Gov't promises an Air Passenger Bill of rights by Christmas. The flying bill of rights covers local and foreign airlines and the way it works is by deterrence. If a right is violated by not remedied at once, the airline's Philippine operations will be suspended, govt can do that to local and foreign carriers. That will teach a lesson they will not want repeated.

The bill provides a single procedure for passengers willing to sell their seats and take another flight, a time and place when and where you are considered checked in even if you are still far from the counter, the flight cannot leave without you.

The is a right to free refreshments and accomodations if the flight is delayed or cancelled. And not to be misled about services and fares. There is right to free limo service to and from the airport. And the right to enough time to check in, with which we are very generous anyway because it takes forever to check in when the computers are down as usual.

And finally there is the right to be paid if you are killed in a plane crash and paid quickly in that event. I am excited. I can hardly wait except for the last rites that I am willing to forego.

This measure has been pending like forever and its imminent issuance has been announced for as long. Essentially it means nothing. All airlines make these offerings or lose customers, the only advantage is that if you don't get them you have more leverage to make the airline pay because govt may suspend its Philippine operations while your suit is pending. It is not clear if these rights extend to foreigners as well. There you go, progress. One small step for Filipinos, a giant leap of public relations.

Keep well.