Today, most of these businesses charge you even higher than what the airline of your choice would. That is -- on top of the published airfare, you need to cough up a "service charge" for ticket processing. This post will teach you how to make money online by saving up on your Cebu Pacific ticket.
I won't tarry, as you probably would want to catch the on-going promo by the Philippines' leading budget carrier. Below are 7 ways that you can get the lowest possible Cebu Pacific fare - with or without a promo:
1. Book your flight online. There's a web administration fee of P116 (per individual) when you book online, but doing so allows you to save up on commuting fare and your travel agent's add-on service charge of P200 to P400. You can pay by credit card or in cash at designated banks and payment service centers (sans any processing charge).
2. Pay by credit card -- if you have one and only if your internet connection is fast, secure and reliable. Majority of the companies offer points (convertible to freebies) each time you use your credit card. To avoid paying interest, simply settle your credit card account within the month and before the stipulated due date.
As of the moment, the airline does not accept payments via debit cards. So no, you cannot use EON to pay for your Cebu Pacific plane ticket. The available payment modes are credit card and cash which you can pay at banks or accepted payment centers.
3. Make sure you enter your name correctly. Careless mistakes can cost you. One-letter typos can be fixed without charge, but if you require a major name change on your ticket, chances are Cebu Pacific would charge you no less than P800 for the correction - or worse, advise you to pay for the full price of a new ticket.
4. Opt out of the add-ons. Read the online booking form thoroughly. Don't just tick away the boxes. The optional charges often show up after you've selected your departure and return details. These add-ons include the following:
- Travel Insurance: P250 per person per flight
- Donation to the Bright Skies Program: P161 per person per way
- Check-in Fee for Sports Equipment: P1,000 per person per way
- Excess Baggage Fees: P1,050 to P5,250 per person per way (relative to the weight)
5. If you are 100 percent certain that you will not be checking in any luggage, select the Go Lite fare. The Go Lite option deducts P100 per way from your total bill on the assumption that you will not check in any bags and that your hand-carried luggage is no heavier than 7 kilos.
Heavy shoppers should not choose Go Lite fares. Booking with Go Lite and then changing your mind the last minute will entail an additional fee of P400 per way at the airport counter.
6. Watch the weight of your bags and pay for the excess ahead. Cebu Pacific's online booking facility offers a 20 percent discount on advance payments for excess weight. The maximum weight for check-in luggage with the carrier is 15 kilos. Beyond this figure, the following excess baggage fees apply:
- P1,050 per person per way - up to 5 kilos
- P2,100 per person per way - up to 10 kilos
- P3,150 per person per way - up to 15 kilos
- P4,200 per person per way - up to 20 kilos
- P5,250 per person per way - up to 25 kilos
7. Skip the seat selector. Choosing "ordinary" seats will cost you P100 per way and "premium" seats (located at the first row of the plane) will require an additional fee of P200 per way.
The seat selector is one of Cebu Pacific's marketing ploys. It allows web check-ins for customers who have pre-selected seats.
When you think of it though, the fees charged are redundant. Remember that buying a ticket entitles you to be seated at the flight. So long as you check in at least 2 hours before your flight, you are guaranteed a seat.
Whether or not you catch the promo or book your flight another day, just keep in mind that you can get the lowest possible Cebu Pacific fare by taking advantage of the online booking system, paying by credit card , watching the weight of your bags, and opting out of the add-on fees.
Notes:
Refunds are extremely difficult to request for from this company, so any amount you pay is good as lost. Avoid duplicate credit card charges by not refreshing the page and by not re-entering your credit card details.
Refunds are extremely difficult to request for from this company, so any amount you pay is good as lost. Avoid duplicate credit card charges by not refreshing the page and by not re-entering your credit card details.
Based on unverified reports, credit card holders not based in the Philippines should not try Cebu Pacific's online booking. The site appears to be optimized for local use and frequently returns an error message for transactions initiated by international customers and for payments made via credit cards issued off shore. You might want to ask a trusted relative or friend in the Philippines to make the booking on your behalf.*
