OFWs hoping to be home for Christmas are stranded in Hong Kong

Air tickets cannot be confirmed, meaning Overseas Filipino Workers who have been turning up at the airport have discovered they do not have a seat on a plane.

Travel plans for many of domestic helpers in Hong Kong who were hoping to return home for Christmas and New Year have been thrown into dismay as the flights they paid for do not exist.

Air tickets bought through Peya Travel, an agency specializing in flights popular with domestic helpers, could not be confirmed, meaning travellers who have been turning up at the airport since Sunday have discovered they did not have a seat on a plane.

The company has given few answers and even fewer cast-iron guarantees but customers fear the firm is in financial difficulties.

Gina Aplaon, who was supposed to travel back to Manila on Thursday, discovered her flight booking was not confirmed. She paid HK$3,200 for her ticket home in September.

“I found there is no confirmation for my flight and there is no booking from this agent, so I am here to complain about what is going on,” she said.

“Of course, we are all very upset with what happened because we want to see our families but now it’s gone, we don’t know if we can go back to the Philippines this Christmas.”

The travel agency has been contacted for comment but, according to reports, it has blamed unspecified technical difficulties for the glitch that has seen people miss their flights already.

The Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong SAR have issued an statement: