8 more PAL flights cancelled due to pilots’ exodus

By Miko Morelos
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 14:05:00 08/01/2010

MANILA, Philippines – Eight more flights in four local destinations of embattled flag-carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) have been scrapped due to the abrupt exodus of a number of their greenhorn pilots, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) said on Sunday.

PAL cancelled its flights from Manila to Cagayan, Cebu, Bacolod and Iloilo, the MIAA advisory said.
PAL’s PR 181, which should have departed Manila at 4:45 a.m. bound for Cagayan and its return flight PR 182 at 8:15 a.m. was shelved, as well as PR 847 which was scheduled to leave the capital at 7:30 a.m. Sunday for Cebu. Its return flight PR 848 slated to fly out of the Queen city of the south at 10:55 a.m. was likewise put off.

Also, PAL’s trips to Bacolod involving PR 133 (Manila-Bacolod) and PR 134 (Bacolod-Manila), which were to leave their points of origin at 8:40 a.m. and 11:35 a.m., respectively, have been cancelled as well.

Lastly, the flag-carrier’s flights to Iloilo – PR 147 bound for Iloilo at 6:35 p.m. and the return flight PR 148 at 9:30 p.m – were likewise scrapped.

The MIAA noted that the airliner said the cancellations were “planned.”

On Saturday, at least 23 flights were disrupted after a number of the company’s pilots abandoned their aircraft to find better paying jobs overseas. The company management had said it was looking into holding these pilots accountable for their action.