PAL cancels 9 intl, 60 domestic flights

Published September 30, 2011 8:30am

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) on Friday canceled at least nine international and 60 domestic flights on Friday as its labor row with its ground crew union continued. The cancellations came a day before October 1, PAL's scheduled date for outsourcing three non-core businesses, the issue that triggered a labor row with the airline's ground crew union. In an interview over radio dzBB, PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said PAL will push through with 57 international flights and 28 domestic flights on Friday. "(Passengers) can look at specific flights by calling (our hotline) 855-8888," she advised. Villaluna said the canceled international flights include:

PR-318 and 319: Manila to Hong Kong and back

PR-426 and 425: Manila to Fukuoka and back

PR-352 and 353: Manila to Macau and back

PR-501 and 512: Manila to Singapore and back

PR-313: Hong Kong to Manila On the other hand, the canceled domestic flights include those going to Roxas, Tagbilaran, Dipolog, Cagayan, Ozamiz, and Iloilo. Villaluna said PAL hopes its operations will return to normal in "four to five weeks." Villaluna said the PAL management is checking ground equipment such as tugs, tractors, and deck loaders which may allegedly have been tampered with by striking workers. On Tuesday, PAL was forced to cancel flights until 6:00 p.m. after some 300 ground crew of PAL held a sit-down strike where they sat down at their stations to protest against the flag carrier's decision to spin-off or outsource its non-core operations. - VVP, GMA News

Tags: philippineairlines, paleaprotest