Air Philippines Online Support Complaint

Hi Air Philippines,

I got this from your website:
APC MISSION

Air Philippines Corporation shall provide:
1. customers with safe and reliable air transportation with the best service at the least cost;
2. employees with career development and job satisfaction; and
3. stockholders with fair return on their investment.

Too many things just disappointed me about this airline who claims to give their customers worry-free adventures.

Here is the chronological order of events:
Jan 06, 2012:3:35pm: Booked Kalibo - Manila flight for 6 people (Mar 4, 7:45pm)
Feb 22:8:49am: Phone received a call from Air Phils but was not able to answer
Feb 22:8:51am: Received a text message from Air Phils informing of the schedule change (Mar 4, 2:40pm)
Feb 22:10:04am:Received a call from Air Phils and I was able to answer it. Was formally informed of the schedule change and gave me 2 options. To rebook the flight or cancel (all without penalties and with full refund). Gave me 48 hours to decide.
Feb 22: around 1:30 pm: Called AirPhils and requested to be rerouted instead. Was recommended to email instead onlinesupport@airphilexpress.com for assistance
Feb 22: 1:37pm: Emailed online support explaining the situation and requesting for the reroute.
Feb 23: 2:18am: Still no reply. Emailed online support for update.
Feb 24: 8:04PM: Online support replied (FINALLY!) inquiring about our 6-letter reservation code.
Feb 24: 11:12PM: Emailed the reservation code.
Feb 26: 10:11am: Email from Air Phils

Thank you for choosing Airphil Express.

Thank you for the message bringing to our attention your reported experience with us. At the outset, please accept our regrets for any disappointment caused you as a result.

We are sorry to learn that our schedule change impressed you unfavorably. Hence, it maybe helpful to note that you may rebook your flight without penalties due to schedule change. Another option is you may request cancellation and have it refunded in full if you are not amenable with the new flight schedule.

Feb 27: 12:09am: Here was my reply.

I don't mean to sound rude but your suggested options for us aren't really that helpful. Informing us a week prior to the schedule (especially summer time and a Kalibo flight at that), who are you kidding? Both suggestions are ludicrous. Rebooking when all your flights are either in the morning or early afternoon? How can you compare that to an evening flight? And you also suggest to cancel it (giving us full refund)? You informed us just with less than 2 weeks! Of course all the other flights from other airlines have either no more seats available on our preferred schedule or the prices are already expensive. Even if you give us our full refund, we still have to pay twice for others. Please don't make it seem like you're being reasonable with the options you gave us. In reality, you left us with no choice. It is insulting to your customers especially when you claim that you're delivering support 24/7. It's not the quantity of support, guys. It should always be the quality.

Feb 27: 7:03PM: Online support replied.

We apologize for the inconvenience our schedule change have caused. However, we may only offer you to have the tickets rebooked within 90 days from the original date of flight or refund the tickets with waived penalties.

We only hope to merit your understanding regarding this matter.

End of email conversation.

And no, Air Philippines. I will not give you the "merit of my understanding".

Three reasons why:
1. NO ONE explained to me why we were being rescheduled (a gap of 5 hours)
2. Why didn't no one call me from online support (which I believe is a higher department)? Who wants to talk with such impersonal and system-generated messages?
3. I was informed of this ELEVEN(11) DAYS prior to our flight which makes your options of little or of no practical value at all.

What you did to me is unacceptable and it feels personal. Now, my group is left with no choice but to accept your schedule. (Lest we get stuck in Kalibo for 90 days or pay twice/thrice the full refund that you're willing to provide.) But let me just say that you are nowhere near your NUMBER 1 mission. If this is the best service you can provide your customers, then I wish you luck in your future engagements.