JG Summit Holdings Inc. president and CEO Lance Gokongwei, whose company controls a budget airline, was spotted flying with Philippine Airlines.
International flight attendant Apple Ramos De Luna reportedly shared a picture of herself with the businessman on Instagram, accompanied by the caption, “Thank you for flying with us.”
JG Summit Holdings is the parent company of Cebu Pacific, a budget airline that also operates international flights, though to a more limited number of destinations.
Philippine Airlines, meanwhile, is the country’s flag carrier operating more than 40 international routes, including flights to Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
De Luna’s post is no longer available on Instagram, but some publications and social media accounts have preserved copies of the photo.
In one of the posts, an individual claimed to have flown the same flight as the businessman.
“Papuntang NY [New York] ‘yan on PAL’s brand new aircraft A350-1000. I was on the same flight with him. Nasa Business siya. Nasa Economy lang ako. Wala namang Cebupac [Cebu Pacific] trip to NY,” a Facebook user wrote.
Others also justified Gokongwei’s presence in another airline.
“Flying PAL isn’t about disloyalty. It’s about choosing the right airline for the right route. For example, if the Cebu Pacific boss needs to travel to the U.S. or Europe, PAL is the logical option since Cebu Pacific doesn’t operate those flights,” another Facebook user said.
A travel agency also chimed in and wrote, “Despite being the owner of Cebu Pacific, he flew Philippine Airlines since Cebu Pacific has no direct flights to the U.S. — a great example that supporting any Philippine carrier is supporting the country.”
Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines operate under different business models, with Cebu Pacific functioning as a low-fare carrier and Philippine Airlines as a full-service carrier.
