PAL says operations back to normal, sets new flight sked

(Updated 10:10 p.m.) The country’s flag carrier, Philippine Airlines (PAL), on Tuesday claimed its operations are “back to normal" even as it announced a reduction of its flights due to the resignation of more than 20 of its pilots over the weekend. PAL president Jaime Bautista told GMANews.TV in a phone interview the airline’s operations have “normalized" after it adjusted flight schedules to three destinations previously affected by flight cancellations. “We have come up with a new schedule and we have informed the public of this schedule. Nabawasan lang ang flights (the number of flights were reduced), but we will be flying to the same destinations," he said. He added that larger aircraft will be used to fly to these destinations to be able to accommodate passengers affected by the flight cancellations. In a statement released on the same day, the airline said around 160 daily domestic and international flights continue to “operate normally and as scheduled." Only one flight each to Iloilo, Bacolod and Cagayan de Oro have been rescheduled, while all other flights to these three provinces remain unchanged, the statement said. “All flights continue as scheduled except those to and from Bacolod (PR135/136); Cagayan de Oro (PR 181/182 except Thursdays); and Iloilo (PR147/148). Passengers booked on rescheduled flights are being advised accordingly to avoid any inconvenience or delays at the airport," PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said in the statement.
Flights to choose from With the new schedule, Villaluna said PAL customers now have flight schedules to choose from in all PAL destinations. PAL continues to have four flights a day each way between Manila and Iloilo, Bacolod and Cagayan de Oro. More than 30 flights have already been canceled over the past few days after the mass resignation of its pilots, reportedly to seek better opportunities abroad. PAL said the pilots resigned without giving the company ample time to train their replacements. The airline has given them seven days to return to work or face sanctions. PAL executives and pilots met with government officials on Monday but failed to resolve the row. A report in GMA News' "24 Oras" said the pilots quit their jobs not because of salary issues but because of abusive treatment they supposedly experience from PAL management. [See video below.]
Senators thumb down PAL takeover At least three senators — Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, and Senators Franklin Drilon and Loren Legarda — on Tuesday disagreed with the proposed government takeover of PAL amid labor disputes hindering the flag carrier's operations. “I am not in favor of that... government is never good at running private companies," Drilon told reporters in an interview. Legarda likewise said she does not want to intervene because PAL is a private company. “I will not interfere in a private entity, I don't want to intervene," she said. Enrile, for his part, said the government should “step in" but that whether they can operate PAL is another thing. He said that even if the government does take over the flag carrier, it wouldn't be able to supply the number of needed pilots. “Even if we take over, who are the pilots who will go there, air force? I don't think they are trained for those kinds of planes... that’s going to be a problem," he said. ‘Exaggeration’ Bautista said the proposal for the government to take over the airline due to the resignation of its pilots is merely “an exaggeration." “May na-cancel lang na four to six flights a day, takeover na? Hindi naman ito ganoon kaseryoso (The cancellation of four to six flights a day is not that serious to warrant a government takeover. The suggestion is just an exaggeration," he said in the phone interview. Bautista likewise said PAL is open to any investigation regarding the way management treats its pilots. “We will welcome any investigation. We are ready to face the Senate or Congress," he said. Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. has already expressed his intention to ask the Senate to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation on the supposed rift between the airline’s management and its pilots. In the House of Representatives, Revilla's wife, Cavite Rep. Lani Mercado-Revilla filed House 132 asking the committees on legislative franchise and labor to conduct an investigation on the issue. “There is a need for an urgent inquiry on this current dispute towards a resolution of this case and a halt on flight cancellations which negatively affects travelers and business people," Mercado-Revilla's resolution read. The Department of Transportation and Communication meanwhile gave the PAL management until the end of the week to fix the problem, since it has been affecting the country’s economy and tourism for the past days. Discrimination? Meanwhile, Sen. Pia Cayetano on Tuesday accused PAL of implementing labor policies that are discriminatory against female employees, specifically its flight attendants. Cayetano cited the flag carrier's policy of imposing a younger mandatory retirement age for female flight attendants, which she said violates the Labor Code and Magna Carta of Women. “PAL should respect and follow our labor laws and ensure equal work opportunities for its employees regardless of gender," said Cayetano, head of the Senate committee on youth, women, and family relations. She issued the statement after some PAL flight attendants from the Flight Attendants and Stewards of the Philippines (FASAP) reportedly approached her about the flag carrier's imposition of a younger mandatory retirement age for women. The FASAP members said PAL's collective bargaining agreement (CBA) requires female flight attendants recruited by PAL before 1996 to retire at 55 while their male counterparts at 60. Cayetano said separate CBA's being pushed by the PAL management require flight attendants — regardless of gender — recruited between 1996 to 2000 to retire at 40 and those recruited after 2000 to retire at 45. On the other hand, PAL pilots — regardless of gender — are required to retire at 60 while managerial staff and other ground crew at 65. “Such misguided and outmoded policies hinge on the sexist view that flight attendants should be valued more for their youth and physical attributes rather than their professionalism and years of service," Cayetano said. Article 3 of the Labor Code ensures equal work opportunities regardless of sex while article 135 declares it unlawful for any employer to discriminate against any woman employee with respect to terms and conditions of employment solely on account of her sex. - with Kimberly Tan and Amita O. Legaspi/VVP, KBK, GMANews.TV