PAL Workers Strike: Flights Cancelled

Philippine Daily Inquirer

Thursday, October 31, 1996

By ROCKY NAZARENO

GROUND employees of Philippine Airlines went on a strike shortly after dusk last night in a wildcat action expected to "totally paralyze" international and domestic flight operations starting today.

The 9,000-strong Philippine Airlines Employees' Association (Palea) took the action to press demands for wage increases.

Reports from the Manila Domestic Airport (MDA) said "some PAL pilots have sympathized with Palea and have decided to join the sitdown strike."

Last night alone, all the 13 scheduled domestic flights were cancelled, according to MDA Flight Operations Chief Mariano Salazar. Late reports said outgoing international flights had also been affected.

Other international airlines were also affected because cargo service is being handled by PAL employees.

The mass action is expected to create a major logjam today with PAL having an average of 85 flights coming in and out of the domestic airport every day.

At the NAIA there is an average of 110 incoming and outgoing international flights a day.

Worse, passenger volume would be far greater than the usual because of the forthcoming All Saints' Day break.

Airport officials added the strike could not have come at a worse time since airports around the world are currently shifting from summer to winter schedules.

"This is a very critical period for us. We are still in the process of adjusting our schedules to time our flights with those of other airlines and airports. But given the situation, we are trying our best to cope," said Alvin Candelaria, Officer-in-Charge of the NAIA ground operations division.

There was still no word whether or not the Airline Pilots Association of the Philippines (Alpap), to which PAL's 450 pilots belong, will join the strike.

The 2,500-strong Flight Attendants and Stewardess Association of PAL (Fasap) will not join the strike, according to an official.

At the NAIA, Candelaria said two United States-bound and a Europe-bound PAL flights were delayed.

Five other international flights of KLM, Cathay Pacific, Egypt Air, Air Nauru and Kuwaiti Air were also delayed because of the strike.

Candelaria added that all arriving passengers last night experienced difficulty in claiming their luggage after most of the baggage handlers also walked out.

Incoming passengers of flights which came in late afternoon yesterday were still waiting for their luggage to be offloaded as of 8:30 last night.