Oatmeal Cookies on PAL Flight

On a mid-day flight from Cebu to Iloilo today, I was surprised to see that the "snack" being distributed by the stewardess was Quaker's Oatmeal Cookies. One each lang :(

Mixed feelings.., I felt happy, but also sad. Why? Well, we all have been used to the wonderful food that PAL had been serving ever since, and straight from their very own inflight kitchen, right? Di lang fancy or sosyal-looking food, masarap pa. Remember?!

But it looks like those days are gone now. What they serve on your flight these days are ready-to-eat, off-the-shelf, common snacks that you can buy at any grocery store.

In my humble opinion, PAL here, sheds several points more of the esteem that it has held for decades. It had been steadily eroding of late anyway, right?! The "luxurious" appeal, yeah the "sosyal" regard for PAL is getting to be NA (not applicable) any longer.

You can't help but start thinking... since the things PAL serves on their flights are getting cheaper and cheaper, "What's next"? Cornik? Choc-Nut? Or baka, maglaho nang tuluyan!

I am more inclined to believe on the latter part - "maglaho nang tuluyan", at least on the domestic front. Why? Because, it is obvious, PAL is now just copying their very strong competitors, instead of staying different and best in class.

Ah well, on being best in class, one might reason or even philosophize that "what is esteem anyway" or "hindi naman nakakain ang esteem". But the fact remains, that consumers (the flying public) are and will always be subjective. We are, right?

It can start with only one comment... "so why do I have to fly PAL, their services are just the same as Cebu Pacific anyway, and most of the time PAL is still more expensive"?

And for you my fellow travelers, aminin nyo man o hindi, this comes to mind... "bakit pa ako lilipad ng PAL, eh hindi na rin lang naman soyal, pareho lang sa Cebu Pacific"?!

The exodus will then start, or, it has started, right? Cebu Pacific has already eaten quite a big chunk of PAL's domestic market! because are realizing there is no more difference.

Oh, I said mixed feelings above, right? Well, the happy part is that... favorite snack namin sa bahay ang oatmeal cookies na yan - especially this flavor, Honey Nuts!

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