PAL warns vs online scam selling cheap plane tickets

MANILA, Philippines — Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) has warned the public against buying cheap airline tickets being sold on social media sites such as Facebook.

PAL said the scam involves bulk-buying of tickets that are then sold at low rates through social media sites.

Individuals who are enticed to purchase the tickets are eventually informed that the tickets are in the name of fictitious people and the buyers are then offered fake IDs for presentation at airport check-in.

PAL Express head of security Jorge Amba said the number of passengers caught using fake IDs has increased over the past months, with the advancement in technology and social media enabling these fraud schemes to flourish.

As of Oct. 5, Amba said a total of 68 apprehensions had been recorded in different airports around the country, with a particular concentration in Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro, Cotabato, Bacolod and Clark.

“Since the tickets were bought online in bulk under different (fake) names, passengers who bought cheap round-trip tickets were also supplied with fake IDs by the sellers. Our airport front liners are trained to distinguish counterfeit IDs. So if you presented a fake ID, you will surely miss your flight and will have tons of problems,” Amba said.

According to PAL, apprehended passengers using fake IDs can be charged with violations and may faced imprisonment from one month to six years.

“We are issuing a warning against those individuals who patronize this kind of scam. Our airport front liners are highly trained to identify counterfeits. To avoid hassles and serious legal trouble, we are advising the public to buy their (own) tickets from PAL ticket offices and accredited travel agents only. The safety and security of the passengers will always be our topmost priority. We cannot let syndicates proliferate at the expense of our passengers,” PAL Express president Bonifacio Sam said.

PAL is a four-star major regional airline that has an expansive flight route network covering 42 international and 33 domestic destinations.