Duopoly returns

Philippine Daily Inquirer
Business
By the Staff
First Posted 21:12:00 03/29/2011

Missed opportunity

MEMBERS of Philippine Airlines’ cabin crew may have missed out on a chance to serve the country’s OFWs. Biz Buzz learned that during the recent repatriation of Libya-based workers, PAL deployed as crew members several line administrators and inflight trainors for their 27-hour rescue flights to and from Greece. The reason: management was concerned that regular cabin crew may suddenly disembark and leave passengers on board should they exceed—even by a fraction of an hour—their union-mandated tours of duty.

In recent months, many passengers were driven up the wall by cancellations caused by cabin crews refusing to serve on flights due to a union campaign for strict collective bargaining agreement compliance. Were they part of the crews’ adherence to the CBA provisions or an attempt to spite management? Hmmm.

The crews’ grievances notwithstanding, some passengers (who feel shortchanged) say cabin crews—like pilots—have an obligation to the riding public. They say pilots’ and crew members’ acts to spite the airline’s management do a great disservice to the passengers who, ultimately, pay for their salaries.—Daxim L. Lucas