Hindi ko akalain… Sa mismong Flag Carrier pa kami makakaranas ng ganito. 
I booked a ticket for my kasambahay via Philippine Airlines para makapunta na siya sa Singapore. Sabi ko sa kanya, “Maaga ka sa airport ha, para may allowance kung may aberya.”
Kaya 4:00 PM pa lang, nasa NAIA na siya — kahit 8:00 PM pa ang flight. Maayos naman lahat: nakapag-check in, may boarding pass na, at nakalusot na rin sa immigration gamit ang kanyang OEC. Wala kaming inaalalang problema. Hanggang sa dumating siya sa boarding gate.
Originally, Gate 11, then biglang naging Gate 1. Walang maayos na announcement. Buti na lang, maaga siyang pumasok sa loob kaya nakaabot siya. Pero habang nandoon na siya sa bagong gate, bigla siyang hinarang.
Ang sabi ng staff: hindi raw bayad ang check-in luggage niya. Pinipilit siyang magbayad ng ₱16,650 para sa 30kg baggage! 
Diyos ko, saan siya kukuha ng ganung halaga on the spot? Nataranta na siya. Pinapunta kung saan-saan, pinapasa-pasa… Hanggang sa hindi na siya pinasakay ng eroplano.
Alam niyo po yung pakiramdam na ginawa na lahat — pumila, nagbayad, nag-ayos ng papeles, dumating ng maaga — tapos sa huli, parang siya pa ang may kasalanan? 
Tinawagan namin ang travel agency — may isa pa raw pasahero na hindi rin pinasakay. Wala ring malinaw na dahilan. Overbooked ba ang flight? Kung oo, bakit hindi aminin? Bakit pa gumawa ng kwento tungkol sa bagahe?
Ang masakit pa, sinabi ng staff na nagbebenta na raw ang PAL ng murang ticket pero walang luggage. Totoo ba ‘to? Since 2009, PAL passenger na ako — ngayon ko lang narinig ‘yan.
At bakit parang pinili nilang hindi pansinin ang isang kasambahay? Kasi domestic helper lang siya? Kasi wala siyang boses? Kasi mas madaling i-deny kaysa harapin ang mali?
Napaka-unfair. Nakakahiya. Nakakadurog.
Sa isang OFW na ang goal lang ay makapagsimula ng bagong trabaho, ito ang welcome experience sa mismong flag carrier ng bansa?
Hindi kami hihingi ng special treatment. Ang hinihingi lang namin: respeto, katotohanan, at hustisya. Sana marinig nyo ‘to.
Sa totoo lang, mas masakit pa ito sa kahit anong delayed flight. Kasi dito, may halong pangmamaliit. Para bang, dahil kasambahay lang siya, wala siyang karapatang ipaglaban ang sarili niya.
Kaya ngayon, I am respectfully requesting the following from Philippine Airlines:
An explanation bakit siya pinayagang mag-check in, bigyan ng boarding pass, at makalusot sa immigration kung may issue pala sa luggage; Confirmation kung overbooked ba talaga ang flight; Clarification kung bakit ₱16,650 ang hinihingi sa mismong boarding gate, at hindi agad na-flag sa check-in counter pa lang; At higit sa lahat, ano ang ginagawa ng PAL para matiyak na ang mga OFWs — lalo na ang mga kasambahay — ay tinatrato nang patas, may respeto, at may malasakit.We chose PAL because we believed in our flag carrier. We expected dignity. We expected fairness. We expected transparency.
I never would have imagined… We can experience this even in the Flag Carrier itself.I booked a ticket for my maid via Philippine Airlines so she can go to Singapore. I told him, “Go to the airport early, okay, so there will be an allowance if there is a malfunction. “So it’s only 4:00 PM, and he’s already in NAIA — even though the flight is still 8:00 PM. All is well: checked in, has a boarding pass, and has passed immigration with his OEC. We don’t care about any problems. Until he arrived at the boarding gate.Originally, Gate 11, then suddenly it became Gate 1. No proper announcement. Luckily he got inside early so he made it. But while he was at the new gate, he was suddenly blocked.The staff said: his check-in luggage is not paid. He is forced to pay ₱16,650 for 30kg baggage!Omg, where does he get that much money on the spot? He was already in a panic attack. Going everywhere, passing it on… Until he was no longer allowed to board the plane.Do you know that feeling that you’ve done everything — lined up, paid, arranged papers, arrived early — then in the end, it’s like he’s the one to blame?We called the travel agency — they said there was another passenger who was not allowed to board either. There is no apparent reason either. Is the flight overbooked? If yes, why not admit it? Why make a story about luggage?What’s more painful, the staff said that PAL is selling cheap tickets but there’s no luggage. Is this for real? Since 2009, I am a PAL passenger — I just heard that now.And why do they seem to choose to ignore a maid? Because he’s just a domestic helper? Because he has no voice? Because it’s easier to deny than to face the wrong one?So unfair. What a shame. This is heartbreaking.For an OFW whose only goal is to start a new job, this is the welcome experience in the country’s flag carrier?We will not ask for special treatment. All we ask for: respect, truth, and justice. I hope you hear this.Honestly, this hurts more than any delayed flight. Because here, there is a mix of belittling. As if, just because she’s a maid, she has no right to fight for herself.Kaya ngayon, I am respectfully requesting the following from Philippine Airlines:An explanation why he was allowed to check in, give a boarding pass, and get through immigration if there is an issue with luggage;Confirmation kung overbooked ba talaga ang flight;Clarification why ₱16,650 is being asked for at the boarding gate itself, and it was not immediately flagged at the check-in counter;And above all, what PAL is doing to make sure OFWs — especially housewives — are treated fairly, with respect, and with concern.We chose PAL because we believed in our flag carrier. We expected dignity. We expected fairness. We expected transparency.
