SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session
Senate
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'17 FEB 20 P3:06
SENATE
S. B. No. 1336
RECEIVtO SV:
Introduced by Senator JUAN MIGUEL F. ZUBIRI
AN ACT
PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF AIRLINE PASSENGERS AND 
ESTABLISHING THE DUTIES AND LIABILITIES OF AIRLINE CARRIERS
EXPLANATORY NOTE
It has been the policy of the State to protect consumers and afford them all 
possible means to protect their rights and interests in buying products as well as 
availing of services.
The advent of the boom of the airline transportation signified it as the most 
effective means and convenient way of transportation. The industry caters to all classes 
and types of commuters and travelers. Correlative with this, however, is the increasing 
problems faced by airline passengers, such as: flight delays of airline carriers; 
overbooking of airline carriers; baggage losses; disappearances of reservations; 
difficulty of refunds and many others.
This bill primarily aims to lay down the rights of airline passengers and afford 
them protection in case of violations thereof. It also seeks to clarify and specify the 
liabilities of airline companies with the end view of harmonizing and balancing both the 
rights and liabilities of the airline companies and the passengers for the development 
and improvement of the airline industry.
Thus, approval of this Bill is earnestly sought.
N MIGUEL F. ZUBIRI


SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session
SENATE 
S. B. No. 
-1336
RECEivEO
P;t 3  2 0 2 0 1 7 *a ;
TIME: S:0(y 
BY:
$NDEX
BILLS
Introduced by Senator JUAN MIGUEL F. ZUBIRI
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AN ACT
PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF AIRLINE PASSENGERS AND 
ESTABLISHING THE DUTIES AND LIABILITIES OF AIRLINE CARRIERS
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines In 
Congress assembled:
SECTION 1. Title. 
This Act shall be known as "Airline Passengers Protection 
Act of 2017."
SECTION 2. Definition of Terms. For the purpose of this Act, the terms:
a) “Airline Carrier" -  or Air Carrier refers to a person, corporation, firm or 
association, engaged, whether directly or indirectly or by a lease or any other 
arrangement, in the business of carrying or transporting passengers or goods by 
air, offering its services to the public;
b) “Air Transportation" -  refers to a transportation system for moving passengers 
and/or goods by air. It also refers to domestic, overseas, or foreign air 
transportation;
c) “Covered Air Carrier" -  refers to an air carrier conducting scheduled passenger 
air transportation within the Philippines;
d) “Chronically Delayed Flight" -  refers to a regularly scheduled flight in air 
transportation that has failed to arrive within thirty (30) minutes of the scheduled 
arrival time of the flight at least forty (40) percent of time during the most recent 
three-month period for which data is available;
e) “Department" -  refers to the Department of Transportation;
f) 
Bumping — refers to the denial of a seat on a plane when there is confirmed 
reservation. It results from overbooking, an airline practice designed to fill the 
empty seats that “no-show” passengers leave behind by overselling tickets;


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g) Oversales -  is the practice of airlines to sell more tickets than the available seats 
on a specific flight in anticipation that there will be “no-show” passengers;
h) Passenger -  refers to a person who holds an airline ticket or contract of carriaqe 
and
i) Tarmac Delay -  refers to the holding of an aircraft on the ground before taking off 
or after landing without opportunity for its passengers to deplane.
SECTION 3. Passenger's Rights. An airline passenger shall have the following 
rights:
a) Disclosure of Service Offered. -  A passenger shall have the right to be 
correctly informed of the ticket price, the right and circumstanes of travel in a 
timely and relevant manner before his/her travel, during and after the travel, and 
in case of disruption, delay or cancellation.
b) Confirmed Reservation. -  A passenger with confirmed reservation cannot be 
denied of boarding the plane. A reservation is confirmed if there is a record in the 
airline’s computer system, absence of which a valid ticket may be presented. An 
airline passenger with a confirmed reservation is confirmed on the flight even if 
there is no record of the reservation in the airline's computer system. Provided, 
that the passenger presents a valid ticket.
c) Refunds. — Airline tickets paid for with cash must be refunded immediately by 
the carrier or travel agency net of any applicable charges or cancellation fees. In 
cases of cancellation of a refundable ticket purchased through credit card, the 
refund shall be issued as a credit on the same card used to make the purchase. 
If purchased with a personal check, refund shall be through mail. In cases of 
non-refundable fare, a passenger may apply the fare paid toward future flights, 
net of any applicable charges or cancellation fees.
d) Delays and Cancellations. - An airline carrier shall provide for the essential 
needs of passengers on board the aircraft. If the flight is cancelled, the 
passenger shall be booked on the next available flight. If the flight is cancelled or 
delayed, the passenger shall be entitled to services such as but not limited to 
meals and refreshments, phone calls, comfortable place for waiting or 
accomodations in case of overnight delay.
e) Bumping. - If a passenger is involuntarily bumped off, said passenger may opt 
for a full refund in case he/she will not be booked within 12 hours from his/her 
original flight. Said passenger shall be entitled to a reduced refund if the airline 
carrier is able to arrange alternative transportation that will get him/her to his/her 
destination within two (2) hours of originally scheduled arrival time.
SECTION 4. Duties and Liabilities of Airline Carriers. It shall be the duty and 
liability of airline carriers to:


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a) Disclosure of Service Offered. -  The airline shall disclose all the terms and 
conditions of sales, whether regular or promotional, to passengers before the 
purchase of any ticket for a contract of carriage.
b) Confirm Reservation. - The airline shall disclose its policy and procedure for 
managing the inability to board all passengers who have confirmed reservations 
on a flight and who have met the carrier's check-in deadline and other 
requirements specified in the carrier’s contract of carriage. Such disclosure shall 
also provide for the criteria for establishing which passengers shall be denied 
boarding involuntarily.
Passengers denied boarding shall be entitled to compensation by cash or 
vouchers, or alternative transportation to the passenger's ultimate destination by 
the same or another carrier. Provided, that the passenger shall be informed of 
the procedures and terms for offering compensation by cash or vouchers, before 
he/she agrees to give up his/her seat. Provided further, that the passenger 
denied boarding voluntarily or involuntarily shall be informed of all other benefits 
due him/her.
Provided finally, that the air carrier shall compensate "bumped" passengers or 
passengers delayed due to flight cancellations or delays of over twelve (12) 
hours by refund of 150 percent (150%) of ticket price.
c) Delays. - 
Notify passengers within ten (10) minutes of a delay of known 
diversions, delays and cancellations via airport overhead announcement, on- 
aircraft announcement and posting on airport television monitors.
d) Establish and disclose the procedure for returning passengers to terminal gate 
when delays occur so that no plane sits on the tarmac for longer than three (3) 
hours without connecting to a gate.
e) Provide for the essential needs of passengers during air or ground-based delays 
of longer than (2) two hours, including meals and refreshments, sanitary facilities 
and access to medical attention.
f) Provide for the needs of disabled, elderly and special-needs passengers by 
establishing procedures for assisting with the moving and retrieving of baggage, 
and the moving of passengers from one area of airport to another at all times by 
airline personnel.
g) Publish and update monthly on the company's public web site a list of chronically 
delayed flights, meaning those flights delayed by thirty (30) minutes or more, at 
least forty percent (40%) of the time, during a single month.
h) Make lowest fare information, schedules and itineraries, cancellation policies and 
frequent flier program requirements available in an easily accessed location and 
updated in real time.
i) Baggage. -  Ensure that baggage is handled without delay or injury; if baggage is 
lost or misplaced, the airline shall notify customer of baggage status within twelve 
(12) hours and provide compensation equal to current market value of baggage 
and its contents; Provided, that the carrier shall make its best effort to deliver 
passenger’s checked baggage within twenty-four (24) hours after arrival of the 
flight on which the passenger travelled and on which the passenger checked-in 
the baggage.


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j) Refunds. -  To process and pay all fully documented cash refund request within a 
reasonable period of time not to exceed fifteen (15) working days and to inform 
refund claimants promptly, but not later than twenty (20) workings days after 
refund request is received, of any further information that is necessary to process 
refund.
k) Passenger Complaints. -  Establish and disclose the procedure to respond to all 
passenger complaints within twenty four (24) hours and with appropriate 
resolution within a week; Provided, that such response shall include a description 
of the compensation or recourse available to the complainant.
l) Consumer Complaint Report. -  Air carriers are mandated to submit to the Civil 
Aviation Board, under oath, a quarterly Consumer Complaint Report that shows 
the total number of letters and/or email messages received during a specific 
quarter complaining about the service, to be categorized as follows:
1) Flight problems involving missed connections, diversions, cancellations, delay 
leaving gates, delay after leaving gates but before take-off, delay after landing 
but before deplaning, and arrival delay;
2) Oversales;
3) Reservations and ticketing;
4) Fares;
5) Refunds;
6) Baggage;
7) Customer Service;
8) Discrimination;
9) Advertising; and
10) Miscellaneous
SECTION 5. Department of Transportation (DOTr). -  The Department, through 
the Civil Aviation Board (CAB), shall have the power to monitor the compliance of all 
airline carriers with the provisions of this Act.
SECTION 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. -  Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Department, through the CAB, 
shall issue final regulations to carry out the provisions of this Act.
SECTION 7. Penalties.
a) Any air carrier who violates the provisions of this Act shall give the affected 
passenger an amount of not less than Ten Thousand Pesos (PI 0,000.00) but not 
more than Thirty Thousand Pesos (P30,000.00) depending on the severity of the 
offense caused.
b) If the air carrier has a chronically delayed flight record for a particular quarter, the 
fine of Five Million Pesos (P5,000,000.) shall be imposed by the Civil Aeronautics 
Board.
c) In case of grave and repetitive violations, the penalty shall be the suspension or 
revocation of the certificate of public convenience of the domestic carrier, after 
the Department shall have conducted a hearing into the matter.
SECTION 8. Separability Clause. - If for any reason any provision of this Act is 
declared unconstitutional or invalid, such parts or portions not affected thereby shall 
remain in full force and effect.


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SECTION 9. Repealing Clause . - All laws, executive orders, presidential decrees, 
and rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are 
hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
SECTION 10. Effectivity. 
- This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,