Senators urge aviation sector to train customer service personnel

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 12) — Senators urged the aviation sector of the Department of Transportation to train their customer service personnel in addressing the concerns of passengers.

Senator Bato Dela Rosa shared his personal experience before flying to Davao when he asked an assistance desk employee about the procedure in filing customer complaints.

"Ayaw talaga akong tingnan, so tinanggal ko na 'yong cap ko, tinanggal ko yong mask ko para makita niya 'yung mukha ko ba," the senator narrated. "Sabi ko saan niyo dalhin 'yong complaint pag mayroong complaint dito? Sabi, bakit may complaint ka ba? Sabi ko wala, wala akong complaint, magtanong lang ako sa proseso."

[Translation: They would not look at me so I took off my cap and my mask so they could see my face. I told the employee I want to know the process when there is a complaint. They asked if I had a complaint, and I said no. I was just asking about the process.]

Dela Rosa said he would not name the personnel he spoke to, but asked that employees be taught to treat those asking for help fairly. He added that they must show kindness since they are in government service.

Similarly, Senator Joel Villanueva also raised concerns on whether customer service employees are trained in addressing concerns of passengers..

Carmelo Arcilla, executive director of Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), said that airlines should be the first line of contact for concerns. However, assistance desks are also available to respond to concerns, he added.

"Nalulungkot din po ako na despite the very high standards that we maintain in terms of the quality and responsiveness and competence of our people in the airports eh mayroon pa pong mga bad eggs din," he said.

"Mayroon tayong system doon, 'yong evaluation natin every year, they undergo seminars and training, regularly po, unfortunately, mayroon pa ring mga incompetent," Arcilla also said.

[Translation: It's sad that despite the very high standards that we maintain in terms of the quality and responsiveness and competence of our people in the airports, there are still bad eggs. There is a system where we evaluate every year, and there are seminars and trainings regularly. Unfortunately, there are still incompetents at work.]

CAB assured that "bad eggs" will be weeded out.

It noted that it has received 1,790 complaints from January to August of this year.