FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
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SECOND REGULAR SESSION 
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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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Introduced by Senator Antonio “Sonny” F. Trillanes IV 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
After liberalizing the country’s domestic and international civil aviation policy through 
Executive Order No. 219, a number of local airline carriers were born and the Philippine 
airline industIy started to grow. This liberalization, moreover, opened the industry for 
competition and drove the prices down for travelers and traders, which caused the 
number passengers to increase annually. 
This increase in the number of passengers, however, caused several problems 
encountered by the passengers, ranging from poor quality of service, delay and 
cancellation of flights, disappearance of reservations, and many more. 
This bill, thus, seeks to promote efficiency in airline services and address the aforesaid 
problems through a national policy establishing standards for airline carrier services. 
With this bill, it is expected that the rights of airline passengers will be protected. 
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill earnestly requested. 
AN cjY-$=*q- 
0 IO “SONNY” F. TRILLANES IV 
SenatoI 
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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
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SECOND REGULAR SESSION 
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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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GCl-7 
Introduced by Senator Antonio ‘‘Sonny’’ F. Trillanes IV 
AN ACT 
ENSURING THE RIGHTS OF AIRLINE PASSENGERS BY PROVIDING 
STANDARDS FOR AIRLINE CARRIER SERVICES 
Be in enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. -This Act shall be known as “Airline Passenger Bi61 of 
Rights Act.” 
SEC. 2. Definition of Term. - As used in this Act, the following terms shall 
mean: 
(a) AIR TRANSPORTATION- The term ‘air transportation’ includes domestic air 
transportation; 
(b) COVERED AIR CARRIER- The term ’covered air carrier’ means an air 
carrier conducting scheduled passenger air transportation; 
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Communications; 
(c) CHRONICALLY DELAYED FLIGHT - the term ‘chronically delayed flight’ 
means a regularly scheduled flight in air transportation that has failed to arrive within 30 
minutes of the scheduled arrival time of the flight at least 40 percent of the time during 
the most recent three-month period for which data is available; 
(d) DEPARTMENT- shall refer to the Department of Transportation and 
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SEC. 3. Stundurds for Air Currier Pussenger Services. - 
(a) Passenger Complaints- A covered air carrier shall establish and implement 
:ocedures for handling complaints from passengers of the air carrier. 
(b) Diversions, Delays, and Cancellations- 
(1) NOTIFICATION OF PASSENGERS- A covered air carrier shall 
provide customers at an airport and on board an aircraft, in a timely, reasonable, 
and truthful manner, the best information available to the air carrier regarding a 
delay, cancellation, or diversion affecting the customers' flight, including-- 
(A) the cause of the delay, cancellation, or diversion; and 
(B) for a delayed flight, the air carrier's best estimate of departure 
time. 
(2) METHODS FOR NOTIFICATION- In complying with this 
subsection, a covered air carrier shall use airport overhead announcements, on 
aircraft announcements, and postings on airport television monitors. 
(c) Departure and Arrival Delays- 
(1) RIGHT OF PASSENGERS TO EXIT AN AIRCRAFT- Subject to 
exceptions stated in paragraph (2), a covered air carrier operating an aircraft in a 
flight in air transportation shall establish and implement procedures to allow 
passengers to exit the aircraft in the case of a departure delay which would 
otherwise require passengers to remain on the aircraft on the ground prior to 
departure for a period exceeding 3 hours. 
(2) EXCEPTIONS - In general, Paragraph (1) shall not apply-- 
(A) if the pilot of such flight reasonably determines that such flight 
will depart not later than 30 minutes after the 3-hour delay; or 
(B) if the pilot of such flight reasonably determines that permitting 
a passenger to deplane would jeopardize passenger safety or security. 
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(3) ESSENTIAL SERVICES- A covered air carrier operating an aircraft 
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in air transportation shall provide for the essential needs of passengers at all times 
during which the aircraft is on the ground in the event of a departure delay, 
including the needs of passengers for food, water, sanitary facilities, medical 
access, adequate ventilation, and comfortable cabin temperatures. 
(d) Chronically Delayed Flights- 
(1) PUBLICATION OF LIST OF FLIGHTS- A covered air carrier shall 
publish and update monthly on the Internet website of the air carrier a list of 
chronically delayed flights operated by the air carrier. 
(2) 
DISCLOSURE 
TO 
CUSTOMERS WHEN 
PURCHASING 
TICKETS- Regardless of the method used by a consumer to contact a covered air 
carrier, the air carrier shall disclose, without being requested, the on-time 
performance for a chronically delayed flight of the air carrier whenever a 
customer makes a reservation or purchases a ticket on such a flight. 
(e) Fares, Schedules, and Itineraries- 
(1) PUBLICATION OF LNFORMATION- A covered air carrier shall 
publish lowest fare information, and information on schedules and itineraries, 
with respect to regularly scheduled flights of the air carrier in air transportation. 
(2) AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION- Information to be published 
under paragraph (1) shall be updated in a timely manner and shall be made 
available to the public on the Internet website of the air carrier. 
(9 Baggage- If a passenger of a covered air carrier submits a claim to the air 
carrier for lost baggage, the air carrier shall make every reasonable effort to return the 
baggage to the passenger within 24 hours. 
(g) Passenger Rights Notification- A covered air carrier shall prominently display 
for passengers of the air carrier information outlining the consumer rights of the 
passengers, including the rights specified in this section. 
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(h) Contract of Carriage- Each covered air carrier shall incorporate the consumer 
rights specified in this section into the contract of carriage of the air carrier. 
SEC. 4. Procedures for Depnrture Deluys. - 
(a) Procedures to Permit Pilots to Return to Airport Terminals- The DOTC 
Secretary shall work in coordination with air carriers to ensure that a pilot operating an 
aircraft in a flight in air transportation that is affected by a long departure delay is 
permitted to return the aircraft to the airport terminal to allow passengers to exit the 
aircraft without losing the position of the flight in the departure sequence. 
(b) Contingency Plans for Weather Emergencies- 
(1) COORDINATION OF PLANS- The DOTC Secretary shall review the 
emergency contingency plans of air carriers and airports to ensure that the plans will 
effectively address weather emergencies in a coordinated manner. 
(2) MEETING- In carrying out this subsection, the DOTC Secretary shall 
convene a meeting of representatives of air carriers, airports, and the Air Transportation 
Office (ATO) to develop procedures to better respond to weather emergencies resulting 
in long departure delays. 
SEC. 5. Implementing Rules and Regulutions. - Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Department shall issue final 
regulations to carry out the provisions of this Act. 
SEC. 6. Diverted Flights. - 
(a) Study- The Secretary shall conduct a study of the ability of air carriers to 
provide for the essential needs of passengers, including adequate food and water, in cases 
in which a flight of the air carrier is diverted for an unscheduled landing at an airport due 
to a weather situation or other emergency 
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(b) Report to Congress- Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary shall transmit to Congress a report on the results of the study, 
including methods for ensuring that the essential needs of passengers are met in the case 
of a diverted flight described in subsection (a). 
SEC. 7. Penal Provision. -Any air carrier who violates the provisions of this Act 
shall give the affected passenger an amount not less than Ten Thousand Pesos 
(PlO,OOO.OO) but not more than Thirty Thousand Pesos (P30,OOO.OO) depending on the 
severity of the offense caused. 
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, or the license 
to operate of a foreign air carrier, or both after the Department shall have conducted a 
hearing into the matter. 
SEC. 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. 
SEC. 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. 
SEC. 10. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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