If you are looking for a basic travel agent service that books your tickets, this is the place (though why you'd do that instead of just booking online, I don't know). However, if you need a travel agency that has your back and looks out for your entire travel experience, skip Mango Tours. If you need a travel agency that is professional, caring, well-informed, and efficient, skip Mango Tours.
My parents booked a trip to Manila with them for February 2020. When the Philippines was shutting down international travel because of the COVID-19 situation, however, this agency completely blew it. And I mean they royally screwed it up, and if it wasn't for me and my brother-in-law, my parents would now be stuck in Manila until the travel ban was lifted who-knows-when.
On 3/16/2020, my Mom emailed me from Manila that they had been given 72 hours to leave the Philippines. She had been trying to get a hold of Mango Tours since 3/13, to no avail (by phone and email). "I will look into it and get back to you," her agent emailed back. She never got back. My Mom emailed her again 3/16, and said our friends have booked flights out; we are in lockdown, please book us tickets to leave Manila before 3/20. The Eva Air office in Makati was already closed due to the pandemic, and no one from Eva Air was answering the main reservation line. The agent emailed again, "I am monitoring all the flights. So far eva air flights are ok. I will keep you posted po. We are monitoring everything from here." My Mom never heard from her again. UNACCEPTABLE!
I called my Mom once I got her email on 3/16, and they were in a panic. My parents are elderly, diabetic, and need medication. They were worried they'd be stuck in Manila and run out of medication, and in the pandemonium not be able to see a doctor right away. They didn't want to be stuck in Manila when there was no information as to how long the travel ban would be. It could be months. Their home is here, and they were merely balikbayans visiting the Philippines. Everyone that needed to go could fly out between 3/17 to 3/19. Beginning 3/20, no more international flights in or out of the country!
I said to my Mom, "I will call Mango Tours from here; it will probably be easier." On 3/16 at 7pm I phoned, and was #20 in line to reach an agent. I waited 1.5 hours for someone to pick up. When I finally got an agent, she took down my parents' booking number and names. I said, "Hey can I give you my name and number, in case we get disconnected?" "Sure," she said, and took the information down. I said, "You'll call me back if we get disconnected, right? I can't wait another 1.5 hours again to call you, and you don't have a direct line." "Of course, ma'am," she said. As soon as she put me on hold, the line disconnected. SHE NEVER CALLED ME BACK, EVER. Again, beyond unacceptable, unprofessional, and unreliable. And seriously, what a shitty thing to do!
After that crap experience I almost blew a gasket. Instead I channeled my frustrated anger into finding flights. My BIL and I searched online, as flights were literally booking up as we found them. We resorted to looking to just get them out of Manila to anywhere West coast. He fortunately found them a flight to Honolulu, and booked it ASAP. Then found flights from Honolulu to Seattle. In the nick of time, because at midnight on 3/19 no more flights out of Manila were allowed. Can you imagine if we couldn't get my parents out?! They are home now, and we are relieved and grateful.
As for Mango Tours: This agency should not be operating at all. Lousy, ignorant, lackadaisical, uninformed service and staff. If they had booked them out immediately as soon as my Mom asked we wouldn't have had to go through that whole ordeal. My parents will NEVER use them again, and will be sure to tell all their friends about this. Grade: F. read more