Cebu Pacific to review CAB’s order to explain incident with sick child

Cebu Pacific will respond and take action after the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) ordered it to explain why a sick child was barred from boarding a flight to Vietnam last Saturday, the airline said Tuesday.

In a text message to GMA News Online, Cebu Pacific spokesperson Jorenz Tañada said the airline has just received CAB's order.

"We need to review the CAB memo. We'll need to answer them first before discussing. We will answer within the time period sought by CAB," he said.

On Monday, CAB Legal Division head Wyrlou Samodio said the board issued a show cause order directed to Cebu Pacific to comment on the complaint made by the child's mother, Regin Palileo, against Mark Rotanel, station supervisor of Cebu Pacific at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

The complaint was originally filed with the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) Customer Relations Center, which endorsed it to the CAB.

According to Palileo's complaint, she and her family were set to board Cebu Pacific flight 5J-751 Saturday night for Vietnam, where her 12-year-old son was due to undergo a chest operation, but Rotanel barred them from boarding due to folds in her son's passport. The complaint also noted Rotanel's "rude behavior" towards the family.

In a statement posted on its official Facebook account Tuesday, Cebu Pacific said it accommodated the Palileo family on its Ho Chi Minh flight last Sunday after the child was presented with a temporary passport from the Department of Foreign Affairs.

"Upon arrival in Ho Chi Minh, the family was met and assisted by our station officer. While clearing with Vietnam Immigration, they initially presented the defective passport and this was not accepted. They were only accepted for entry when they presented the newly issued passport," the company said.

Cebu Pacific apologized for the alleged rude behavior of its employee in explaining the situation.

"Rest assured we are looking into how this was handled, and we will take the necessary administrative actions," the statement read. — Danessa O. Rivera/BM, GMA News