‘I didn’t ask for refund’—Soco

BUSINESSMAN Glenn Anthony Soco went ahead and filed a civil case for damages against Cebu Pacific and denied that he asked for a refund or received a round-trip travel voucher to any domestic destination for the inconvenience.

Soco gave this clarification after he read Cebu Daily News’ report about Cebu Pacific Air’s press statement regarding the April 16 airport incident where he was bumped off a flight home to Cebu from Manila even though he held a confirmed ticket.

The airline said the flight was “already full” and overbooked, and that Soco was one of the last to arrive at the check-in counter.

Cebu Pacific vice president for marketing and distribution said the airline “sincerely apologizes” to Soco for losing his seat and that “overbooking is a standard worldwide practice.”

Soco said he was “embarrassed” by the incident because he was passed from one airline representative to another without getting a clear explanation. He said a female counter attendant assured they would find a way to put him on the next available flight and offered a refund.

“Nag-usab usab ang ilang statement (They’re changing their statement). Ilaha kunong adtoon didto sa boarding gate to convince the passenger not to board so that I can be boarded,” Soco said.

“Even if my flight left at 10:10 a.m., I was still standing at the check-in counter trying to get a clear explanation about what happened,” he said.
The incident prompted Soco toappear before the Provincial Board on Monday to complain.

Soco who was in Davao yesterday said that his lawyer, Gonzalo Malig-on, has filed a civil case against Cebu Pacific Air at the Mandaue City Regional Trial Court. /Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus