Pilot exodus disrupts PAL flights

Flag-carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) yesterday said it had to cancel several domestic and international flights after some of its pilots quit without giving enough notice.

Three flights to Hong Kong and at least eight domestic flights were canceled after pilots left to join airlines abroad, PAL said in a statement.

The airline also apologized to its passengers inconvenienced by the disruption of several PAL flights due to “inadequate” flight deck crew to fly its Airbus A320 airplanes.

“The indiscriminate resignation of the A320 pilots…is in violation of their contract with PAL as well as with pertinent government regulations that require resigning pilots to give PAL six months’ notice,” the statement added.

The PAL management, however, assured the public that “PAL is adjusting its schedules by merging some flights, upgrading aircraft to a bigger type in order and fielding of management pilots to lessen the inconvenience to affected passengers.”

The airline noted that it would be filing “appropriate

charges” against the pilots who still owe PAL for the cost of their training.

The statement did not say how many pilots had resigned or where they were going to work. Airline spokesmen could not be contacted for comment.

But sources in the PAL employees’ union said the resignations were in reaction to a plan by the airline to lay off thousands of employees and outsource their positions.

President Aquino also yesterday instructed Transportation Secretary Jose de Jesus to look into the predicament being encountered lately by the largest domestic carrier whose administration is forced to cancel 11 flights yesterday due to lack of pilots.

Aquino said he is expecting De Jesus and other concerned agencies to have a dialogue with the officials of PAL given the weight of this problem which hampers the operations of the airline.

Aquino relayed to reporters that he had already been given quick briefer by De Jesus on this particular concern by PAL and that he is now coming with ways on how to address this problem.

“They said this (brain drain) is the issue since many of our pilots are being pirated. I understand PAL will be coming up with a revised schedule by tomorrow (Sunday) and I’m expecting Secretary De Jesus and other concerned agencies to start talking to PAL because PAL has obligations under their (administration). It’s like a legal trend. They are a public conveyance. They have commitments to service the interests of the public and it is something that has to be addressed,” Aquino explained in a chance interview.

The President also mentioned that he is taking into account the possible entry of private firms such as the Ayala Foundation Inc. into the picture given its willingness to help provide solution to such problem.

He vowed that his government will sit and talk to PAL officials regarding this matter at the soonest time possible.

Aytch S. de la Cruz and AFP