TRANSPORTATION DEPT warns more PAL pilots will resign

Philippine Airlines (PAL) apparently playing hardball with its defiant pilots could cost the flag-carrier a bigger headache, a high-ranking official warned on Thursday. “Until now, PAL is faced by ill prospects of more resignations, if no concessionary actions from PAL will be taken,” said Dante Velasco, undersecretary for public information of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC).

The Aquino administration also apparently was leaving it to PAL management and the pilots to resolve the standoff between them.

Velasco said that Malacañang will tone down its role in helping PAL handle the sudden exodus of pilots of the flag-carrier to foreign airlines reportedly for much higher pay.

He cited “commitments” made by the PAL management to arrive at an amicable settlement of the dispute at the country’s premier airline.

“The government will relax in its mediation efforts to allow the PAL management to settle its differences with its pilots . . . [but] the government will continue to take a watchful hands-off policy, meaning that when it becomes necessary for the government to come in through DOTC, it will do so,” Velasco told reporters.

He said that during a meeting between Transportation department officials and the PAL management on Wednesday night, the flag-carrier promised not to transfer its Airbus 320 pilots to Air Philippines.

Earlier, a retrenchment program was implemented by PAL, affecting 11 contractual pilots and nine regular first officers who were transferred to Air Philippines Express at reduced salaries and benefits.

PAL called the transfer a “survival” move, pointing to the economic downturn experienced by the airline industry in February this year.

The pilots, however, saw the move as a cost-saving device at their expense.

Maria Java, Air Philippines Express vice president for media affairs, said that the company maintains its own pilot pool.

“We continually source pilots independently and we facilitate our own flight crew training programs. We invest heavily in training for our pilots in Japan, Canada, Australia and Hong Kong,” Java added.

She said that Air Philippines sees a need for more flight crew with the coming of its brand-new Airbus 320.

Velasco said that PAL will submit to the Civil Aeronautics Board revised flight schedules for all the routes that the flag-carrier is currently flying and publish the schedules in newspapers.

PAL plans to reduce the number of its Airbuses by three, one each in September and December and in January 2011.

He added that the PAL management will hold continuing dialogues with the remaining PAL pilots in a determined bid to resolve pending issues and prevent any further departure of its pilots.

In the last few days, PAL was forced to cancel several regional and domestic flights after 13 captains and 12 first officers flying its Airbus A319s and A320s resigned from the flag-carrier reportedly to join the foreign airlines.–CRIS G. ODRONIA, DARWIN G. AMOJELAR SENIOR REPORTER, Manila Times