dito, maaari ring ipa-rebook ang ticket na walang karagdagang bayad para sa susunod na lipad o sa ibang lipad sa loob ng tatlumpung (30) araw.
Kapag ang kanselasyon ay dahil sa insidenteng hindi maiwasan at walang pagkakamali ang airline company o naipaalam ang kanselasyon sa loob ng dalawampu’t apat (24) na oras bago ang oras ng flight, ang pasaherong nakansela ang lipad ay maaari pa ring hilingin na ibalik ng airline company ang kabuuan ng kanyang ibinayad sa ticket o i-rebook ito sa ibang lipad.