Vice Ganda criticizes Philippine Airlines for response to delayed, overbooked flight

MANILA, Philippines – It’s Showtime host Vice Ganda aired his frustrations on X after his flight back to Manila was delayed and overbooked. 

In a series of posts made from the late evening of Tuesday, October 24, to early on Wednesday, October 25, the comedian-actor aired his frustrations toward the airline, stating that what should have been a fun trip had instead become a nuisance. 

“Ilang beses ‘nyo kaming pinaranas ng overbooking sa puntong ‘di nakasakay ang kasama namin. Ngayon ako naman ang nawalan ng upuan!” he said in his initial post addressed to the airline. 

GRABE KA @flyPAL !!! Grabeng pangaabala at perwisyo ang dinulot mo sa masaya sanang trip na ito!!! Bakit kayo ganyan??? Ilang beses nyo kaming pinaranas ng overbooking sa puntong di nakasakay ang kasama namin. Ngayon ako naman ang nawalan ng upuan! 😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡

— jose marie viceral (@vicegandako) October 24, 2023

(You’ve made us experience overbooking countless times to the point that one of our companions was unable to get on the flight. Now it’s me that’s been stripped of a seat on the plane!).

In its reply to the comedian-actor, Philippine Airlines attested that the flight was not overbooked. Instead, it said that two business class seats were found to have been unfit for passenger use. As Vice Ganda had originally booked a business class seat, the airline claimed that he was among the passengers offered a downgrade to economy class. 

“We have received an update that eventually, two alternative passengers were identified and agreed to accept the downgrade offer, allowing you to return to your originally booked business class seats,” the airline said. 

Hi, Vice. We deeply regret the recent incident during your recent flight with us and would like to offer a clear explanation of the situation.

First and foremost, we want to clarify that the flight was not overbooked, and we operate with the utmost commitment to safety. During…

— Philippine Airlines (@flyPAL) October 24, 2023

However, Vice Ganda refuted these claims, stating that he was told by the staff at the counter that the flight was overbooked and that his seat was given to another passenger. 

“Walang halong biro naiyak ako habang tumatakbo para umabot ako sa [flight] na muntik kong ‘di masakyan dahil nag-overbook kayo. Si Ion inabutan kong mukhang kawawang nasa pinto ng eroplano dahil ayaw niyang sumakay kung ‘di ako makakasakay. ‘Yun ang ginawa ‘nyo sa amin,” the comedian wrote in a separate post. 

Walang halong biro naiyak ako habang tumatakbo para umabot ako sa flyt na muntik kong di masakyan dahil nagoverbook kayo. Si Ion inabutan kong mukhang kawawang nasa pinto ng eroplano dahil ayaw nyang sumakay kung di ako makakasakay. Yun ang ginawa nyo sa amin. @flyPAL

— jose marie viceral (@vicegandako) October 24, 2023

(In all seriousness, I cried while running to make it to the flight that I almost wasn’t able to get on because you overbooked it. I saw Ion at the door of the airplane not wanting to get on the plane without me. That’s what you’ve done to us). 

Netizens later called out the airline, questioning if it would also provide a swift response to ordinary passengers.

Vice Ganda and his partner Ion Perez got engaged in February 2020 and later tied the knot in October 2021. They are both regular hosts on the noontime show It’s Showtime, with Perez being best known for his Kuya Escort role in the show’s “Miss Q and A” segment. – Rappler.com