Comments on: One week and 5 flight cancellations later, we can’t get out of Batanes… what is going on Asian Spirit? http://www.annalyn.net/2008/01/15/five-flight-cancellations-later-we-cant-get-out-of-batanes-what-is-going-on-asian-spirit/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=five-flight-cancellations-later-we-cant-get-out-of-batanes-what-is-going-on-asian-spirit Manila food, lifestyle & travel blog Mon, 13 Feb 2012 01:44:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: ajay http://www.annalyn.net/2008/01/15/five-flight-cancellations-later-we-cant-get-out-of-batanes-what-is-going-on-asian-spirit/comment-page-1/#comment-228135 ajay Fri, 08 Feb 2008 05:26:32 +0000 http://www.annalyn.net/2008/01/15/five-flight-cancellations-later-we-cant-get-out-of-batanes-what-is-going-on-asian-spirit/#comment-228135 Good to hear about your sister's related experience M. I wouldn't entirely qualify the experience as a nightmare but it was indeed mental torture NOT to know at all when we will fly out of there, after repeated cancellations. The Asian Spirit publicist tried to assure me of some recompensation, I don't know what happened with that since I haven't heard from them since. The manager of Batanes Seaside did the better thing of writing off our meals for the duration of the days we extended... their action was certainly more gallant than Asian Spirit's. You hit the nail on the head with this statement: "No one should ever plan to visit Batanes with Asian Spirit still being the one and only option to go there." Maybe I should put this on my Batanes travel guide??? Good to hear about your sister’s related experience M. I wouldn’t entirely qualify the experience as a nightmare but it was indeed mental torture NOT to know at all when we will fly out of there, after repeated cancellations. The Asian Spirit publicist tried to assure me of some recompensation, I don’t know what happened with that since I haven’t heard from them since. The manager of Batanes Seaside did the better thing of writing off our meals for the duration of the days we extended… their action was certainly more gallant than Asian Spirit’s. You hit the nail on the head with this statement: “No one should ever plan to visit Batanes with Asian Spirit still being the one and only option to go there.” Maybe I should put this on my Batanes travel guide???

]]> By: m http://www.annalyn.net/2008/01/15/five-flight-cancellations-later-we-cant-get-out-of-batanes-what-is-going-on-asian-spirit/comment-page-1/#comment-227730 m Thu, 07 Feb 2008 03:29:47 +0000 http://www.annalyn.net/2008/01/15/five-flight-cancellations-later-we-cant-get-out-of-batanes-what-is-going-on-asian-spirit/#comment-227730 hi! my sis and her hubby were with the same group that got stranded in batanes. like ajay and mr z they went there with high hopes of experiencing unspoiled beauty and nature. instead, asian spirit gave them the worst nightmare ever. its true, there was hardly an information as to when they can leave the place, and compensation was never offered. however, my sis and her hubby were lucky (?!) to get the 1st night (thurs) charged to the airlines, simply because the cancellation was due to "operations concern". but this is after much haggling with vincent, the super duper inefficient asian spirit representative... i know this was availed of by just a few insistent passengers, and not all. after that, the standard reply for all the 5 to 6 flight cancellations was due to weather. this way, they avoided compensations. air philippines had novice pilots, out-dated aircrafts. no one should ever plan to visit batanes with asian spirit still being the one and only option to go there. hi! my sis and her hubby were with the same group that got stranded in batanes. like ajay and mr z they went there with high hopes of experiencing unspoiled beauty and nature. instead, asian spirit gave them the worst nightmare ever. its true, there was hardly an information as to when they can leave the place, and compensation was never offered. however, my sis and her hubby were lucky (?!) to get the 1st night (thurs) charged to the airlines, simply because the cancellation was due to “operations concern”. but this is after much haggling with vincent, the super duper inefficient asian spirit representative… i know this was availed of by just a few insistent passengers, and not all. after that, the standard reply for all the 5 to 6 flight cancellations was due to weather. this way, they avoided compensations. air philippines had novice pilots, out-dated aircrafts. no one should ever plan to visit batanes with asian spirit still being the one and only option to go there.

]]> By: Mr. Z http://www.annalyn.net/2008/01/15/five-flight-cancellations-later-we-cant-get-out-of-batanes-what-is-going-on-asian-spirit/comment-page-1/#comment-227300 Mr. Z Wed, 06 Feb 2008 05:58:42 +0000 http://www.annalyn.net/2008/01/15/five-flight-cancellations-later-we-cant-get-out-of-batanes-what-is-going-on-asian-spirit/#comment-227300 Hello, Mike. Admittedly, the weather was gusty at times during our stay, but this information only comes to us now, two and a half weeks after that first cancellation for us? Information from Asian Spirit was sparse, at best, and typically, visibility was cited as the major issue involved, due to low cloud cover. The whole point of going to Batanes was to visit a beautiful, largely unspoiled, piece of the Philippines. I knew that Ajay had missed an earlier opportunity to visit Batanes, and wanted to "make it up" to her. In truth, I thought it would be nice to visit a spot in the Philippines she hadn't already seen, and blogged exhaustively about ;-) We didn't spend a week craving technology - we spent a week craving information, particularly from Asian Spirit. We spent quite a bit of time at SmartLink, researching every possible means of departing Batanes, as I rescheduled my return flights to the Middle East THREE TIMES in the six "free" days we enjoyed in Basco. Kudos to Emirates for their patience. I relished every day I spent with Ajay in Basco - this whole relationship has been "stealing time" for us, and I have no regrets. Still, it would have been nice to spend a few of those six days with her children, who missed their Mother badly. Most ten-year old children don't have ATM cards, so it became a near-daily struggle keeping food on the table for her three children and their Nanny, bearable only thanks to the understanding of her friends on the Mainland. I firmly believe that if weather cancellations are that commonplace, then Asian Spirit shouldn't book flights it can't reliably make. Perhaps they should change that ad from "Fall in Love in Batanes" to "Emigrate to Batanes". 'Nuff said. Hello, Mike. Admittedly, the weather was gusty at times during our
stay, but this information only comes to us now, two and a half weeks
after that first cancellation for us? Information from Asian Spirit
was sparse, at best, and typically, visibility was cited as the major
issue involved, due to low cloud cover. The whole point of going to
Batanes was to visit a beautiful, largely unspoiled, piece of the
Philippines. I knew that Ajay had missed an earlier opportunity to
visit Batanes, and wanted to “make it up” to her. In truth, I thought
it would be nice to visit a spot in the Philippines she hadn’t already
seen, and blogged exhaustively about ;-)

We didn’t spend a week craving technology – we spent a week craving
information, particularly from Asian Spirit. We spent quite a bit of
time at SmartLink, researching every possible means of departing
Batanes, as I rescheduled my return flights to the Middle East THREE
TIMES in the six “free” days we enjoyed in Basco. Kudos to Emirates
for their patience.
I relished every day I spent with Ajay in Basco – this whole
relationship has been “stealing time” for us, and I have no regrets.
Still, it would have been nice to spend a few of those six days with
her children, who missed their Mother badly. Most ten-year old
children don’t have ATM cards, so it became a near-daily struggle
keeping food on the table for her three children and their Nanny,
bearable only thanks to the understanding of her friends on the
Mainland.
I firmly believe that if weather cancellations are that commonplace,
then Asian Spirit shouldn’t book flights it can’t reliably make.
Perhaps they should change that ad from “Fall in Love in Batanes” to
“Emigrate to Batanes”. ‘Nuff said.

]]> By: Mike http://www.annalyn.net/2008/01/15/five-flight-cancellations-later-we-cant-get-out-of-batanes-what-is-going-on-asian-spirit/comment-page-1/#comment-224745 Mike Thu, 31 Jan 2008 09:54:06 +0000 http://www.annalyn.net/2008/01/15/five-flight-cancellations-later-we-cant-get-out-of-batanes-what-is-going-on-asian-spirit/#comment-224745 Asian Spirit's planes have maximum tolerance of 20 knots of wind gustiness. During the time when the company cancelled flights supposedly "due to weather", the winds in Basco were averaging 22 knots, and gusts were reaching 28 knots. Clear weather, yes. But safe weather? Hardly. And oh, the incumbent Congressman of the area is Cong Diasnes, not Butch Abad I thought the whole point of going to Batanes is to "unplug" from technology? Not spend half a week craving for it. Asian Spirit’s planes have maximum tolerance of 20 knots of wind gustiness. During the time when the company cancelled flights supposedly “due to weather”, the winds in Basco were averaging 22 knots, and gusts were reaching 28 knots. Clear weather, yes. But safe weather? Hardly.

And oh, the incumbent Congressman of the area is Cong Diasnes, not Butch Abad

I thought the whole point of going to Batanes is to “unplug” from technology? Not spend half a week craving for it.

]]> By: ajay http://www.annalyn.net/2008/01/15/five-flight-cancellations-later-we-cant-get-out-of-batanes-what-is-going-on-asian-spirit/comment-page-1/#comment-221955 ajay Thu, 24 Jan 2008 15:25:48 +0000 http://www.annalyn.net/2008/01/15/five-flight-cancellations-later-we-cant-get-out-of-batanes-what-is-going-on-asian-spirit/#comment-221955 That is interesting Ferdz. At least Asian Spirit is no longer flying to Tuguegarao.... only Air Philippines does. Your statement seems to indicate that Asian Spirit seems to be this way which may not be to the advantage of their long term business strategy, especially with the impression they give to disgruntled customers. That is interesting Ferdz. At least Asian Spirit is no longer flying to Tuguegarao…. only Air Philippines does. Your statement seems to indicate that Asian Spirit seems to be this way which may not be to the advantage of their long term business strategy, especially with the impression they give to disgruntled customers.

]]> By: Ferdz http://www.annalyn.net/2008/01/15/five-flight-cancellations-later-we-cant-get-out-of-batanes-what-is-going-on-asian-spirit/comment-page-1/#comment-221740 Ferdz Thu, 24 Jan 2008 01:20:41 +0000 http://www.annalyn.net/2008/01/15/five-flight-cancellations-later-we-cant-get-out-of-batanes-what-is-going-on-asian-spirit/#comment-221740 Scary! I love the place but being stranded and waiting everyday for flights like that can be frustrating. Having worked for Asian Spirit before in their inflight magazine, I'm no stranger in their cancellations. Even on an assignment once we were stranded for like days in Tuguegarao and Asian Spirit refuse to fly due to their strict policy of "rainfall radius gauge". Funny another airline was flying there and we came back to manila using Air Philippines instead. Too bad Pacific Air no longer serves Batanes from Laoag. That's what we took before and their tiny 8-seater plane seems to be more reliable than the large ones from Asian Spirit. Scary! I love the place but being stranded and waiting everyday for flights like that can be frustrating.

Having worked for Asian Spirit before in their inflight magazine, I’m no stranger in their cancellations. Even on an assignment once we were stranded for like days in Tuguegarao and Asian Spirit refuse to fly due to their strict policy of “rainfall radius gauge”. Funny another airline was flying there and we came back to manila using Air Philippines instead.

Too bad Pacific Air no longer serves Batanes from Laoag. That’s what we took before and their tiny 8-seater plane seems to be more reliable than the large ones from Asian Spirit.

]]> By: ajay http://www.annalyn.net/2008/01/15/five-flight-cancellations-later-we-cant-get-out-of-batanes-what-is-going-on-asian-spirit/comment-page-1/#comment-221609 ajay Wed, 23 Jan 2008 17:41:38 +0000 http://www.annalyn.net/2008/01/15/five-flight-cancellations-later-we-cant-get-out-of-batanes-what-is-going-on-asian-spirit/#comment-221609 Thanks for dropping by David. Maybe you mean "Plane Always Late?" Thanks for dropping by David. Maybe you mean “Plane Always Late?”

]]> By: David http://www.annalyn.net/2008/01/15/five-flight-cancellations-later-we-cant-get-out-of-batanes-what-is-going-on-asian-spirit/comment-page-1/#comment-221498 David Wed, 23 Jan 2008 11:18:21 +0000 http://www.annalyn.net/2008/01/15/five-flight-cancellations-later-we-cant-get-out-of-batanes-what-is-going-on-asian-spirit/#comment-221498 PAL has become known as "Philippines Always Late" and to be avoided if you have a corresponding flight. Maybe Asian Spirit cancels if they can't fill the flight and just give any excuse for cancellation. They trying to save on gas. PAL has become known as “Philippines Always Late” and to be avoided if you have a corresponding flight. Maybe Asian Spirit cancels if they can’t fill the flight and just give any excuse for cancellation. They trying to save on gas.

]]> By: ajay http://www.annalyn.net/2008/01/15/five-flight-cancellations-later-we-cant-get-out-of-batanes-what-is-going-on-asian-spirit/comment-page-1/#comment-221385 ajay Wed, 23 Jan 2008 05:00:11 +0000 http://www.annalyn.net/2008/01/15/five-flight-cancellations-later-we-cant-get-out-of-batanes-what-is-going-on-asian-spirit/#comment-221385 Thank you friends. Back to the real world, for a week now! Yeah Vina, I wish there was another airline there. Just wait for the rest of my pictures and you'll surely want to go, go, go!!! :D Thank you friends. Back to the real world, for a week now!

Yeah Vina, I wish there was another airline there. Just wait for the rest of my pictures and you’ll surely want to go, go, go!!! :D

]]> By: vina http://www.annalyn.net/2008/01/15/five-flight-cancellations-later-we-cant-get-out-of-batanes-what-is-going-on-asian-spirit/comment-page-1/#comment-220990 vina Tue, 22 Jan 2008 06:31:00 +0000 http://www.annalyn.net/2008/01/15/five-flight-cancellations-later-we-cant-get-out-of-batanes-what-is-going-on-asian-spirit/#comment-220990 I would still loooove to go to Batanes, even if I have to do it all by myself! Here's hoping Cebu Pacific will fly Batanes in the near future! Glad you made it back safe and sound :) I would still loooove to go to Batanes, even if I have to do it all by myself!

Here’s hoping Cebu Pacific will fly Batanes in the near future!

Glad you made it back safe and sound :)

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