Services that you should be receiving from Airfare Companies

Regardless of the type of fare, both promo fares and the normal airfare services being given is in general the same. Let us take a tour of the different services in general to know our rights and for us to know the extent of service we should be receiving to avoid hassles and possible confrontations with airline personnel. Let us go deepest in the delayed baggage policies section as this is the major reason for the said Claudine and Cebu Pacific crew incident.

Ticketing Services

All airfare companies should have hotlines to entertain clients for ticketing. There should be several branches of offices where people can book and pay for their tickets. For convenience, there are usually websites too for booking, reservations, and even payment. Depending on airline policies, cancellations and refunds will be allowed within the allowed time frame.

Baggage Allowed

Before we discuss the items allowed in baggage, let us take a look at prohibited items first. Generally speaking, items that are not properly packed will not be allowed, also items that will pose as dangers to the plane such as flammable items or explosives are extremely strictly prohibited. Items which are prohibited by laws such as drugs, unlicensed weapons such as sharp objects, firearms and ammunition’s are obviously not allowed. Live and dead animals, human or animal remains are of course not allowed too. But perishable items such as fish, meat, fruits are allowed but only if properly packed in a Hand Baggage.

Upon inspection and approval by the airline company, most items will be allowed. But of course there will always be limitations. Each airline company has their own sets of rules but in general, the allowable wait of baggage will be around 10-15 kilos. Hand carry is more or less 7 kilos per piece. Maximum allowable baggage size is around 62 inches of total length width and height, while for hand carry is roughly 45 inches.

Insurance

Most if not all airfare companies should be able to provide insurance for all areas of the whole travel experience. Some basic services or coverage should include trip cancellations and terminations, medical expense reimbursement, child protection, flight diversion, delayed or loss baggage, loss of personal documents or cash, flight delay, hijacking and among others, all with their own respective monetary limits of coverage. This is to make sure that passengers can have the option of absolute protection with reasonable rates.

On boarding/Departure/Arrival

In the Philippines, the NAIA terminals shall be available for us to check in ourselves together with our luggage in preparation to board the flight. If applicable, lounges that offer food and relaxation shall be made available while we wait. Baggage will then be allowed to be checked in along with us. Upon boarding, we should be welcomed and be directed to our assigned seats. During the travel, meals may or may not be served depending on the circumstances. During the flight, events like turbulence’s may happen and it is the very responsibility of the pilots to ensure that the plane and its passengers will all be safe, either by making a diversion or making a stop over at a different location. Upon arrival, baggage shall be returned to the passengers, and some airline companies may offer terminal to terminal transportation services and hotel transportation as well.

Delayed Flights

Due to uncontrollable events, not all scheduled flights are guaranteed. There will always be chances that the day and time of these flights might change due to certain factors. Once on board flight diversions or rerouting may be done if necessary due to safety or whatever reasons. In the event of a flight disruption, cancellation or delay, airline companies should be able to try its best, but not necessarily commit to place the passengers in the same or similar seats. Refunds may be given if the passengers paid for reservations and did not get the seat they wanted.

Excess and Delayed Baggage

For excess baggage in kilo, a passenger should pay a certain fee of around 150 PHP per kilo for domestic flights, and international flights requires around 400 PHP per kilo of excess. Again, each airline company has its own policies and fees.

Now, this is the highlight of the article, about delayed baggage. Airfare companies should have the option to carry our checked baggage at a much later flight due to certain safety reasons or circumstances. To site a specific example, in Cebu Pacific’s website Policy Clause 13.1.1 (f) states that:

“Whenever possible, Checked Baggage will be carried on the same aircraft as the Passenger. The Airline may decide for safety, security or operational reasons to carry it on another flight. If a Checked Baggage is carried on a subsequent flight, the Airline will deliver it to the Passenger unless applicable law requires the Passenger to be present for clearance by customs authorities.”

Also on Clause 16.1.1, it states that:

“In case of a lost or delayed Checked Baggage, the Passenger must advise the Airline right after his flight and before leaving the airport premises”

As seen, from the 2 clauses above, it is really the responsibility of both the airfare company and the passengers to take note of the baggage. Delayed baggage are inevitable and the airline company will not be held liable, and the passenger should wait for the baggage, and when they came in damaged state or late, he or she should notify airline personnel.

To wrap things up, despite all types of fares, airfare companies should be giving all the services. Whether it is the normal or promo rate, we all deserve to be given the absolute best of service. About the Claudine Cebu Pacific incident, the airfare company is not legally liable for the delay as their clauses clearly state that they have no fault or responsibility for the delay or misinforming about the delayed baggage. Ranting and making scenes will only make things worse so it will be wise to just inform airline personnel about whatever issues.

A good suggestion to avoid this incident is to ensure that airfare companies notify or announce to passengers about delayed baggage. A new policy to ensure this is done may give all passengers peace of mind so they will always know the location of their baggage and the possible time of their arrival. The Santiago’s claim that there are medicines in their baggage that they need desperately, well, it is high time that passengers consider getting medical flight insurance and also insurance for delayed baggage! To answer the question, yes, Cebu Pacific still delivered the right service, but a slight service if keeping passengers informed about delayed baggage will most certainly help.

This is a guest post from Nicole So. If you want your articles to be published in this travel blog please check the guidelines here.

AUTHOR BIO:

Nicole So is a freelance writer, regular runner and a former backpacker. Her hobbies are writing, photography and traveling. Follow her escapades in google+.

]]> http://letstravelphilippines.com/2012/05/22/airfare-companies-do-they-really-give-the-right-services/feed/ 0 http://letstravelphilippines.com/2012/05/14/why-philippines-is-the-most-relaxing-destination-on-earth/ http://letstravelphilippines.com/2012/05/14/why-philippines-is-the-most-relaxing-destination-on-earth/#comments Mon, 14 May 2012 18:41:43 +0000 adminwil http://letstravelphilippines.com/?p=2052 Read more »]]> With the hustle and bustle of life these days, when you go away on holiday you want to relax in comfort and forget the stress of everyday life. The Philippines is fast becoming one of the best places to have a relaxing holiday in paradise.

Facts about the Philippines

The Philippines is a large collection of 7,107 tropical islands situated in the South China Seas. This group of islands is the third biggest country to speak English in the world and is rapidly emerging as a popular holiday destination. There are many different islands and therefore many different types of holiday available in the Philippines. You can choose from canoeing holidays on small tropical beach resorts or larger city breaks in the capital, Manila.

Where to spend your holiday in the Philippines?

The island of Boracay is probably the most popular destination in the Philippines. Boracay is a tropical paradise island with plenty of golden sandy beaches and many beach resorts and spas to relax in. The island has hills and tropical wildlife to explore along with plenty of opportunities to take part in water sports. Cebu and Bohol are home to some of the Philippines’ best beaches and visitors like to relax in some of the luxurious and exclusive resorts. The beaches are also great for those looking for canoeing holidays with many secluded lagoons only accessible by canoe or small boat.

The capital, Manila is also a popular tourist destination. With several sights to see, you could choose to spend a couple of days relaxing in the city before moving on to your beach resort. There are many different combinations of holiday to be had in the Philippines. One of these is the multi-centre holiday package, where your stay at either one or two beach resorts is intertwined with a stay in the capital.

Relaxing in the Philippines

Holidaying in the Philippines will offer you a completely different holiday experience to that of walking holidays in Spain, for example. However, if the relaxing nature of the luxury beach resorts and spas is becoming all too much, there are also adventures to be had whilst staying there. You can go wreck diving in Palawan, watch Tansier monkeys in Bohol and Panglao or walk through some of the capital’s Spanish architecture. If you want to walk in seclusion, the four kilometre long, white sand beach in Boracay can offer you the best location in the world to walk.

Accommodation in the Philippines

There are many different styles of resort in the Philippines and accommodation varies extensively from island to island and resort to resort. In some luxury resorts you can stay in individual cabins or villas privately located in extensive gardens in the property. In other resorts there is luxury hotel accommodation with beautiful gardens and pools to relax in. Some resorts offer various accommodation with private plunge pools and outdoor showers to cool off in, traditional style wooden huts or typical Spanish style villas and apartments.

In conclusion, wherever you choose to stay in the Philippines you will be able to relax in style and comfort from the moment you arrive. With an abundance of luxury accommodation, water sports and activities available the destination is set to rise in popularity over the next few years.

This is a guest post from Owen Hyde. If you want your articles to be published in this travel blog please check the guidelines here.

AUTHOR BIO

Henry Benson writes regularly on walking holidays in Spain for a range of travel websites and blogs. Henry also has made several trips to the Philippines researching the Spanish architecture and history of the capital.

Basic tips for Traveling:

Maintain your financial budget and make your vacation plan ready in advance. Choose any travel agency according to you budget, plan and affordable deal by using Internet. Get your ticket advance or make your online booking far in advance. Ask for discount without be afraid because Travel agencies are providing discount on their deals. Make your best strategies to save your cash and find the best deal. Be flexible; take advantage of last minute deals. Keep maps and travel book with you if it is needed otherwise you can get help of free visitor guide and free visitor information from travel and tourism office of your destination. Don’t travel with drugs or expensive things or jewelries or unnecessary credit cards and excessive amount of cash if it is possible. Keep your first aid kit or regular medication kit close to you. Always try to avoid unnecessary luggage.

Choose online travel agency:

Today you can choose any travel agency using internet. There are many online travel agencies available with their own websites. Still there are lots of travel agencies with cheap travel deals to be found online.

Online travel agencies are providing large list of trips and packages, fairs with discount prices and services like online hotel reservation, online booking for an airplane etc. They have long list of cheap and expensive hotels with affordable rates, cheap flights, travel deals and discounts.  They are also offering quality policies, best customers reviews, guidelines, term and conditions, and security of paying and online free coupons like promo codes and Online deals.

Before you choose any agencies you have to make your plan according to your financial budget ready. There are no travel agents or middle man required in online travel agency so you can easily save your cash.  You are going for vacation by using airlines. You should have little bit knowledge about airlines and their services. You can buy cheap travel air tickets if you understand how airline companies price their tickets. Air tickets can be expensive if you are not aware or you are not informed about reason of prices. You should make the booking in advance.

Now you don’t have to worry about cheap and affordable travel. Visit Expedia online travel company. Expedia is one of the largest online travel companies in the world. You can get the wide list of hotels and cheap flights at affordable prices. It is provided best customer services, easy flight searching capabilities, traveling services and Expedia discount codes to save your cash and get discount on tickets and services.

This is a guest post from Owen Hyde. If you want your articles to be published in this travel blog please check the guidelines here.

Author Bio:

Hi, I am Owen Hyde. I like traveling and shopping. I love moving to a new places and shop online for my favorite products. At present, working as Guest Author.  I am casual blogger, guest blogging as a hobby for a few years. I am passionate about writing that’s why I started blogging seriously and professionally.

Ahh, yes! The land of smiles. Home of the best beaches. The Pearl of the Orient, no less. The Philippines.

Philippines’ rich culture

Who wouldn’t want to see the magnificent Spanish walled city called Intramuros, the house of preserved infrastructure like houses and hotels in manila, while riding the kalesa? Or maybe you can play barter trade and join Carlos Celdran on one of his tours around Binondo. How about flying to Mactan, Cebu to visit Magellan’s cross or see the Sunken Semetery of Camiguin Island or ride a boat to the historical Corregidor and remember the Death March? The Philippines boasts a very rich and unique culture on its every corner. Its culture before the Spanish colony, during the Spanish, American, and Japanese occupation are still evident in the lives of the Filipinos.

Best beaches and the topical weather

Lounge in your sundress and party in your polka dot-bikini on the pristine white-sand beaches of Boracay. Opt a non-party place? Then head on to the virgin islands and islets of the little town called Coron Island in Palawan. The best beaches in the Philippines are everywhere. Staying in Manila for just a couple of days and no extra time to book an additional flight to Pearl Farm in Davao City? Go to Pagudpud in Ilocos Norte, and while you’re there, don’t forget to drop by the Bangui windmills. Or maybe you can go to the nearby beaches of Laiya in San Juan, Batangas which is just a two-hour drive from Manila. The beaches are the best with fine grain sand that wouldn’t hurt your soles. Find a resort with outdoor spa service to complete the trip and there goes your one-way ticket to heaven. Remember, it’s always sunny in the Philippines!

Festivities

Where else can you find a country celebrating more than one fiesta in a month? With the kick-off of fiestas of all fiestas in January with the celebration of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila every 9^th day of January, it is closely followed by Ati-atihan in Aklan and SInulog Festival in Cebu City every third weekend. Let us not forget the infamous Dinagyang Festival and Panagbenga in February. How about the Pintados Festival and Moriones Festival in March? Not to mention the Semana Santa’s Senakulo which typically takes place in April, and the Flores de Mayo in May. These are just a few festivities to begin with. Almost every province celebrates its own town fiesta. No matter what month you come, you will surely chance upon a popular town fiesta so be sure to go and experience the tradition and the food each province offers.

Best chefs

And speaking of food… Every country offers its own signature delicacy: Indonesia’s Nasi Goreng, Bangladesh’s Biryani, Malaysia’s Nasi Lemak, Korea’s Kimchi, Vietnam’s Pho, the Philippine’s Adobo. Chicken or pork, it doesn’t matter so long as it is cooked with just the right amount and right kind of vinegar, and that it wouldn’t perish in less than 10 days. Not, not adobo, maybe lechon: suckling native pig roasted to perfection. Crispy roasted skin on the outside and soft chewy meat on the inside. Or maybe Sinigang na Manok or Baboy just across the street from Tita Pining’s carinderia. But how about Bacolod’s famousChicken Inasal, or Bicol Express, or Batangas’ best bulalo? And oh, that’s only the main dish. How about cassava cakes, and bibingka, suman, and puto for dessert, and a wide array of fresh fruits to finish off your meal? You can go an entire month not repeating a single Filipino delicacy and none of them will even dare fail you even on your first try. Just stop thinking about counting calories for a while.

Best chefs are everywhere. You can find them at the luxury hotels of Shangri-la Edsa and Sofitel in Macapagal to the downtown well-known carinderias of a local joint. But the best and cutest chefs? They are few and numbered. Google about Rosebud Benitez, Henny Sison, Paulo Sia, and Tristan Encarnacion, and you’ll know what I’m talking about. Let’s not forget about the couple Rob and Sunshine Pengson. That’s the extra oomph in that Sinampalukang Manok. Delicioso!

World-class entertainment

From the Disney Legend and Miss Saigon’s Lea Salonga to the YouTube sensation Charice Pempengco and international singer and heartthrob Christian Bautista, the Philippines is undeniably at par with the international performers and are recognized worldwide. Local performers like Ballet Philippines, and theater shows like the remakes of the Broadway musicals Sound of Music and Mama Mia are featured on-stage at the Cultural Center of the Philippines or at the Resorts World Theater. Finding it a bit too expensive and posh? Try signing up for Jim Paredes’ art workshop or seek tickets to the Cinemalaya festival.

There are just too many festivities to participate in, delicacies to taste, natural landmarks to see, and new experiences to try in the Philippines that a week wouldn’t suffice to know everything about this humble land. And there are just about a bunch of activities waiting for you – whether it be indoor or outdoor, religious or historical, modern or traditional. What’s even better is that even tricycle drivers can speak basic English so you wouldn’t worry about buying an English-Tagalog Dictionary or finding a translator. You can roam around the city by yourself without worrying about getting lost.

Call it your silent sanctuary, your home away from home, or the inexpensive trip across culture, history, religion, and modernization all in one country. If you are dreaming of that perfect vacation where you can worship the sun, watch world-class performances, visit the museum, eat like a King, shop like a rock star, and even have enough bucks to buy a drink or two at sunset, then you are with me on this. The truth is there are even more awesome reasons why it is more fun in the Philippines than there are islands on this little piece of heaven on Earth.

This is a guest post from Abigail Ang. If you want your articles to be published in this travel blog please check the guidelines here.

Author Bio:

Abigail Ang is an aspiring writer and a former Backpacker. She is into almost all types of music. She also has a passion in singing and an interest in sports particularly Ultimate (Frisbee) and running. Abigail is also one of the editors of Uratex Philppines a renowned Bed Mattress Manufacturer.

1.Check the latest travel advice for your destination and subscribe to receive free e-mail notification each time the travel advice for your destination is updated.

2.Take out appropriate travel insurance to cover hospital treatment, medical evacuation and any activities, including adventure sports, in which you plan to participate.

3.Before travelling overseas register your travel and contact details online or at the local Australian embassy, high commission or consulate once you arrive, so we can contact you in an emergency.

4.Obey the law. Consular assistance cannot override local laws, even where local laws appear harsh or unjust by Australian standards.

5.Check to see if you require visas for the country or countries you are visiting or transiting. Be aware that a visa does not guarantee entry.

6.Make copies of your passport details, insurance policy, travellers cheques, visas and credit card numbers. Carry one copy in a separate place to the originals and leave a copy with someone at home.

7.Check with health professionals for information on recommended vaccinations or other precautions and find out about overseas laws on travelling with medicines.

8.Ensure your passport has at least six months’ validity from your planned date of return to Australia. Some countries will refuse entry on arrival and some airlines will not allow passengers to board flights if their passport does not meet this requirement. Before travelling, you should contact the Embassy or High Commission of each country you intend to visit to confirm the entry requirements.

9.Leave a copy of your travel itinerary with someone at home and keep in regular contact with friends and relatives while overseas.

10.Before departing Australia check whether you are regarded as a national of the country you intend to visit. Research whether holding dual nationality has any implications for your travel. Adopted from: smartraveller.gov.au

NOTE: This is my opinion as to what I believe will be helpful for every person who wanted to have a great time on traveling around the beautiful place of the world!

TOP5 Things to consider about vacation….

Plan your vacation place. Make it sure that the place you’ll going to visit with will simply give you the peacefulness you want ’cause if not you will just waisting your money, time and effort. Be subjective if possible.

Look for a cheap and affordable vacation home. Since, you consider to have a great and ample vacation you have also to consider looking for an affordable vacation home which you think is suitable for you nor for you family and loved-ones.

Try vacationing with your family and loved-ones. Absolutely! Simply because this is the only time you can be together without any barriers nor interruptions from work. This really helps to have a strong relationship with them.

Prepare everything you need. Definitely! such like your passport, plane ticket reservation, clothes you will bring, and some other material things which you think is indeed a demand for you to avoid spending much of your money.

Enjoy your vacation. What should I say? Well, enjoy it up to the last day of your stay ’cause vacation is also an investment! Not an investment for property nor any things but an investment for yourself to be relax, breath and face the realities of life.

Have a safe travel nor vacation everyone!…

Anyhow, you still have a lot of time to decide for what you’ll gonna do for this coming summer vacation. Just make it sure that you won’t spend much of your money and still you must be wiser enough in considering those plans you have. Make sure that you won’t regret any of your plans and be vigilant all the time as much as possible. Just keep in mind that vacation is not a must for everybody. Its just an option whether you adopt it or not. But if you’d rather prefer to stay at home then so be it. Its your choice and besides, you’ll just need to be more wiser in taking the time to look for things that might interest you and things that will somehow gives you a lesson nor a profit.

BURNING FACT

The ultraviolet (UV) rays are the invisible light from the sun that can burn out our skin and cause severe damage to the body. It has three kinds: ultraviolet A (UVA), ultraviolet B (UVB) and ultra violet C (UVC). UVA rays cause minor sunburns, whereas UVB rays result to acute and obvious burns. Excessive exposure to the latter may lead to skin cancer. UVC rays brings about little consequence, as they are trapped by the atmosphere, hardly reaching the earth’s surface.As ultraviolet radiation penetrates the surface of your skin, cells several layers down increase melanin production ( melanin is the coloration of the skin ). The pigment, or the natural substance that gives color to the skin, then migrates to and darkens the uppermost layers. Your tan may appear two to three days after being expose to the sun, and it may last from several days to months. depending on the frequency of your exposure.

APPRAISING SUNSCREENS

Sunscreens work either by absorbing ultraviolet radiation or by physically blocking it from reaching your skin. But to really take advantage of the protection it offers, you have to know what suits you best. Find a sunscreen with increased protection against both UVA and UVB rays. A sun protection factors (SPF) of 15 or higher is recommended. But if you have a sensitive skin, a history of skin cancer, or if spend long periods outdoors, then you ought to buy a sunscreen with an SPF of 30.