The Department of Transportation (DOTr), through the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), has directed Cathay Pacific to provide an official explanation regarding an alleged passport mishandling incident that reportedly resulted in a passenger being denied boarding at Mactan-Cebu International Airport last week.
According to an incident report submitted by the CAB, a 65-year-old passenger was scheduled to board Cathay Pacific Flight CX948 to Dubai on April 24, 2025. During the check-in process, the passenger’s passport was allegedly torn while being handled by airline staff, rendering the document invalid for travel.
The passenger further claimed that the staff failed to offer any explanation or immediate assistance following the incident, and instead proceeded to attend to other passengers.
As a result, the CAB has required Cathay Pacific to submit a formal explanation by today, May 1, 2025.
Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon reiterated his directive to all airlines to ensure the proper handling of travel documents. He emphasized that no intentional tampering with passports will be tolerated and reminded airline personnel to exercise their authority with responsibility and respect during document verification.
