PAL warns against timing of open skies policy

While it is not against an "open skies" policy, Philippine Airlines Inc. (PAL) warned that the Aquino administration should first improve the country's aviation infrastructure to absorb its consequences. "Let's make it clear [that] PAL is not against open skies. We just want it to be fair, reciprocal and its implementation should be phased-in and calibrated," PAL president Jaime Bautista said in a statement. Bautista said the adoption of open skies "should be viewed in the context of available infrastructure," like Manila's congested runways and overburdened terminals. These, he said, would give the Philippines a "negative image as a tourist destination." Earlier, government said that "open skies" policy would ensure that other airlines would take the slack should a labor dispute paralyze the flag carrier’s flight operations. The Philippines has an "open skies" agreement with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, but covering only major airports that in this case would mean only the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. The Travel Cooperative of the Philippines (TCP), a group of small travel agencies, said in a statement that an "open skies" regime would tarnish the image of PAL and the country. "The government should support PAL and not act like they are operating PAL. It should leave PAL to work with its airline partners and implement its contingency measures in case a strike will happen," TCP chairman Robert Lim Joseph said in the statement. "I recognize the workers' sentiments having worked in an airline before but they should also understand that PAL is in a financial crisis. They should not add more to the crisis," he said. PAL’s 1,600 flight attendants wanted a policy that forces them to retire at the age of 40 revised, while the airline’s ground raised objections to a plan that would outsource 2,600 jobs as part of cost-cutting measures. Both ground crew and flight attendants threatened to go on strike should PAL refuse to increase salaries, and 26 PAL pilots last month resigned over salary issues. —JE/VS, GMANews.TV