CEBU - A couple filed a multi-million peso damage suit against the Philippine Airlines and three of its crew due to the alleged humiliation they suffered from a simple misunderstanding on the use of the plane’s lavatory during a flight from South Korea that ended up with their arrest at the Mactan Cebu International Airport.
Edward Onglatco, president and chief operating officer of Hyundai Cebu, Inc, and his wife, Danessa Onglatco, demanded a total of P5.6 million damages from PAL, the pilot and two crewmembers of the flight number PR 489 from Seoul South Korea to Cebu on March 23, 2008.
The complainants, however, failed to identify the pilot but were able to identify the two crewmembers as Jose Adarme and Virginia Wee, flight purser and steward, respectively.
Edward said they are regular and frequent passengers of PAL which earned them enough points to purchase round trip tickets to and from Seoul, South Korea.
On March 23, Edward said that he and his wife boarded PAL in their return flight to Cebu as economy passengers. Midway into the flight, his wife allegedly felt the need to use the lavatory, but the one at the economy side was so crowded with passengers, either queuing to use it or waiting for the cart trolley rolled out by the flight crew along the aisle to sell some products.
Feeling the urgency, Danessa instead went to the Mabuhay Class lavatory but before she could reach for the door, Wee allegedly caught her arm and reprimanded her for trying to use the lavatory intended for Mabuhay Class passengers only.
Danessa would have asked permission from Adarme for the use of the lavatory had he been awake. The complainants said they plead for Danessa to be allowed to use the lavatory but were ignored.
They allegedly went back to their seats until Danessa extremely felt the need to use the lavatory but still the one located in the economy class was very crowded. They went back again and pleaded to Wee and Adarme to allow her to use the lavatory.
This time, Wee allegedly opened the cockpit and reported to the pilot that somebody is making trouble. Danessa said she was left with no choice but to queue for her turn to use the lavatory in the economy class.
While waiting for her turn, Wee again confronted Danessa and scolded her without taking into consideration that other passengers are listening.
Upon arrival at the Mactan airport the couple was shocked to see Wee together with armed SWAT personnel waiting for them at the tube. They were arrested and held for interrogation by the police but were later released after it was found out that they have committed no crime.
Edward said the incident has caused “mental stress and extreme humiliation” to him as a respected member of the business community.
The complainants said that because of “unrestrained arrogance, discourtesy, insolent actuations and threats” that resulted to their “besmirched reputation” they are demanding P5 million in moral damages.
The couple is also demanding P500,000 in exemplary damages, P100,000 in attorneys’ fees and P50,000 in litigation cost.
PAL spokesman and Mactan sales and services manager Simoun Canton said they have yet to receive a copy of the complaint. Canton also refused to give comment on the complaint saying that their legal department will be handling it. — Fred P. Languido/WAB