4 more domestic PAL flights cancelled due to pilots’ resignations

By Niña Calleja
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 14:21:00 08/02/2010

MANILA, Philippines — (UPDATE)Four more domestic flights of the Philippine Airlines (PAL) were cancelled on Monday, because of the continued crisis over the abrupt resignations of 25 pilots, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) said.

In an advisory, the MIAA said PAL cancelled the flights (PR 147) from Manila to Iloilo and the incoming flight (PR 148) from Iloilo to Manila, which were scheduled to leave their points of origin at 6:35 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on Monday respectively.

Trips from Manila to Bacolod and Bacolod to Manila—PR 135 and PR 136—were likewise scrapped.
Since Friday, around 35 domestic and international flights have been disrupted after 25 pilots of PAL resigned and jumped to higher paying jobs overseas.

In an interview, MIAA General Manager Angel Honrado said the country must brace for a tourism crisis if the row between the management of PAL and its pilots was not immediately resolved.
“It's affecting us. There were cancellations of flights without advance notice. Tourism will surely suffer,” Honrado said over the phone.

He said that although they had no control over the issue hounding PAL, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport has been severely affected.

“Considering PAL occupies the entire NAIA terminal 2, a huge percentage of passengers' volume comes from them,” Honrado said.

He noted that if the problem persisted, the country would be facing a major problem. “This will create a negative impression on us. Who would want to go here if flights are being cancelled?”