World | Philippines
Aquino steps in to resolve matter of cancelled flights
Philippine Airlines (PAL) cancelled eight flights on Sunday.
- By Gilbert P. Felongco, Correspondent
- Published: 00:00 August 2, 2010
Manila Philippines President Benigno Aquino III has asked government agencies to look into the mass resignation of pilots at the national flag carrier that has disrupted several flight schedules.
Philippine Airlines (PAL) cancelled eight flights on Sunday.
Aquino ordered Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr and the heads of three other government agencies to look into the cancellation of more than a dozen flights by PAL since Saturday.
"The Executive Secretary together with the concerned government agencies also will be sitting down with the [Philippine Airlines] management and Airline Pilots Association of the Philippines tomorrow," Aquino said.
"PAL, for instance, has obligations when they secured the franchise to operate this public conveyance. The pilots also have obligations. This is of course being studied."
The president took serious note of the disruption caused to "our tourists and to other aspects of the economy that would need their services".
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The flights were disrupted after more than 20 pilots of PAL's Airbus A320 aircraft simultaneously resigned without giving notice to the management.
The carrier had reportedly rejected the resignation of the pilots to prevent further delays and cancellations of its flights. It also gave the aviators seven days to return to work.
"PAL doesn't want to get in the way of its pilots' dream of landing better paying jobs abroad, but they have contractual obligations with the company and a moral responsibility to thousands of passengers," PAL said.
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