Cebu Pacific to end local hotlines on May 1

BUDGET carrier Cebu Pacific (CEB) will discontinue its local hotline numbers on May 1, as it focuses on its digital channels to quickly address common customer concerns such as flight booking, check in requests, and retrieval of boarding passes.

Candice Iyog, the company’s VP for marketing and customer experience, said putting more premium on digital transformation strategies allows Cebu Pacific to maximize its resources to address its customers’ needs.

She noted that in the first quarter alone, 87 percent of passengers used digital channels to book for their flights, while another 67 percent of passengers used the same channels to manage their booking requests.

“We are glad to have started our digital transformation journey even before the pandemic, because we have come to rely on it in this new normal environment. We continue to prioritize the safety and convenience of our passengers, that is why we have accelerated our digital efforts to support contactless and self-service processes.”

aside from its social media channels, Cebu Pacific also has its tech-enabled chat support system called Charlie, which enables passengers to receive real-time answers to common queries and transactions such as flight schedule and status, check-in process, itinerary and boarding pass retrieval, and the like; or lead them to the right steps to address their concerns.

“Rest assured Charlie, along with our Customer Care team, are online 24/7 to assist everyjuan. We continue to enhance existing processes as we remain committed to empowering customers and ensuring access to the information they need anytime, anywhere, without having to call the hotline or go to a ticketing office,” added Iyog.

Cebu Pacific began ramping-up its customerfirst initiatives through digital innovation in 2017 when it was among the first airlines in asia to invest in an integrated facility and technology for social intelligence and customer engagement.

The airline still operates at very minimal capacity due to the restrictions brought about by the surge in Covid-19 cases in the country.

Vaccines

CEBU Pacific continues to airlift much-needed Covid-19 vaccines to different cities in the Visayas and Mindanao. a total of 91,200 doses (38,400 for Tacloban, 28,800 for Cotabato, and 24,000 for Zamboanga) were safely delivered on april 14.

These vaccine deliveries are part of the government’s ongoing vaccination program that prioritize various groups across the country.

“This shipment of vaccines is the fourth that we’ve received from CEB and we appreciate the smooth transport because it helps us expedite our ongoing vaccination program in the city,” said Beng Climaco, Zamboanga City Mayor.

“With CEB’S regular flights to Cotabato, we in the government can efficiently act on and prioritize the national government’s recovery program,” added Cotabato City Mayor Frances Cynthia Guiani-sayadi.

Tacloban Mayor alfred Romualdez added, “We are happy to be recipients of these life-saving vaccines, which arrive in great condition via Ceb—these will help us reach more healthcare frontliners in our region.”