My partner and I had planned a vacation to the Philippines and were looking forward to it. We had never been there before but had heard only positive things from those who had. We scheduled our trip for early January 2025 to start the new year in a warm, sunny place (since it was winter at home) and to celebrate our one-year anniversary in advance.
Little did we know that instead of 10 relaxing days in the Philippines, due to the incompetence, gross negligence, and complete disregard for customers by Philippine Airlines, we would never reach our destination. Instead, we would spend three days stranded in a country we hadn't planned to visit, return home early, and lose almost €6,000.
Chapter 1: The Beginning
High Hopes, Initial Plans
On November 16, 2024, my partner David and I booked via Booking.com (the agency) two tickets from Bucharest to Manila , with a layover in Dubai. Our return flights were included in the booking.
The flights were codeshares between Fly Dubai (FD) and Philippine Airlines (PAL).
Unfortunately, we made a mistake when booking: instead of David, we accidentally typed “Davia.” Everything else was correct.
Realizing this on December 6, we knew it was a problem but hoped it could be fixed. It was one letter, we needed just a "minor name correction" as it is called in airline jargon and we still had plenty of time before our flight. We immediately contacted PAL’s customer support, explained the situation, and were directed to Booking.com, which seemed reasonable. PAL assured us that if the agency couldn’t make the change, they would assist us directly.
We then contacted Booking.com, explained the situation, and paid a €23.79 name correction fee. Confident that the issue would be resolved, we awaited confirmation. However, Booking.com soon informed us that the airline had refused the change and that they would refund the amount.
On December 7, we reached out to PAL again. They instructed us to wait until 24 hours before our flight for the correction to be processed.
To confirm this, we followed up on December 21, and PAL reaffirmed that the correction could be made.
As a precaution, we purchased a fully refundable backup ticket with Qatar Airways. Now, we just had to wait.
Chapter 2: Early Challenges
The First Signs of Trouble
Twenty-four hours before our flight—26 days after we first contacted PAL—we reached out again. A case number was generated, and we were told our request would be treated as a priority.
Three hours later, we asked for an update—nothing had happened.
Another 1.5 hours later, still no progress. Instead, the issue was escalated, and a new case number was assigned.
Another two hours passed, and still no update. Worse, rather than addressing our issue, the agent attempted to upsell us additional services.
An hour later, we checked again and were told not to worry.
With just 3.5 hours left before our first flight, we checked in again.
The correction process was still ongoing, but PAL reassured us there was time. Meanwhile, we decided to proceed to the airport for our first flight. If Fly Dubai denied boarding or PAL refused the change, we still had our backup flight.
Chapter 3: The Terminal
When Things Took an Unexpected Turn
We arrived on time at Bucharest Airport and headed to the Fly Dubai check-in counter. We expressed our concern about the name discrepancy, but the staff reassured us that a single-letter difference was not an issue. They mentioned it happens frequently and allowed us to board.
At the same time, we received good news from PAL—the name correction was approved, and they would send us a payment link.
Seated on the plane, we waited for the payment link. But it never arrived. Apparently, PAL was experiencing system issues.
However, with Philippine Airlines, good news always seems to be followed by bad news—the name correction was not actually approved after all.
But at this point, it no longer mattered. Given PAL's assurances, we had already taken the flight to Dubai, and our backup flight option was lost.
Chapter 4: Last Chance & Consolation
Stranded in Dubai
In Dubai, since our flight was a codeshare, we needed to check in for the final leg. We approached the check-in desk, handed over our documents, and waited for the boarding pass. But it never came. We were informed there was no ticket under either "David" or "Davia."
We urgently contacted PAL support. Once again, they assured us that everything would be fine. It turned out that the person handling the name correction had disabled the valid ticket without issuing a new one. Hours passed, and they still couldn’t resolve the issue.
She missed the flight, and I decided not to leave her alone.
We spent several more hours at the airport while PAL customer support promised to rebook us on another flight. They proposed a solution, we accepted, and they told us to wait for supervisor approval. That approval never came, and the proposed flight departed without us.
They suggested another flight, we accepted again, and once more, they said we needed to wait for a supervisor. The same thing happened—the flight left without us.
In the end, we decided to find a budget hotel near the airport to get some rest and clear our heads.
The next day, we searched for flights to Manila on our own. But due to the short notice and the automatic cancellation of our return flights (yet another way airlines exploit customers), we had to pay not only for a new flight to Manila but also for our return to Bucharest and an internal flight we had missed. The costs were too high. We decided to go back home.
But bad news struck again. Flights from Dubai to Bucharest were extremely expensive. The best option we found was a flight three days later with a stopover in Istanbul. Even considering hotel and other costs, it was still the most affordable choice.
Chapter 5: Mediation
Seeking Resolution
Back in Bucharest, after a few days of rest, we tried to understand what had happened.
We filed a formal complaint under the Montreal Convention. Based on our email exchanges, it became clear that PAL didn’t even grasp the seriousness of the situation. They were still processing the name correction.
On January 21st—nine days after we were supposed to return—PAL finally responded with a solution: contact PAL to rebook the Dubai-Manila flight.
This solution doesn't even make sense. It just highlights their complete disregard for customers. They didn’t even have basic comprehension skills.
Chapter 6: Final Thoughts
The Aftermath
After weeks of trying to fix this mistake and countless discussions and support tickets, it became evident that PAL doesn’t actually have a functioning customer support team. Every time we reached out, we had to start from scratch. No one referenced previous tickets or had any knowledge of the case. They just opened new tickets without solving anything.
This company lacks both the ability and the will to address customer issues. Their behavior is disgraceful.
We took responsibility for our initial mistake. We were prepared to pay for the correction—that’s why we purchased a backup ticket. If we had been denied boarding due to the name discrepancy, that would have been on us.
But that wasn’t the case. We couldn’t board because a Philippine Airlines employee disabled a valid ticket during the name correction process without reissuing it. For almost a month, we tried to fix this while PAL kept assuring us it was being handled.
Their incompetence directly resulted in our financial losses—lost tickets, extra accommodation, and other expenses.
Publishing this story is our first step in warning others about the risks of flying with Philippine Airlines. Meanwhile, we are preparing legal action under Philippine jurisdiction to recover all current and future expenses.
As long as this company exists, we will fight for justice.