Airlines, Airplanes and Airports - Compiled Threads [Archive] - Page 89

Linguine

November 23rd, 2010, 04:07 PM

Icao defers December ‘validation mission’
Tuesday, 23 November 2010 20:52 Recto Mercene / Reporter

EXPERTS from the International Civil Aviation Organization (Icao) postponed their planned “validation mission” from December 7 to 10, fearing that the Aquino administration’s attempt to change some senior official of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) could derail the progress of an ongoing reforms.

The Icao Coordinated Validation Mission (ICVM) told Caap Director General Alfonso Cusi in a telephone conversation, that its December visit is being postponed indefinitely owing to “operational concerns.”

“These operational reasons relate to the insecurity of Icao in the sustainability of the present reforms being undertaken by Caap. The present unclear political announcements of a change in senior management could create, in Icao’s opinion, an indeterminable future of professional processes within Caap,” Cusi was told.

It has come to the Icao’s attention that the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) attempted to railroad the appointment of key officials when Secretary Jose “Ping” de Jesus submitted the names of seven persons to key management positions in the Caap.

“This is sad, we’ve been working hard for these [reforms], but in a letter dated November 9, Icao informed us of their decision to postpone the ICVM indefinitely,” Cusi said.

He added that prior to the Icao letter, the Caap conducted dialogs with some visiting aviation experts, who were made aware of the ongoing changes in the agency and the aviation experts expressed frustration that during their follow-up visit, they might be facing a different set of officials.

“We might be wasting our time, we might come here to validate your reforms but there is possibility that we would be dealing with a different set of officials,” the Icao officials were quoted by Cusi as saying.

The postponement of the visit came at a time when the Caap had complied with 87 out of the 89 “significant safety concerns” that the Icao discovered during its assessment in 2007, leading it to downgrade the Philippines from Category 1 to Category 2 status.

The coming visit by Icao this December is expected to remove the ban imposed on Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific to fly over European airspace. Although these airlines do not have scheduled flights to Europe, the blacklist prevented them from mounting additional flights and opening other destinations in the United States.

However, Cusi has not lost hope.

He is drafting another letter, trying to convince the Icao officials to proceed with the visit, or reset it to another date, and asking for more clarification.

Cusi said the Caap had told the Icao that the reforms are progressing and the appointments of the three new officials, so far, had not pushed through.

Cusi pointed out that when the DOTC submitted the names of key Caap officials, four of them were “organic” personnel already working under him, while the three others were outsiders of “doubtful” qualifications.

The Caap headman wrote the DOTC, complaining of the appointments as beng violative of Republic Act 9497, which created the Caap, whose head has the sole mandate of appointing key officials to the agency.

Cusi said that when the board of directors signed the appointment of the officials submitted by the DOTC, the act was “in contravention to the provisions of Republic Act 9497, its implementing rules, and civil service regulations on the selection and appointment of career personnel.”

De Jesus based his appointments on the alleged “desire letter” of the President, but it did not go through the regular procedure of the selection board, or by appointment of the director general as prescribed by the law.

Cusi said he was not “against the person” or even the “desire letter” of the President, but urged the DOTC to comply with the law as prescribed in the Caap charter.

“Our compliance to our own aviation law is of greater concern to the international community,” he said.

The Caap chief lamented the postponement of the Icao validation mission because, on November 18, Caap received clearance from the European Aviation Safety Agency (Easa) to publicly release the executive summary of the assessment visit done by Easa officers on Caap efforts from October 18 to 22.

The executive summary positively promoted the Caap’s ongoing overhaul of various branches, saying that “…the Civil Aviation Authority has undertaken a series of not only ambitious but also courageous reforms of the civil-aviation oversight in place in the Republic of the Philippines…to achieve this, it is essential that it continues to act independently of any political or economical influence, pursuant to the will of the legislator.”

The passage of RA 9497 and its implementation is being monitored by the Icao, the US Federal Aviation Adminisration (FAA) and the European Union. 

 “Without the Icao audit, the FAA and the EU will not act upon any request of the Philippines for reinstatement to Category 1 and removal from the blacklist,” Cusi added.

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/nation/4118-icao-defers-december-validation-mission

hybridace101

November 23rd, 2010, 04:23 PM

^^

You see, ICAO wants to make sure they trust who they are dealing with before conducting an audit. Cusi needs to first talk to De Jesus or if De Jesus wishes to play hadball, take him to court and seek an injunction against his appointees. I mean it's his right to seek legal remedies if he believes one way or another in the CAAP's independence.

How can the ICAO trust the CAAP if the country can't comply with its own aviation-related laws?

litigs

November 23rd, 2010, 04:43 PM

hybridace101

November 23rd, 2010, 04:56 PM

There is hope. But how much will depend on how far Cusi is willing to go to fight for the body's independence. The one other bright side for Cusi is that if he decides to take this to court, he can likely have a favourable decision because the justices sitting there are appointed by the same person who appointed him to the CAAP.

To be fair to PNOY, he has an aversion to anything associated with his predecessor and the administration that brought us a Cat2 and a blacklist. It's just a matter of him now working with what he has and following the rules to avoid falling into the pitfalls that he is criticising his predecessor on.

krazy816

November 23rd, 2010, 06:02 PM

Correct, and that's also why the Philippines hasn't really been a major destination for European tourists compared to Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore or Indonesia. The kind of dollars or euros that are sent to the Philippines are the remitted kind, not the ones spent in country in cold cash or credit card.

There is also not much affinity between European countries (despite the fact that we were once a colony of Spain) and the Philippines. Compare that to the Indochina, the Malayan peninsula and the Spice Islands (Indonesia). The only exception there is Thailand which was never colonized by a European power and yet now we see invasions of European tourists all over their place.

I say the main reason for the low tourist numbers from Europe to PH is because (among other things like poor infrastructure) is that sadly, The Philippines is just too westernized. European tourists flock to the likes of Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam because those places offer an "exotic" culture and sights such as Angkor Wat in Cambodia and the bhuddist temples in Thailand. I highly doubt that European tourists will fly all the way over to the PH just to see churches or shopping malls here as there's lots of those in Europe. Sure there's beaches like Boracay, but the PH doesn't have a monopoly on that in Southeast Asia.

And I agree that the EU is low on the priority list of Filipinos who were to travel abroad, given the money and opportunity. They'd rather go to the States (where there are more relatives who can provide free accommodation for up to months on end) vs. European countries where you have to detail your itinerary in your visa application. Not to mention the expensive cost of living...

It just occurred to me, many Pinoy tourists are not always into history. Europe has the most historical places to visit, on a per sq.km. basis. Aside from religious reasons (e.g. Christian and Moslem pilgrimages to the Holy Land and Mecca, respectively), Europe doesn't look as attractive to Filipino travelers who basically know only English among the international languages. The "free accommodation" in the US is the main reason why pinoy tourists would rather travel to the US instead of Europe, with pinoy tourists staying for weeks or even months on end to make the most out of the airfare and visa periods. As for pinoys not into history, I would say that most pinoys are "mababaw na kaligayahan" or don't appreciate art/culture/history and would rather go to Disneyland (or any other american-style theme park) over say the Louvre or Uffizi. Contrast that to the Japanese or increasingly Chinese tourists who despite having even limited knowledge of English, still flock to those museums and historical sights.

PAL had the opportunity to plan joining an alliance even before Lucio Tan had full control of it (but then the Asian financial crisis forced a rehash of airline strategy). When he became majority owner, the more PAL became isolated. Had PAL been one of the original Asian carrier members of Star Alliance, they would have gotten some traffic from other *A carriers as well, especially across the Pacific (although TG was the obvious bet for 1st Asian carrier on *A). Right now that's moot and academic because PAL missed the boat long time ago, they're indeed in repair mode because of all their labor, financial and government troubles.

I think the question should not be if PAL wants (or should) join an alliance, but rather if any of the alliances would want PAL as a member. The problem is that PAL does not offer anything of value to any of the alliances with it's limited route network and poor product (compared to other airlines like even VN or GA) not to mention poor ground infrasctucture (no comparison of NAIA to Changi or KLIA).

jeffphilippines

November 23rd, 2010, 06:25 PM

Posted on 10:57 PM, November 23, 2010

SEAIR to lease two Airbus jets from Singapore’s Tiger Airways

SOUTH EAST Asian Airlines (SEAIR) has sealed a partnership with Singaporean low-cost carrier Tiger Airways, obtaining a lease for two Airbus aircraft as well as an online marketing arrangement.

In a statement, the two carriers said SEAIR flights will be sold through Tiger Airways’ Internet booking system, with the first jet services to be offered by SEAIR starting on Dec. 16 between Clark and Singapore.

“Additional routes operated by SEAIR using these new jet aircraft will be added to the program over the coming months,” said SEAIR and Tiger Airways Holdings Ltd.

“The resulting operational and cost efficiencies will ensure more low-fare seats are available and contribute to the growth of SEAIR and the Clark gateway, benefiting customers in the Philippines and across the Asia-Pacific region,” they said.

SEAIR President and Chief Executive Officer Avelino L. Zapanta said: “With this new collaboration with Tiger Airways, we will also be able to serve more international visitors to the Philippines by offering more destinations.”

Chin Sak Hin, chief financial officer of Tiger Airways, said that with SEAIR as his firm’s first “Partner Airline,” more customers in the Philippines and abroad will have access to low fares offered by Tiger Airways.

The statement said Tiger Airways’ lease of two Airbus aircraft to SEAIR has been approved by the Civil Aeronautics Board of the Philippines.

“To support its continued growth, Tiger Airways has advanced the delivery of two aircraft to the financial year 2011/’12, from their original delivery dates in the financial year 2015/’16,” the statement said.
|

patlite_boy

November 23rd, 2010, 07:06 PM

Seair
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm136/patlite_boy/seair.jpg
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm136/patlite_boy/seair1.jpg:banana:

Sky Harbor

November 23rd, 2010, 07:07 PM

^^ I'd appreciate it more if the SEAIR A320s were painted more like their turboprops. It would look much better. :okay:

To be fair to PNOY, he has an aversion to anything associated with his predecessor and the administration that brought us a Cat2 and a blacklist. It's just a matter of him now working with what he has and following the rules to avoid falling into the pitfalls that he is criticising his predecessor on.

Oh, please. Noynoy has repeatedly shown that he is not interested with working alongside Gloria-era appointees because of that aversion. Look what happened to Oscar Inocentes, Manuel Andal and (happening to) Merceditas Gutierrez. If he has to circumvent Gloria appointees out of this unfounded fear that they will work against him, I won't be surprised if he will take shortcuts like the ones we're seeing now at the CAAP.

This administration's hate of anything Gloria-esque is handicapping it from working for the national interest. And I thought that they were supposed to be "uniting" the nation behind the daang matuwid. :ohno:

mwg12a

November 23rd, 2010, 07:16 PM

Sky Harbor

November 23rd, 2010, 07:19 PM

^^ How can he prove that their loyalty is with Gloria? Alberto Romulo is a Gloria-era appointee yet he's still there at the DFA simply because he "pledged" support to Noynoy. What's stopping him from believing that other Gloria appointees won't do the same? Must they also spell it out explicitly that they will work with Noynoy?

ruffaramboo

November 23rd, 2010, 08:17 PM

Seair
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm136/patlite_boy/seair.jpg
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm136/patlite_boy/seair1.jpg:banana:

^^ I'd appreciate it more if the SEAIR A320s were painted more like their turboprops. It would look much better. :okay:
yup belly and engines should have been painted blue

sandwindstars

November 23rd, 2010, 08:26 PM

arianespace

November 24th, 2010, 12:06 AM

You see, what's on my mind is also in ICAO's head.

I want also to correct the impression that the MA-60 has got 2011 for its life. There is no truth to that rumor.

litigs

November 24th, 2010, 01:30 AM

yup belly and engines should have been painted blue

yes, blue on their belly would be more striking as well a larger logo for their tail livery, make it look like an airline that means business rather than a government owned jet. Good to see a319s for Seair though, what routes would they serve by the way?

bustero

November 24th, 2010, 01:36 AM

Long awaited but hopefully finally here. If Sea Air finally turns to Tiger Air Phil and Air Asia Phil (Zest?) takes off then we'll have more alternatives to 5J. Thank God.

Corporate News

Posted on 10:57 PM, November 23, 2010

SEAIR to lease two Airbus jets from Singapore’s Tiger Airways

SOUTH EAST Asian Airlines (SEAIR) has sealed a partnership with Singaporean low-cost carrier Tiger Airways, obtaining a lease for two Airbus aircraft as well as an online marketing arrangement.

In a statement, the two carriers said SEAIR flights will be sold through Tiger Airways’ Internet booking system, with the first jet services to be offered by SEAIR starting on Dec. 16 between Clark and Singapore.

“Additional routes operated by SEAIR using these new jet aircraft will be added to the program over the coming months,” said SEAIR and Tiger Airways Holdings Ltd.

“The resulting operational and cost efficiencies will ensure more low-fare seats are available and contribute to the growth of SEAIR and the Clark gateway, benefiting customers in the Philippines and across the Asia-Pacific region,” they said.

SEAIR President and Chief Executive Officer Avelino L. Zapanta said: “With this new collaboration with Tiger Airways, we will also be able to serve more international visitors to the Philippines by offering more destinations.”

Chin Sak Hin, chief financial officer of Tiger Airways, said that with SEAIR as his firm’s first “Partner Airline,” more customers in the Philippines and abroad will have access to low fares offered by Tiger Airways.

The statement said Tiger Airways’ lease of two Airbus aircraft to SEAIR has been approved by the Civil Aeronautics Board of the Philippines.

“To support its continued growth, Tiger Airways has advanced the delivery of two aircraft to the financial year 2011/’12, from their original delivery dates in the financial year 2015/’16,” the statement said.

http://bworld.com.ph/main/content.php?id=21725

majaba98

November 24th, 2010, 02:34 AM

Seair
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm136/patlite_boy/seair.jpg
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm136/patlite_boy/seair1.jpg:banana:

Nice they finally can push through with their plans. The livery simply is lousy though....saving on costs here is a reciprocal investment.

pthfndr19

November 24th, 2010, 03:21 AM

^^dapat nilakihan ang font size ng SEAIR at dun nilagay sa taas ng window.

xzibit31

November 24th, 2010, 04:12 AM

Seair
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm136/patlite_boy/seair.jpg
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm136/patlite_boy/seair1.jpg:banana:

i like it! simple yet elegant...but that is me....

what are the engines on that bird? cfm's?

Nze_Mio.GT

November 24th, 2010, 04:53 AM

^^ they look like IAE V2500 engines to me...

edit: they are...

whats the plane's reg. by the way~

b_star

November 24th, 2010, 05:52 AM

^^ they look like IAE V2500 engines to me...

edit: they are...

whats the plane's reg. by the way~

From what I'm seeing, it's retaining the 9V-TRA reg it had with Tiger. It might change since there is a Philippine flag next to the reg.

chevy_boy

November 24th, 2010, 07:12 AM

^^ I'd appreciate it more if the SEAIR A320s were painted more like their turboprops. It would look much better. :okay:

Actually, the plane looks more like an A319 than an A320... correct me if I'm wrong....

pthfndr19

November 24th, 2010, 07:37 AM

^^Right! A319 nga.:cheers:

majaba98

November 24th, 2010, 09:12 AM

[QUOTE=xzibit31;67683639]i like it! simple yet elegant...but that is me....

You are right xzibit. Elegance is a true virtue. Nevrtheless, if they would have placed their front Logo (instead of small on the nose) approx. tripple size right behind the front door (smack over the windows) as some airlines have proven effective, it would have been clear, elegant and, sophisticated without any nessessary further paintings. As a spectator you would take proper notice within a terminal looking out onto the apron, while aircraft is docked or taxiing, from a far distance.

Sometimes I wonder how philippine graphic-designers think.....often to a solitary, but second-choise solution.

What a waste of energy for almost the same investment. But maybe they will adjust. We need to inform them. So simply write them. When the riding public (their customers) do have improvement suggestions, they often are taken seroius.

:)

majaba98

November 24th, 2010, 09:17 AM

Seair
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm136/patlite_boy/seair.jpg
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm136/patlite_boy/seair1.jpg:banana:

Great find patlie_boy ! Thanks for the quick responce to all our wishes ! This is good thinking and marvelous reacting. You do have future as an activist in your life, if I may say that.
:cheers:

hybridace101

November 24th, 2010, 03:26 PM

Probably Aquino really wanted to have a fresh start and so he is hellbent in replacing all Arroyo appointees because he knew that these people's loyalty is with Arroyo, so, it is hard for them to trust them even if some of these have the right credentials.

That's exactly why he won. However too much of a good thing (i.e. criticism of Gloria Arroyo) is just bad, especially if it's at the expense of due process that he has been fighting for in the campaign. One of ICAO's most crucial demands is that the CAAP must be professional in the way the staff are assigned and free of political colour.

It just occurred to me that a few of the FAs in KE speak better Japanese than English: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRg293NroXc&feature=related . To be quite frank, the English is quite horrible. I don't get what passengers whose final destination is LAX are "exempt from."

Going back to the question of EK, who knows if they bring 77Ws with flat-bed Cs and newer Ys into MNL?

Does PR use Korean in its MNL-KR flights because it surely uses Japanese in its MNL-JP flights but hardly other 3rd languages in other stations?

Linguine

November 24th, 2010, 03:33 PM

Philippines, China ink first air accord under Aquino
Wednesday, 24 November 2010 20:46 Lenie Lectura / Reporter

THE Philippines and China have sealed an amended air-services agreement, the first under the new administration, increasing the number of passengers that airlines of both countries can carry to and from their respective nations to a total 13,500 a week—or about 9-10 flights daily—from 10,000 or about seven flights daily, by either side.

Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) executive director Carmelo Arcilla said the Philippines and China air panels also agreed to field an unlimited number of seats from points outside Manila to points outside Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai.

In the coming months, the Philippines is slated to hold talks with Papua New Guinea, Burma and possibly Japan and Indonesia for similar new air pacts, said Arcilla. Since the start of the year the Philippine air panel has inked air pacts with Bahrain, Turkey, South Korea and Singapore.

The agreement with Singapore sealed in May produced 2,647 weekly seats for Philippine airlines to use for Manila-Singapore flights. PAL got 700 seats more, or about four weekly flights, for a total of 32.  

Cebu Pacific, which flies to Singapore 25 times a week,
was awarded 908 seats, equivalent to six more flights per week; while Air Philippines, which is 99-percent owned by the Lucio Tan group, and Zest Air, formerly Asian Spirit, can now mount daily flights to Singapore.

The other panel members besides the CAB include the Department of Transportation and Communications, Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Tourism, Department of Trade and Industry, and representatives from the airline companies.

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/nation/4160-philippines-china-ink-first-air-accord-under-aquino

jeffphilippines

November 24th, 2010, 10:33 PM

:banana:
Posted on 10:57 PM, November 23, 2010

SEAIR to lease two Airbus jets from Singapore’s Tiger Airways

Picture originally posted by Patlite_boy

http://i1020.photobucket.com/albums/af321/jeffphilippines/seair.jpg
:banana::banana:

SOUTH EAST Asian Airlines (SEAIR) has sealed a partnership with Singaporean low-cost carrier Tiger Airways, obtaining a lease for two Airbus aircraft as well as an online marketing arrangement.

In a statement, the two carriers said SEAIR flights will be sold through Tiger Airways’ Internet booking system, with the first jet services to be offered by SEAIR starting on Dec. 16 between Clark and Singapore.

“Additional routes operated by SEAIR using these new jet aircraft will be added to the program over the coming months,” said SEAIR and Tiger Airways Holdings Ltd.

“The resulting operational and cost efficiencies will ensure more low-fare seats are available and contribute to the growth of SEAIR and the Clark gateway, benefiting customers in the Philippines and across the Asia-Pacific region,” they said.

SEAIR President and Chief Executive Officer Avelino L. Zapanta said: “With this new collaboration with Tiger Airways, we will also be able to serve more international visitors to the Philippines by offering more destinations.”

Chin Sak Hin, chief financial officer of Tiger Airways, said that with SEAIR as his firm’s first “Partner Airline,” more customers in the Philippines and abroad will have access to low fares offered by Tiger Airways.

The statement said Tiger Airways’ lease of two Airbus aircraft to SEAIR has been approved by the Civil Aeronautics Board of the Philippines.

“To support its continued growth, Tiger Airways has advanced the delivery of two aircraft to the financial year 2011/’12, from their original delivery dates in the financial year 2015/’16,” the statement said.
|

jeffphilippines

November 24th, 2010, 11:03 PM

SEAIR named first Tiger Airways partner airline

November 24, 2010, 6:59pm

MANILA, Philippines – South East Asian Airlines (SEAIR) announced Wednesday that it has become the first Tiger Airways Partner Airline in the region, through a marketing arrangement with "tigerairways.com" that benefits customers across the Asia Pacific region. The first jet services to be offered by SEAIR will start on 16 December with services between Clark and Singapore.

Additional routes operated by SEAIR using these new jet aircraft will be added to the program over the coming months.

Using an initial fleet of two Airbus aircraft leased from Tiger Airways, SEAIR will commence jet aircraft operations next month. Seats will be marketed and distributed using Tiger Airways' established internet booking system, tigerairways.com. The resulting operational and cost efficiencies will ensure more low fare seats are available and contribute to the growth of SEAIR and the Clark gateway, benefiting customers in the Philippines and across the Asia Pacific region.

Approval from the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) of the Philippines has already been obtained for Tiger Airways to lease two Airbus aircraft to SEAIR.

To support its continued growth, Tiger Airways has advanced the delivery of two aircraft to the financial year 2011/12, from their original delivery dates in the financial year 2015/16.

Avelino Zapanta, SEAIR's President and CEO, said, “With this new collaboration with Tiger Airways, we will also be able to serve more international visitors to the Philippines by offering more destinations with great value, low fares. In addition, the introduction of these new jet services will create a welcome boost to the Philippines tourism industry and create more high caliber local jobs."

Chin Sak Hin, Chief Financial Officer of Tiger Airways Holdings Limited, said, "We are very excited to be working with SEAIR as the first "Partner Airline" of tigerairways.com. Besides the cost advantages resulting from basing aircraft and crew in Clark, SEAIR's extensive experience and brand recognition will ensure that more customers in the Philippines and internationally can access the same low fares offered by Tiger Airways when using the leading regional travel portal "tigerairways.com." Together with Tiger Airways' strong marketing and distribution platform in Singapore and across major markets in the region, it will be a powerful combination that offers unbeatable value and fares to even more travellers.

Tiger Airways Holdings President and CEO, Tony Davis , said "the creation of our new "Partner Airline" program is another way that we, together with SEAIR, can offer even more low fare seats to even more customers. Making flights operated by SEAIR available on the Tiger Airways website will ensure that customers can easily access more routes and destinations with the same low fares currently offered through www.tigerairways.com."

Patrick Tan, Chief Operating Officer of SEAIR said, "We are delighted to be distributing our new jet services through www.tigerairways.com, the number one airline website in Singapore, which has consistently more visitors than the website of any other airline. SEAIR has earned strong recognition as the leader in domestic leisure travel in the Philippines, having been awarded the Philippines "Best Airline award in 2009 and also being recognised as a national ‘Gold Brand’."

Linguine

November 25th, 2010, 04:25 AM

PAL flights to stay despite tensions between Koreas
Thursday, 25 November 2010 00:00

By Euan Paulo C. Añonuevo, Reporter

PHILIPPINE Airlines (PAL) said its flights to South Korea would stay despite the military tension in the Korean peninsula.
In a statement, the flag carrier said it will continue mounting regular flights to Seoul and Busan until otherwise advised either by Philippine or South Korean authorities.
”PAL is closely monitoring developments, as the flag carrier braces for the possibility of mounting evacuation flights should the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs and/or Malacanang make an official request in case the situation in South Korea deteriorates,” the Lucio Tan-owned airline said.

The company said its staff in Seoul is providing management updates on the conflict based on information from the Philippine Embassy in South Korea.

PAL flies from Manila to Seoul twice a day, and to Busan four times a week. The carrier also operates a daily flight from Cebu to Seoul.
The airline said that this is not the first time that its operations has been exposed to conflict-stricken territories.

”Many times in its 70-year history, the national flag carrier—with its wide international route network— has been called upon to operate emergency missions to evacuate Filipinos,” it added.

http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/business-columns/32927-pal-flights-to-stay-despite-tensions-between-koreas

pthfndr19

November 25th, 2010, 05:36 AM

:cheers:

MAS new livery??

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4145/5165149569_7ec0ffaa36_b.jpg

flymordecai

November 25th, 2010, 05:52 AM

i like it! simple yet elegant...but that is me....

what are the engines on that bird? cfm's?

Yes, very simple and nice design. I hope their partnership with Tiger Airways will be good for them!

pau_p1

November 25th, 2010, 09:08 AM

hi guys.. would anyone of you had taken a PAL flight MNL-LAX? I'm wondering if the seats on the carrier that they use already have personal entertainment video screens on each seat?

majaba98

November 25th, 2010, 09:14 AM

Yes, very simple and nice design. I hope their partnership with Tiger Airways will be good for them!

Still in my opinion, livery much too pale, so significance to take notice of. I believe they are saving on money incase partnership with Tiger may not work.

Linguine

November 25th, 2010, 09:29 AM

Seair expands, launches Asian flights

by Jeremiah F. de Guzman

Budget carrier Southeast Asian Airlines is expanding to regional routes with the launching of flights to Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Macau in the next two months.

Seair president and chief executive Avelino Zapanta said in a phone interview Wednesday that the carrier would introduce twice-daily flights to Singapore on Dec. 16 and at least one flight a day to three other destinations. Seair will also add frequencies to Davao City and Cebu early next year.

He said Seair chose Singapore as the first regional destination to take advantage of the renewed image of the island state as a more liberalized destination promoting tourist spots like casinos and resorts.

“We are growing from a domestic carrier to a regional carrier,” Zapanta said, adding that cost of fares would become more competitive as the airline expanded its operations.

Tiger Airways of Singapore has advanced the delivery of leased Airbus 319s from next year to this month. An A319 was delivered on Nov. 23 while another one will arrive on Nov. 29. Two more A319s are set for delivery next year, or earlier than the original schedule of 2016.

The Civil Aeronautics Board has approved the lease of two A319 by Seair.

“We intend to expand as many as 20 aircraft in the next three years,” Zapanta said. Seair has a fleet of 7 turboprops and 1 A319. The smaller aircraft are used for domestic flights while the bigger ones will serve the carrier’s regional flights.

“The additional big aircraft will substantially increase the passenger traffic carried by Seair. We will not be a low-cost carrier or a budget carrier, we will service all market streams and segments,” he said.

Seair recently forged a partnership with Tiger Airways to expand its market reach in Asia- Pacific region.

Seair said its flights would be marketed and distributed through Tiger Airways’ Web site, www.tigerairways.com, to reduce cost and increase operational efficiency.

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideBusiness.htm?f=2010/november/25/business2.isx&d=2010/november/25

romantic_guy08

November 25th, 2010, 10:09 AM

Saw these two birds parked together when I arrived this afternoon. :D

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5042/5206325506_fd0c842b54.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5290/5206325974_d2f72cd1d2.jpg

And gotta I just love looking at the tails aligned like this...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4085/5205729221_ba58665096.jpg

iamwatching

November 25th, 2010, 10:25 AM

Yes, very simple and nice design. I hope their partnership with Tiger Airways will be good for them!

Tiger Airways = :puke:

http://chutzpah.typepad.com/.a/6a00e55180ed5c883401348855334e970c-800wi

Sky Harbor

November 25th, 2010, 10:38 AM

hi guys.. would anyone of you had taken a PAL flight MNL-LAX? I'm wondering if the seats on the carrier that they use already have personal entertainment video screens on each seat?

All PAL 747s have been refurbished, except for RP-C8168, which is reportedly being refurbished. The A340s though have not yet been refurbished. If you intend to fly to LAX, make sure you get on a 747 flight, and not an A340 flight.

pau_p1

November 25th, 2010, 10:42 AM

thanks..

i checked.. and it's going to be a 747-400 for that flight..

RonnieR

November 25th, 2010, 11:15 AM

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/206789/beijing-manila-ink-new-air-agreement

Beijing, Manila ink new air agreement
11/24/2010 | 05:07 PM

Travel between China and the Philippines are expected to grow after Beijing and Manila signed a new air rights agreement.

Under the new deal, the number of passengers allowed to fly from Manila to mainland China and back was increased to 13,500 per week from 10,000 under the expired six-year deal.

“We wanted more but the Chinese were only willing to give us an additional 3,500 at this point," said Carmelo Arcilla, executive director of the Civil Aeronautics Board and head of the Philippine air panel.

The agreement aims to help the Philippines take advantage of the many opportunities for trade and tourism with China, the world's second largest economy. — JE/VS, GMANews.TV

bulabog jalaur

November 25th, 2010, 11:46 AM

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/25/business/25boeing.html?src=busln

By CHRISTOPHER DREW
Published: November 24, 2010

Boeing said Wednesday that the recent fire on a 787 Dreamliner was probably caused by debris in an electrical panel. And, as many analysts had speculated, it also announced that it would delay delivery of the first plane for safety changes...............

Another Delayed for Boeing 787 Dreamliner :)

rmb

November 25th, 2010, 12:25 PM

Saw these two birds parked together when I arrived this afternoon. :D

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5042/5206325506_fd0c842b54.jpg

And gotta I just love looking at the tails aligned like this...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4085/5205729221_ba58665096.jpg

Very elegant..classic.. still my favorite logo, nothing beats the design, IMO.

hybridace101

November 25th, 2010, 04:23 PM

All PAL 747s have been refurbished, except for RP-C8168, which is reportedly being refurbished. The A340s though have not yet been refurbished. If you intend to fly to LAX, make sure you get on a 747 flight, and not an A340 flight.

If that's not the case then one will get a 20% chance of flying on an old 744 to the US which can be scary. It looks dim they will continue refurbishing the A343s for some reason but I prefer them over 744s because of the 2-4-2 configuration in Y.

jogavilz

November 25th, 2010, 04:30 PM

Saw these two birds parked together when I arrived this afternoon. :D

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5042/5206325506_fd0c842b54.jpg

it's nice to see 2 77W's in Manila at the same time. I usually see them parked near Nayong Pilipino. I wonder why they are both parked at south/domestic wing. I know that PR uses this to Cebu, but where else in the Philippines do they operate the 77W aside from Manila and Cebu?

thescene

November 25th, 2010, 04:56 PM

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/206907/dotc-to-cusi-cooperate-to-improve-phl-aviation-sector

DOTC to Cusi: Cooperate to improve PHL aviation sector

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has ordered the head of Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP): Cooperate with government efforts to make the country’s air travel sector safer and more efficient.

In a statement, DOTC Undersecretary Dante Velasco stopped short of accusing CAAP Director General Alfonso Cusi of deliberately trying to derail the government’s efforts to improve the aviation industry and raise its rating by international air travel regulators.

Velasco also reiterated the fact that Cusi did not have the appropriate aviation industry experience qualifying him to head the air safety agency.

A holdover executive of the Arroyo administration, Cusi is known for his expertise in shipping and sea port operations, but not aviation, Velasco said.

According to the DOTC official, the appointment of inexperienced officials like Cusi resulted in the downgrading of the country’s aviation industry to category 2 status by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The FAA said the downgrade was a result of the lack of competent people running the former aviation regulator, the Air Transportation Office (ATO), Velasco said.

The downgrade bans airlines registered in the Philippines from expanding operations in the US.

Earlier, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aired concerns over aviation safety in the Philippines, prompting the European Union (EU) to issue a ban on Philippine carriers flying to and from Europe.

The CAAP was formed to replace the ATO, but the restrictions imposed by the FAA and the EU have not yet been lifted.

Aviation background

Before he headed the CAAP, however, Cusi worked for two years as general manager of the Manila International Airport Authority, overseeing the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

He was cited many times by government officials and civic groups for efforts to improve the safety, security, and convenience of NAIA airports.

Under his leadership, passenger traffic at NAIA grew. In 2009, the airport posted 11.4 percent growth with 24.5 million passengers making it the world’s 48th busiest airport in terms of passenger traffic. In 2006, it ranked 72nd under the same category.

Personal agenda

“The personal agenda of one person should not come in the way of the restoration of the category 1 status to Philippine aviation," Velasco said in his statement.

Velasco expressed disdain over Cusi’s recent stand opposing the appointment of several officers to key CAAP posts.

In recent statements to the press, Cusi said that DOTC’s appointments to the CAAP was the reason why the ICAO postponed its audit of the Philippine air industry in which he had claimed that the industry was expected to pass with flying colors this December.

Velasco accused Cusi of misleading the public by saying that ICAO officials had implied in their letter that they postponed the audit because of the questionable appointments to the CAAP.

“I have a copy of the letter and the ICAO executive who signed it even sounded apologetic that the audit would have to be postponed due to ‘operational reasons,’" Velasco said.

“Either Mr. Cusi erred in reading the letter, or he has deliberately added his own opinion linking the said postponement to the appointment of seven CAAP executives by the CAAP, which Cusi up to now is resisting," Velasco said.

“The simple postponement was blown out of proportion by individuals who wish to block the reforms being made at the aviation agency," Velasco said.

“The seven newly appointed aviation officials at the CAAP were chosen because they have the experience and expertise of the highest order," Velasco said.

Those who were appointed on Nov. 2, 2010 were:

* Ramon Gutierrez — deputy director general for administration

* Napoleon Garcia — deputy director general for operations

* Wilfredo Borja — assistant director general for Air Traffic Services

* Andrew Basallote — assistant director general for Air Navigation Services

* Edgardo Costes — assistant director general 2 for Aerodrome Development and Management Services

* Wilson Mirabona — assistant director general 1 for Aerodrome Development and Management Services

* Andres Laurilla — assistant director general for Civil Aviation Training Center

In the past, the DOTC said, it had intended to replace Cusi with a “more qualified" executive.

But Cusi, who was appointed in the closing days of the previous administration, is protected with a four-year term. — With Danilova Molintas/VS, GMANews.TV

Kintoy

November 25th, 2010, 04:58 PM

i think Cusi is deliberately sabotaging the review while battling the DOTC

tigidig14

November 25th, 2010, 05:08 PM

Very elegant..classic.. still my favorite logo, nothing beats the design, IMO.

magkakilala ba tayo?

majaba98

November 25th, 2010, 05:34 PM

Very elegant..classic.. still my favorite logo, nothing beats the design, IMO.

You said it, the best logo in the country. And then came Asian Spirit´s logo. Extarordinary !

romantic_guy08

November 25th, 2010, 05:36 PM

it's nice to see 2 77W's in Manila at the same time. I usually see them parked near Nayong Pilipino. I wonder why they are both parked at south/domestic wing. I know that PR uses this to Cebu, but where else in the Philippines do they operate the 77W aside from Manila and Cebu?

The 77W on the south wing is PR849 bound for Cebu while the other one if I'm not mistaken, just arrived from NRT as PR431... :D

jeffphilippines

November 25th, 2010, 09:14 PM

DOTC official hits aviation executive over ICAO letter

(The Philippine Star) Updated November 26, 2010 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - A ranking official of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) yesterday advised the head of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) against blocking Philippine aviation reforms, especially as “we as a country are getting back our Category 1 status.”

DOTC Undersecretary Dante Velasco scored Director General Alfonso Cusi for “deliberately misleading the public as to the true intent of a letter from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) requesting postponement of the audit of the country’s civil aviation sector.”

Nowhere in the letter did ICAO official Henry Gourdji state or hint anything remotely related to the new appointees who, precisely are there to make up for the deficiencies of Cusi in the area of real aviation training and experience, Velasco stressed.

The DOTC official expressed the wish that “the personal agenda of one person sould not come in the way of the restoration of the Category 1 status to Philippine aviation.”

Cusi did not hide his displeasure over the appointment of the seven new executives to the CAAP management, “when the prudent and patriotic thing to do is to welcome such appointments, because they can collectively work together for a common goal for Philippine aviation.”

Velasco said he has a copy of the letter and the ICAO executive who signed it even sounded apologetic that the audit would have to be postponed due to “operational reasons.’”

In a Nov. 10, 2010 letter, Gourdji said the ICAO Coordinated Validation Mission (ICVM) would be postponed owing to operational reasons.

“We will endeavor to work with you to re-schedule the mission for mutually agreed upon dates,” said Gourdji, chief of the ICAO’s Continuous Monitoring and Oversight Section, Air Navigation Bureau.

mwg12a

November 25th, 2010, 10:48 PM

If that's not the case then one will get a 20% chance of flying on an old 744 to the US which can be scary. It looks dim they will continue refurbishing the A343s for some reason but I prefer them over 744s because of the 2-4-2 configuration in Y.

How come A343s are not being refurbished?

hybridace101

November 25th, 2010, 11:06 PM

^^

Most say PR lacks funds after bad hedges during the 2008 fuel crisis. Anyway, I'd rather take them over the 744 which will give me a 20% chance of a non-PTV Y class for US-bound flights because at least the A343 has fewer seats per row.

What do "operational reasons" actually mean in the context of postponement of ICAO's visit?

Sky Harbor

November 26th, 2010, 01:19 AM

Sky Harbor

November 26th, 2010, 01:20 AM

i think Cusi is deliberately sabotaging the review while battling the DOTC

A lot of the aviation people at PEx say it's the other way around: the DOTC is sabotaging the review while battling Alfonso Cusi. Remember: the ICAO and the EU commended the work the CAAP has done under Cusi's tenure.

kyril

November 26th, 2010, 02:02 AM

Lol Al Baker is such a hasty troll:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11842597
Boeing Dreamliner 'a failure', says Qatar Airways boss

The chief executive of Qatar Airways has criticised Boeing over delays to the 787 Dreamliner, reportedly saying that it has "clearly failed".

Akbar Al Baker said he had been "taken aback" by the problems that have plagued the delivery of the aircraft, the Reuters news agency reported.

Meanwhile, Boeing has announced it is revising its schedule after a fire on a test flight earlier this month.

It had hoped to begin delivering the plane at the start of next year.

'Foreign debris'

Production of 787s is about three years behind schedule, with delays mainly a result of the supply and fitting of parts.

A test flight had to be aborted on 9 November after a fire broke out on board. Boeing has blamed a piece of "foreign debris" in a power panel.

Qatar Airways has ordered a minimum of 30 Dreamliners, with the first due to be delivered in the last quarter of next year.

Speaking at a news conference in Paris, Mr Al Baker said he had not expected such delays from Boeing, because the US-based company had "pride in its quality".

"They have very clearly failed," he added.

He added that Qatar Airways was considering buying more Airbus A380s on top of the five already ordered from Boeing's arch-rival.

Mr Al Baker was also critical of Bombardier of Canada, which has been trying to break Boeing's and Airbus' stranglehold of the airliner production business.

He said Qatar Airways had been forced to cancel a planned order for the company's C-Series planes in July over concerns about their engines.

"If they do not roll up their sleeves pretty fast then the [new Airbus A320] NEO will eclipse them," he warned.

NTprime

November 26th, 2010, 05:17 AM

PAL workers’ march snarls Makati traffic (http://www.inquirer.net/specialfeatures/jobs/view.php?db=1&article=20101126-305396)

November 26, 2010 05:07:00
Tina Santos
Philippine Daily Inquirer

MAKATI CITY, Philippines—Traffic in Makati’s Central Business District snarled Thursday as labor groups held a protest march against ‘‘contractualization.”
The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (Palea) led the march that began in front of the city’s central fire station on Ayala Avenue around 1:30 p.m.

They were later joined by the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), the anti-contractualization coalition Kontra, the Labor Alliance for Better Order and Reform (Labor), the Church-Labor Conference (CLC) and Partido ng Manggagawa (PM), among others.

Gerry Rivera, Palea president and PM vice chair, said the groups chose to hold the protest in the city’s central business district because they want an audience with Makati workers, many of whom are on a contractual status.

Beyond Palea

“This is now a fight that is beyond Palea. In factories, shops, offices and malls contractual workers are working side-by-side with regular employees in doing the same job for lesser pay and worse working conditions. We demand that government institute reforms to enhance job security and stop contractualization schemes,” Rivera said.

Some 2,600 PAL workers stand to lose their jobs after the labor department issued an order upholding PAL’s decision to outsource its non-core services.

In a press statement, Philippine Airlines said its planned spin-off affecting more than 2,600 workers is a survival strategy meant to save the jobs of more than 4,000 employees who will be left behind to run the restructured airline.

Change or perish

Reacting to a labor protest-rally against PAL’s spin-off program, PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said the flag carrier must “change or perish” in an industry buffeted by massive losses in the last two years. PAL said it lost $297 million or almost P14 billion in 2008 and another $14 million for its fiscal year ending March 2009.

She said almost all airlines in the world have done or are currently undergoing painful restructuring to adjust to new global business realities.

“It cannot be business as usual: the global economic crisis of 2008 showed that airlines are in real danger of closure or bankruptcy without restructuring,” she said.

Not contractualization

Villaluna said: ‘‘PAL’s spin-off program is not ‘contractualization’ as our friends in the labor movement claim. PAL said it is closing down its catering, airport services and call center divisions to allow more efficient third party service providers to do the job. Hence, affected employees will be retired early and paid their separation benefits in accordance with the ruling of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). It’s entirely up to them [workers] if they want to join the new service providers or not,” she stressed.

The Labor department had upheld that the airline’s spin-off program was done in good faith and recognized management’s prerogative to reorganize its corporate structure for the viability of its operations, to cut costs and to guarantee the airline’s continued survival.

absinthe_888

November 26th, 2010, 06:33 AM

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/206907/dotc-to-cusi-cooperate-to-improve-phl-aviation-sector

DOTC to Cusi: Cooperate to improve PHL aviation sector

Is this another way of saying "Magresign ka na?"

hybridace101

November 26th, 2010, 06:42 AM

Rumor has it that the A340 refurbishment may continue because of Cat II.

Regardless of Cat2, PR would want its A343s to get a facelift. Standing between the plan and the actual facelift is money which they don't even have and money they are expected to lose to their ongoing battle with PALEA and FASAP. I hope though they would send some A343s to SYD or MEL because of the long flight if not their 77Ws.

A lot of the aviation people at PEx say it's the other way around: the DOTC is sabotaging the review while battling Alfonso Cusi. Remember: the ICAO and the EU commended the work the CAAP has done under Cusi's tenure.

I have to agree that the CAAP got more praise and credit during the past 5 months than during Ciron's entire tenure. It is clear Cusi and PNoy's DOTC aren't "bed fellows." PNoy can't just face the fact that some of his predecessor's appointees, especially in infrastructure can do they job well.

majaba98

November 26th, 2010, 09:46 AM

sternocleidomastoid

November 26th, 2010, 10:45 AM

DOTC completes feasibility study on P9-B Zambo city airport transfer (http://zamboangatoday.ph/index.php/news/13-top-stories/1844-dotc-completes-feasibility-study-on-p9-b-zambo-city-airport-transfer)
Friday, 26 November 2010 11:48

The final feasibility study of the transfer of the Zamboanga City airport to Barangay Talabaan has been received by local Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), formerly Air Transportation Office (ATO), and will soon be for implementation.

In the final feasibility study, CAAP Manager Celso Bayabos said that the airport transfer project will cost the government P9 Billion.

Bayabos explained that the site in barangay Talabaan was chosen because it is already plain,and it has a few residents.

The feasibility study for the transfer of the airport according to Bayabos was done by personnel from the Department of Transportation and Communication in Manila.

According to Bayabos, the old airport in Governor Camins will be sold at the amount of P8 Billion to facilitate the transfer.

The upcoming brand new airport in Talabaan covers 170 hectares and 2,500 meter runway, the aviation official said.

By the year 2016 the new airport will be fully operational, according to the feasibility study as revealed by Bayabos.

In the process of this airport transfer 174 lots located in the area of Talabaan, Taluksangay, Mercedes and Mulu Muluan will be affected.

But Bayabos said DOTC is preparing the money to pay these lot owners.

The present Zamboanga International Airport is located in the heart of the city, stressing most of the airports in the country are not located near the center of the city proper.

By R.G. Go

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A new airport, at last! :colgate:

hybridace101

November 26th, 2010, 02:27 PM

-sharkleman125-

November 26th, 2010, 04:32 PM

:cheers:

More look like the Philippine Flag! :lol: :nuts:

NTprime

November 26th, 2010, 04:39 PM

Does MNL-RUH occasionally get N751-4? Because that would be scary for flights to the US where you have a 20% of having limited IFE in Y.

The other good thing about the A343 is that unlike the 744 and 77W, the first 2 rows are full-flat thanks to them being former F seats.

Yeah, the legroom/seat pitch is something like 72" or even more. In row 2A you can't even reach the seatback of 1A from where you're seated! I'm sure when they change the seating configuration they can add an extra row in what used to be the First Class cabin of the A340 and reduce seat pitch to about 66-72".

Question on the A340s' fuel economy...is it still cheaper to fly the 744s based on cost per pax per km. traveled?

hybridace101

November 26th, 2010, 06:43 PM

Does CX still use Filipino as a 3rd language for MNL-HKG flights? Do they also have Filipina pursers and FAs?

b_two

November 27th, 2010, 01:22 PM

Does CX still use Filipino as a 3rd language for MNL-HKG flights? Do they also have Filipina pursers and FAs?
i believe they still do. Last time i flew with cx via hk was september 2010.

mikem488

November 27th, 2010, 02:12 PM

thanks..

i checked.. and it's going to be a 747-400 for that flight..

The screens are bigger in business class. Just did that flight two nights ago. The flight arrive on a major holiday in the United States. It was 90-95% full in economy. While only 60-65% in business class. I notice when I walked thru that a lot of the seats that require an extra $50 were empty. It was announce that they could be purchased on the plane for $50.

Also i noted that the Thursday flight has been added again to SFO. But i don't think it was fulll because the Vip lounge was not that full compared to past Thursday flights a year ago.

hybridace101

November 28th, 2010, 01:53 AM

Sky Harbor

November 28th, 2010, 02:07 AM

^^ As far as I know, mileage runners do that. It should be possible.

SleMarKen

November 29th, 2010, 01:54 AM

Just wanna ask kung sino naka sakay ng Airasia, pwede ba mag handcarry ng 60L backpack along with a shopping bag of loptop and adslr bag?

Franz-Bxu

November 29th, 2010, 03:36 AM

Mactan-Cebu International Airport

I haven't posted in SSC for a long time. :lol:
Inside the terminal (Photos taken while waiting for our flight back to BXU)

Cebu Pacific Check-In Counters
http://www.flickr.com/photos/52824834@N06/5207427683/http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5204/5215883625_d2f8fcebc7_z.jpg

Terminal Fee
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5243/5207427683_b5ee3958c6_z.jpg

APex
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5287/5215883645_f706910970_z.jpg

PAL Check-In Counters
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5205/5215883655_6961aa7cbf_z.jpg

Checking In
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4103/5215883661_36bbdc544b_z.jpg

While waiting for our flight, I took a picture of this 5J A320 being pushed back.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4132/5206058909_bdf6ee13bb_z.jpg

AirphilExpress A320 and CX 77W
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4126/5206059137_571ef73cf6_z.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5042/5206656798_45e925002a_z.jpg

CX 77W for HKG
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5082/5206059891_960c5427b0_z.jpg

Our Airbus A319 jet for BXU (RP-C3194)
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5006/5206059645_f59639775a_z.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5043/5206657518_88ea9285f0_z.jpg

Boarded the plane, now preparing to depart
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5165/5206060411_d403eaf536_z.jpg

Arrived in Butuan in just 30 minutes

The newly-repainted terminal
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5204/5206658748_581ecd7e0a_z.jpg

Control Tower
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4108/5206061627_c4bf7a9955_z.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4148/5206061017_2c9af9ed5f_z.jpg

Cebu Pacific is so pathetic! It took us a while to claim our baggage because the ground equipment is still being utilized by the other aircraft. Look at the photos below. They really should add more ground equipment (stairs, etc) kasi magkasabay palagi yung CEB-BXU at MNL-BXU.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4125/5206659354_8cef933cca_z.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5243/5206060689_9aef640d4a_z.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5126/5206062349_939bb4669e_z.jpg
That's all! Hope you like it. :):cheers:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52824834@N06/5215883625/in/photostream/

hybridace101

November 29th, 2010, 04:21 AM

Does MNL-RUH sometimes use N751-3?

Linguine

November 29th, 2010, 04:59 AM

Phl, China expand air service ties; 13,500 seat entitlements weekly set
By Rainier Allan Ronda (The Philippine Star) Updated November 29, 2010 12:00 AM Comments (3) View comments

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines and China have expanded their bilateral air service ties to allow each other’s airlines to have a maximum of flight entitlements of 13,500 seats a week.

In talks in Beijing last week, the two countries agreed to strengthen their aviation relation with more flights for their carriers.

Transportation Undersecretary Glicerio Sicat led the Philippine delegation, while Civil Aviation Administration of China director-general Li Jiangmin headed the Chinese team.

The talks led to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) allowing designated airlines of the two sides to operate an additional 3,500 seats per week on their respected routes. This brought the capacity entitlements to 13,500 per week.

The last MOU signed in 2004 pegged the capacity entitlements of each country at 10,000 seats per week.

Under the new MOU, the Philippines will be entitled to operate unlimited number of seats outside China’s major points of Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai, while China will have the same privilege outside the Philippines’ main hub of Manila.

Sicat noted that the consultations were timely, with China fast becoming a major source of tourists visiting the Philippines.

“China now ranked fourth among the main sources of our tourist arrivals. There is a need, therefore, to increase the seat entitlements of our airlines because of this growth,” he said.

Sky Harbor

November 29th, 2010, 05:51 AM

Does MNL-RUH sometimes use N751-3?

No, it does not. It has always used RP-C8168, and it is currently serviced using A330s.

NTprime

November 29th, 2010, 08:16 AM

Does CX still use Filipino as a 3rd language for MNL-HKG flights? Do they also have Filipina pursers and FAs?

As for your second question, the answer is YES. I know at least half a dozen of them, some are already inflight supervisors, the others are senior pursers (purple uniform). FAs who have been with CX at least 15 years are already on the higher ranks like what I mentioned above. But there are no male Pinoy FAs on CX, AFAIK.

majaba98

November 29th, 2010, 08:55 AM

hybridace101

November 29th, 2010, 09:53 AM

No, it does not. It has always used RP-C8168, and it is currently serviced using A330s.

If it is currently serviced by A330s, then where is RP-C8168? Is it on US routes as well?

suri_maw2020

November 29th, 2010, 10:17 AM

See below reply by Sky Harbor regarding the RP-C8168.

If it is currently serviced by A330s, then where is RP-C8168? Is it on US routes as well?

All PAL 747s have been refurbished, except for RP-C8168, which is reportedly being refurbished. The A340s though have not yet been refurbished. If you intend to fly to LAX, make sure you get on a 747 flight, and not an A340 flight.

hybridace101

November 29th, 2010, 10:49 AM

They key word there is "reportedly" but I think the RUH flight lasts 10 hours, which is pretty much a long stretch for an A330. I can understand an A343. When I checked PR's website, the MNL-RUH flight still has a 744 as the aircraft that services the route. I wonder then what the "refurbished" RP-C8168 will look like if it will return to RUH. Unlike the US, RUH lacks the high-yield traffic.

majaba98

November 29th, 2010, 11:54 AM

bworldonline.com

Strong growth seen for air passenger, cargo traffic in 2011

THE NUMBER of people and volume of cargo transported around the Philippines, as well as into and from the country should grow by "double-digit" rates next year as local airlines expand their services and as the government moves to further ease restrictions on foreign carriers, according to an official of the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB).

"We are expecting double-digit growth both for domestic and international passenger and cargo flights. More of our low-cost carriers will be expanding their routes, like going for international flights and adding more international flights," Carmelo L. Arcilla, CAB executive director, said in a phone interview on Saturday.
While he declined to provide absolute figures, he noted, for instance, that "Cebu Pacific is having more international flights, while Air Philippines is having more aircraft procurements. Zest Air will be starting to carry flights to Singapore on Dec. 17 from Kalibo in Aklan, while Southeast Asian Airlines will be mounting flights to Singapore, also starting Dec. 17."
At the same time, he said, further easing restrictions in the air travel industry should result in an "open, competitive...aviation sector that enables Philippine and foreign air carriers to expand operations...and make long-term investments in the Philippine market."
The government has said that further air industry liberalization will be done gradually through "pocket open skies."
"The government will start with what is called ‘pocket open skies.’ Then we will really strengthen and increase it [liberalization]. If this will be implemented, definitely there will be significant increase in traffic both for passenger and cargo," Mr. Arcilla said.
Among others, the thrust for "open skies" will see less restrictions on foreign carriers, including streamlined processes for airlines that want to increase seat capacity to the Philippines.
"The consequence [of this policy] is that, instead of the government panels having to negotiate increase in capacity, foreign airlines may apply for a waiver or an air service agreement with the CAB [directly]. In the recent setup, the requirement is that there should be a bilateral agreement with the country where the foreign airline is based," Mr. Arcilla explained.
Latest available CAB data show that, in the nine months to September, the number of passengers transported within the Philippines increased by a tenth to 12.26 million from the 11.09 million recorded in the same period last year, while cargo rose by a bigger 34.33% to 134.81 million kilograms (kg) from 100.36 million kg.
CAB has yet to release updated data for the number of passengers on international flights travelling to and from the Philippines.
But data for the first quarter shows international passenger traffic growing 9.6% to 3.4 million from 3.1 million people a year earlier. Of the total that quarter, about 1.63 million of the passengers were incoming, while 1.804 million were outgoing, the same data showed. -- AMPD

|

mgian_21

November 29th, 2010, 01:34 PM

[QUOTE=Sky Harbor;67759761]All PAL 747s have been refurbished, except for RP-C8168, which is reportedly being refurbished.

yes it was,

Blueleo

November 29th, 2010, 01:45 PM

Plane lands on river, 13 unharmed
(philstar.com) Updated November 29, 2010 07:00 PM

TUGUEGARAO, Philippines (AP) - Police say 13 people have narrowly escaped injury after their light plane developed engine trouble and landed on a river in the northern Philippines.

Police Senior Superintendent Mao Aplasca says the passenger plane went down today on the Cagayan River midway on a trip from the country's northernmost province of Batanes to Tuguegarao city in nearby Cagayan province.

Aplasca says the pilots managed to make an emergency landing on a shallow portion of the river, where the plane got partially submerged.

He says the stunned passengers and pilots stood on or clung to the aircraft's wings before being helped to safety by villagers and police.

majaba98

November 29th, 2010, 02:00 PM

Blueleo

November 29th, 2010, 02:19 PM

Plane crashes in Cagayan; passengers, pilots safe
11/29/2010 | 03:56 PM

(Updated 6:32 p.m.) Thirteen people, including two children, were miraculously unhurt when their plane crashed in a village in Cagayan province in northern Luzon on Monday, a police official said.

Cagayan Police chief Senior Superintendent Mau Aplasca described the plane as a Beechcraft light plane with tail number RPC-1111.

Citing reports reaching him, Aplasca said the plane was on its way from Basco, Batanes to Tuguegarao in Cagayan when it crashed along the Cagayan River in Barangay San Vicente in Iguig town around 1:30 p.m.

"Joint rescue teams from Iguig police and Barangay San Vicente conducted rescue operations that resulted to the successful recovery of all 13 passengers and pilots unharmed and in good condition," Aplasca said.

Aplasca identified the two pilots as Captain Agustin Jose and Captain Benedict Dela Cruz.

The passengers were Rustom Hontonia, Jack Castaño, Jovani Pahodpod, David Batan, Benedict John Acebes, Mae Jane Agcaoili, Harold Agito, Kate Vallentes, Mika Horkajo, Hana Horkajo and
Yale Mark Elep.

Aplasca said Mika and Hana were five and three years old, respectively. Three passengers -- Harold Agito, Benedict John Acebes and Jovani Pahodpod -- were Boy Scout members on their way to Ilocos for a scouting activity.

Aplasca said the pilots claimed they conducted an emergency landing after the aircraft's two engines shut down in midair.

Castaño, one of the passengers, said the engine stopped while they were 3,000 feet up in the air and 8.5 kilometers from the Tuguegarao airport.

"Sa tubig kami bumagsak. Lumabas kami at sa pakpak nakatayo (We landed on the water. We went out of the aircraft and stood on its wings)," he told GMANews.TV in a text message.

Castaño said the rescue boats came 20 minutes after the crash.

Aplasca said the passengers are now under the care of the local government of Iguig.

He added that the police is already coordinating with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines to determine the real cause of the crash.- with Kimberly Jane Tan/KBK, GMANews.TV

Blueleo

November 29th, 2010, 02:30 PM

China agrees to increase flights to PHL
11/28/2010 | 10:06 PM

The Philippines and China have agreed to increase flights from the two countries to bring in more tourists from both sides, a signal of warming relations between the two Asian nations following the friction caused by the August 23 hostage-taking incident in Manila that left eight Hong Kong tourists dead.

In a Memorandum of Understanding signed last week, the two countries agreed to allow designated airlines to operate an additional 3,500 seats per week on their respective routes. This will bring the capacity entitlements to 13,500 per week from the current 10,000 seats.

Under the new pact, the Philippines will also be entitled to operate an unlimited number of seats outside Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai, while China will have the same privilege outside Manila.

The agreement was reached after a two-day air services consultations in China last Nov. 23 and 24 that aimed to strengthen aviation relations between the two countries.

Transportation and Communications Undersecretary Glicerio Sicat from the Philippines and Civil Aviation Administration of China Director-General Li Jiangmin led their respective delegations.

Sicat said the consultations were “timely" since China is fast becoming a major source of tourists for the Philippines.

“China is now ranked fourth among the main sources of our tourist arrivals. There is a need, therefore, to increase the seat entitlements of our airlines
because of this growth," he said. - KBK, GMANews.TV

Linguine

November 29th, 2010, 03:17 PM

:ohno::ohno:

Are customs executives harassing airlines?
Monday, 29 November 2010 20:22 Recto Mercene / Reporter

SOME Customs officers are being accused of resorting to harassment by delaying local and international flights to the detriment of passengers, in what is seen as an attempt to force air carriers to shell out money for rendering overtime service.

This was reported by Qatar Airways executives to the chairman of the Airline Operators Council (AOC) after Flight QR 645 was delayed for 24 minutes on Saturday.

The flight has 245 passengers, including six infants.

According to Qatar Airways executive Noor Mohammed Hashim, Customs officer Ferdinand Parayno boarded QR 645 shortly after landing and “demanded our crew to remove all seals from the duty-free and food-and-beverage carts.”

Hashim added that while this was going on, the “maintenance staff and cleaners were not allowed onboard
until late into his inspection.”

“He [Parayno] had threatened to file charges against our captain for ‘illegal boarding’ of engineer, although he had clearly given the engineer the thumbs up.”

“The above for your records in case it is needed to address the issue,” Hashim told AOC chairman Maria Lourdes Reyes.

Reyes, in turn, sought the advice of the AOC legal consultant, Antonio Paredes, wanting to seek redress against Parayno’s seemingly illegal acts.

“While he claims to [be] just doing his job, [he] has actually already resorted to harassing all the ground handling staff [airline, catering, cleaners, etc.],” Reyes told Paredes, apparently referring to Parayno.

Reyes added that while the Customs Tariff and Code indicate the Bureau of Customs (BOC) men’s authority to police and control duty items, she asked Paredes whether Parayno had the right to delay ground operations, like dictating to the airlines who should enter the aircraft first or when to start cleaning.

The AOC head added that it is the belief of the airline carriers that ranking Customs officers, like Parayno, should “be made aware that he should function within his designated turf.”

The legal tussle between the Customs officers and employees, and the Board of Airline Representatives (BAR), the AOC’s superiors, have been going on in the last 15 months over the overtime pay being demanded by Customs people at the airports.

The Civil Service Commission (CSC) had ruled that government employees should render service only from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. on the same day. The CSC prohibits any government agency to pay overtime service made after office hours. That is why Customs has relied on the airlines’ group to pay for the overtime of their staff, but the BAR sought to discontinue making such payments several months ago.

The airport’s Bureaus of Immigration and Quarantine, rendering the same overtime services, however, continue to get paid because they have successfully asked Congress to approve Republic Act 483, which “authorized the payment of compensation for overtime work and extra pay for night service.”

The BOC airport branch brought the case before the court, but the Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the BAR in denying payment for overtime services of the Customs personnel.

The BAR, however, had promised the Customs employee that the last five months of their overtime services would at least be paid.

[I] http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/top-news/4351-are-customs-executives-harassing-airlines

majaba98

November 29th, 2010, 09:16 PM

Fraulein

November 30th, 2010, 12:16 AM

^^^^Siguro Sky Pasada yan.

Sky Harbor

November 30th, 2010, 01:18 AM

^^ Sky Pasada does not operate Beechcraft planes. They only have two Let L-410 Turbolets.

litigs

November 30th, 2010, 02:52 AM

^^ Sky Pasada does not operate Beechcraft planes. They only have two Let L-410 Turbolets.

the only beech operator i know was long time ago, aerolift and mindanao express, they had beech 1900Cs. Either this was mistakenly discribed or could be a lease or charter, but this does look like a skypasada run.

ianers_ianized

November 30th, 2010, 07:49 AM

As for your second question, the answer is YES. I know at least half a dozen of them, some are already inflight supervisors, the others are senior pursers (purple uniform). FAs who have been with CX at least 15 years are already on the higher ranks like what I mentioned above. But there are no male Pinoy FAs on CX, AFAIK.
There are Pinoy FAs, one Pinoy FA was part of a promoted in ad in Phil Star.

Regardless of Cat2, PR would want its A343s to get a facelift. Standing between the plan and the actual facelift is money which they don't even have and money they are expected to lose to their ongoing battle with PALEA and FASAP.
I hope A343 refurbishment comes soon, it fly to US and covers a lot of Asian regional destination as well...

Mactan-Cebu International Airport

I haven't posted in SSC for a long time. :lol:
Inside the terminal (Photos taken while waiting for our flight back to BXU)

Terminal Fee
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5243/5207427683_b5ee3958c6_z.jpg

APex
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5287/5215883645_f706910970_z.jpg

PAL Check-In Counters
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5205/5215883655_6961aa7cbf_z.jpg

Sorry but MActan is the one in bad shape and older looking airport in the country. I've just been here last October and I can say NAIA 1 is better than Mactan in terms of everything... imagine no local phones in the arrival area for tourist? It's clean and well maintained but the ambiance is funeraria at madumi pa din tingnan... this airport needs a facelift.

Sky Harbor

November 30th, 2010, 07:57 AM

^^ There are some recent pictures of renovations at the CEB thread.

Skyblade

November 30th, 2010, 08:10 AM

If you have time and especially money, can you make a connecting flight at your destination for a flight immediately returning to your point of origin? For example, if you want to experience a short A380 ride on SQ, can you take a flight going from SIN to HKG (SQ856) then go through the normal connecting flights process and board the return SQ861 on that same A380 on the very same day within the next hour and a half?

^^ As far as I know, mileage runners do that. It should be possible.

Yeah I've had no major issues doing same day turnarounds myself and have only been thoroughly checked with my whacky routings just once (http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/trip_reports/read.main/101008) albeit for something more complex than a simple SIN-HKG-SIN turnaround. The most I've had was just quizzical looks by ground agents and the occasional flight attendants who also served the return flight. :lol:

Also, you can do a return check-in (http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/content/before/checkin/return.jsp) for SQ861 when you check-in for SQ856 at SIN which could give you more time to wander through the terminal at HKG instead of going to the transfer desk to print the boarding pass for the return flight.

Speaking of mileage runs, have 3 lined up in the coming weeks. Always a joy when sandwiched between two busy holiday travel seasons, but alas UA 1K requalification beckons...:nuts:

majaba98

November 30th, 2010, 09:02 AM

Looks like Zest already has 3 A 320s + 1 A 319. With further order for another A 320. Any comments on that ?

Pls check:
http://www.ch-aviation.ch/aircraft.php

majaba98

November 30th, 2010, 09:10 AM

Found this on website : http://www.centreforaviation.com/profiles/airlines/philippine-airlines : PAL to resume Manila-Chongqing service(22-Nov-10 12:10 PM)
But cannot open it cause I am not a member. Any comments ?

Sky Harbor

November 30th, 2010, 12:14 PM

Speaking of mileage runs, have 3 lined up in the coming weeks. Always a joy when sandwiched between two busy holiday travel seasons, but alas UA 1K requalification beckons...:nuts:

If only it was easy to do mileage runs in Southeast Asia, I'd want to move up to Skymiles Gold. :lol:

hybridace101

November 30th, 2010, 01:23 PM

Yeah I've had no major issues doing same day turnarounds myself and have only been thoroughly checked with my whacky routings just once (http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/trip_reports/read.main/101008) albeit for something more complex than a simple SIN-HKG-SIN turnaround. The most I've had was just quizzical looks by ground agents and the occasional flight attendants who also served the return flight. :lol:

Also, you can do a return check-in (http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/content/before/checkin/return.jsp) for SQ861 when you check-in for SQ856 at SIN which could give you more time to wander through the terminal at HKG instead of going to the transfer desk to print the boarding pass for the return flight.

Speaking of mileage runs, have 3 lined up in the coming weeks. Always a joy when sandwiched between two busy holiday travel seasons, but alas UA 1K requalification beckons...:nuts:

There is also OLCI so you won't worry about getting your BPs at HKG. It does not quite apply to luggage but it doesn't matter because you don't need clothes anyway as you are returning immediately on the same day (except perhaps for 1 extra shirt).

Somebody doesn't think this is practical. In fairness he has a point if you're not a frequent flyer and don't care about the miles:

I dont think anyone will do that. I will be like you departed SG to no where.

Any guesses as to what the new RP-C8168 will look like?

Also, does EK send 77Ws to MNL with a C cabin full of lie-flat seats as opposed to those seen in PR's A343s and PTVs in Y which are shaped like those in PR's own 77Ws?

Skyblade

November 30th, 2010, 10:12 PM

If only it was easy to do mileage runs in Southeast Asia, I'd want to move up to Skymiles Gold. :lol:
I feel ya, transferring back to Japan next year, not exactly a target-rich environment like LAX for mileage run deals. :ohno:

Somebody doesn't think this is practical. In fairness he has a point if you're not a frequent flyer and don't care about the miles:

Surely trying out an aircraft type you've been wanting to fly on has some value, no? But that's just the aviation nut inside me talking. ;) Though I'll concede that I'd stay a couple days in HKG if I were there, but that's 'cause its HKG. :D

bitoy

December 1st, 2010, 03:08 AM

Still no information what airline and aircraft was involved in the insident ??

Beechcraft Queen Air 65 chartered plane owned by Air Gurus Company.

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/rids/20101130/i/r1983406884.jpg

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0a2hgZQdPz0uU/610x.jpg

:) mukhang gagawing bangka na lang ito.. :lol:

Nze_Mio.GT

December 1st, 2010, 03:47 AM

^^ they forgot to convert it into a seaplane :lol:

but good thinking by the pilot though...he did the same thing as with that US Airways jet in the river :D

shyaman

December 1st, 2010, 06:29 AM

WORLD'S MOST DANGEROUS AIRLINES
Source (http://www.news.com.au/travel/news/gallery-e6frfq80-1225955540242?page=1)

This list of the top 10 most dangerous airlines in the world has been compiled based on the safety records of different carriers.

Askmen.com compared the number fatalities in proportion with the number of flights made, looking only at airlines that operate across different continents.

This excludes (among others) the 50 or so carriers from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Kyrgyzstan that have been banned from most destinations, as well as domestic carriers.

Here is the top 10 selection.

1. Cubana Airlines

This airline has the worst safety record of any international carrier in the world. It has a far lower number of flights between accidents than any other on our list, although the last fatal accident took place back in 1999. Despite plans to replace its entire fleet with new planes over the coming years, this is one company whose safety announcements you want to pay attention to.

Completed flights: 320,000
Fatal accidents: 8
Deaths: 404

2. China Airlines

China Airlines is actually based in Taiwan and has had a series of unfortunate events with an extremely high number of casualties. The worst of these took place in 2002 on a flight between Taiwan and Hong Kong which crashed into the sea, killing 225 people. The blame was placed on inadequate repair work to damage sustained as far back as 1980.

Completed flights: 910,000
Fatal accidents: 6
Deaths: 763

3. Iran Air

Iran Air was a major international carrier in the 1960s and 1970s. However, after the Iranian Revolution in 1979, flights to a number of international destinations were discontinued, and in 2010 the European Commission announced that the carrier was banned from the EU due to safety concerns.

It has had three major accidents in the last 10 years (one which had no casualties) and three others since 1980, including one incident in 1988 that killed nearly 300 people.

Completed flights: 970,000
Fatal accidents: 5
Deaths: 708

4. Philippine Airlines

If it wasn't for a series of terrorist incidents, the national carrier of the Philippines probably would not appear on this list. There have been at least three bombs and one hijacking in its 70-year history. The worst tragedy saw a plane disintegrate after a suspected bomb explosion, killing 36 people.

Completed flights: 1.18 million
Fatal accidents: 6
Deaths: 107

5. Kenya Airways

This is one of the least experienced carriers on this list, and while it has only suffered from two fatal accidents, the fact that is has made relatively few flights make it statistically more dangerous than other carriers. Operating since 1977, the two accidents took place in the last decade, both on night flights. The first, in 2000, ditched in the Atlantic, killing 169 people. The second, in 2007, crashed in swampland, and 114 lives were lost.

Completed flights: 450,000
Fatal accidents: 2
Deaths: 283

6. Egyptair

The largest airline company in Africa, Egyptair flies to more than 70 destinations. Since the 1970s it has had its share of misfortunes, including terrorist attacks. By far the worst event was a flight from JFK airport in New York to Cairo, with an investigation determining that pilot error caused the plane to crash into the Atlantic Ocean, killing all 217 people on board.

Completed flights: 1.07 million
Fatal accidents: 4
Deaths: 402

7. Pakistan International Airlines

As the state-owned airline of Pakistan, this company flies to over 25 countries and was the first Asian carrier to use jet aircraft. Once again, this airline has suffered from several major incidents, the worst of which was in 1992 on a flight to Nepal when the pilots failed to see the mountainous terrain in front of them in time, leading to 167 fatalities.

Completed flights: 1.43 million
Fatal accidents: 5
Deaths: 440

8. Avianca

Flying since 1919, Avianca has the longest continuous history in aviation in the Western hemisphere. It has one of the most modern fleets in South America, but its reputation has been tarnished by several tragedies.

Colombian gang warfare has also contributed to attacks on Avianca flights. In 1989, a bomb exploded on take-off, killing 107 people, and in 1983 a crash in Madrid killed 181.

Completed flights: 1.47 million
Fatal accidents: 4
Deaths: 500

9. Thai Airways

Thailand's largest airline, Thai Airways has won several major awards including "Best Airline in the World" in 2006. But in the 1980s and 1990s Thai Airways was an airline to be avoided, with several fatal accidents occurring. Its greatest tragedy was in 1992 when a flight from Kathmandu crashed, killing 113 people.

Completed flights: 1.98 million
Fatal accidents: 4
Deaths: 352

10. Garuda

Indonesia's national airline was banned from flying to the EU in 2007. Removed from the EU blacklist in 2009, it has recently resumed flights to Amsterdam. It was also named as one of the world's most improved airlines in 2010. Despite this, over the years Garuda has suffered a number of accidents with fatalities, with a crash in 1997 killing 234 people.

Completed flights: 2 million
Fatal accidents: 4
Deaths: 431

-------------------------------------

Hmmm... I will be flying with 3 of these airlines this month. :ohno:

Sky Harbor

December 1st, 2010, 09:48 AM

^^ A lot of PExers complained about that list. PAL isn't unsafe! :ohno:

NTprime

December 1st, 2010, 10:29 AM

^^ A lot of PExers complained about that list. PAL isn't unsafe! :ohno:

PAL has had a lot of accidents in their almost 70 year history. The most serious one was the HS748 which crashed in Mt. Ugu on its approach to Baguio Loakan Airport back in 1987, killing all 50 on board. However, the last major one was when the Japanese got blown out of the plane as a bomb was planted on his seat (NRT flight) which was masterminded by Al Qaeda way back in 1994 (Project Bojinka). There was also this new A320 that overshot the Bacolod runway in 1998, killing 3 people on the ground (none on the plane). Most PEXers are too young to remember these fatal incidents.

manileño

December 1st, 2010, 10:38 AM

yea, i don't know what PAL is doing there on the list either. If terror incidents were their basis, then shouldn't United Airlines be included and ranked higher even? with quite a long history, i find it actually impressive that incidents with PAL are limited, specially in the last 2 decades or so. :)

Linguine

December 1st, 2010, 11:13 AM

Gov't plans to build airports in Mindanao
By GENALYN D. KABILING
December 1, 2010, 4:20pm

MANILA, Philippines — The government is eyeing the construction of airports in the central parts of Mindanao provinces to facilitate better movement of goods and people.

President Aquino has directed the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) to undertake a feasibility study on the matter after he observed that most domestic and international airports in Mindanao are located near the coasts of the provinces.

The President, speaking at the presentation of the Mindanao 2020 Peace and Development Framework in Malacañang last Tuesday, said the location of airports on the coasts “doesn’t make tremendous sense to me.”

“I would be directing director general of NEDA to study the feasibility and placement of an airport more central in Mindanao so that distances to and from various areas will make more economic sense,” he said in his speech.

Aquino said he expects some difficulties in the proposed construction of airports but asked the stakeholders in Mindanao to cooperate so it will become a “reality sooner than later.”

The President made the proposal after he vowed to usher a “new Mindanao,” a region that is free from conflict and one that has reached its full economic potential during his term.

To spur economic growth in the south, the President said his administration would also capitalize on the agricultural strength of Mindanao. He said they plan to transform Mindanao into a “modern agricultural center and the nation’s food basket” to become self-sufficient in some commodities and export competitive.

Under the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), the President said they will also support business initiatives such as the development of mariculture and halal industry to make Mindanao a food processing hub in the region.

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/290363/govt-plans-build-airports-mindanao

kyril

December 1st, 2010, 12:04 PM

@World's most dangerous airlines: lol hindi pa sinama ang mga American flag carriers. Look at their safety record. American Airlines is the worst because parang every year sila nagkakaroon ng aksidente. Hindi pa nya sinama rin ang JAL thanks to their Flight 123 incident which is one of the worst airline accidents in history.

Gulf Coast

December 1st, 2010, 01:57 PM

PAL has had a lot of accidents in their almost 70 year history. The most serious one was the HS748 which crashed in Mt. Ugu on its approach to Baguio Loakan Airport back in 1987, killing all 50 on board. However, the last major one was when the Japanese got blown out of the plane as a bomb was planted on his seat (NRT flight) which was masterminded by Al Qaeda way back in 1994 (Project Bojinka). There was also this new A320 that overshot the Bacolod runway in 1998, killing 3 people on the ground (none on the plane). Most PEXers are too young to remember these fatal incidents.

Re: A japanese got blown out of the plane

Excuse me? theres a documentary video regarding this incident and there was never an instance wherein a pax got blown away.

NTprime

December 1st, 2010, 02:08 PM

Re: A japanese got blown out of the plane

Excuse me? theres a documentary video regarding this incident and there was never an instance wherein a pax got blown away.

Hmmm...maybe you took my expression literally, not figuratively...:lol: The case where someone flew off the plane was with Aloha Airlines Flight 243 back in April 28, 1988 when the top half of the fuselage cracked in midair (explosive decompression) due to fatigue failure and a stewardess was blown away.

Anyway, here are some details:

Flight no. PR 434 December 11, 1994 Boeing 747-200B

Minami Daito, Okinawa, Japan

Description: A small bomb exploded underneath the seat (seat 26K) of Japanese businessman Haruki Ikegami. Ikegami died due to injuries sustained in the explosion, but none of the aircraft's other 293 passengers and crew were killed. The aircraft landed safely. Investigators later found that Ramzi Yousef planted the bomb there to test it out for a terrorist attack he was planning, Project Bojinka. The plan was foiled after an apartment fire in Manila led investigators to the laptop computer and disks containing the plan.

boy muscovado

December 1st, 2010, 02:13 PM

Gulf Coast

December 1st, 2010, 02:15 PM

Hmmm...maybe you took my expression literally, not figuratively...:lol: The case where someone flew off the plane was with Aloha Airlines Flight 243 back in April 28, 1988 when the top half of the fuselage cracked in midair (explosive decompression) due to fatigue failure and a stewardess was blown away.

Anyway, here are some details:

Flight no. PR 434 December 11, 1994 Boeing 747-200B

Minami Daito, Okinawa, Japan

Description: A small bomb exploded underneath the seat (seat 26K) of Japanese businessman Haruki Ikegami. Ikegami died due to injuries sustained in the explosion, but none of the aircraft's other 293 passengers and crew were killed. The aircraft landed safely. Investigators later found that Ramzi Yousef planted the bomb there to test it out for a terrorist attack he was planning, Project Bojinka. The plan was foiled after an apartment fire in Manila led investigators to the laptop computer and disks containing the plan.

yes. very familiar with these cases.
thanks for straightening things for the reading public. some situations are better said straight:)

anyways... :D

arianespace

December 1st, 2010, 02:41 PM

^^
Gov't plans to build airports in Mindanao

Perhaps the President need to be told that WAO and ALLAH VALLEY airports are there but no airline bothers to fly them, except flying goats and occasional cows. The government cannot even figure flying out of ILIGAN because of thorny approach issues. Gezz!

These DOTC people really are sleeping on their jobs.:ohno:

boy muscovado

December 1st, 2010, 02:44 PM

Why is PAN AM not included?

American Airlines has a lot of these deadly mishaps. The famous maybe was the DC-10 Chicago Air Crash

medviation

December 1st, 2010, 03:29 PM

WORLD'S MOST DANGEROUS AIRLINES

This list is very debatable. Some facts are wrong or possibly not noted.

The first error I noticed is that PAL with 107 deaths that completed 1.18M flights ranked higher than Kenya airways which had more deaths and less flights. The same goes with the succeeding airlines.

Second is terrorism. Terrorism is not the airline's fault. The fault, besides the terrorists themselves, goes to airport security whose responsibility is to keep innocent civilians traveling using the airport safe. Actually PAL did an awesome job countering the airport security's failures in flight 434. 3 bombs and 1 hijacking for PAL at no. 4. If you think terrorism and hijacking should be considered, where's United and American after 911?

And by the way, where's Qantas after all these unfortunate incidents that almost led to a major disaster including one that made an emergency landing in Manila if you mean "dangerous" from its dictionary meaning?

I don't know about you but I think EU banned, FAA downgraded and askmen.com listed the wrong airline.

pthfndr19

December 1st, 2010, 03:30 PM

^^ why they did not include the American Airlines and United Airlines in Sepetember 11 attack which is one of the worst.. and Air France have also many plane crashes.

.

Linguine

December 1st, 2010, 04:01 PM

Cusi now chairman of Icao Aspac branch
Wednesday, 01 December 2010 20:11 Recto Mercene / Reporter

STARTING Thursday, Director General Alfonso Cusi of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) will assume chairmanship of a branch of the International Civil Aviation Organization (Icao).

Cusi will assume the top post in Icao’s Cooperative Development of Operational Safety and Continuing Airworthiness Programs (Coscap) branch, one of the international body’s three branches in the Asia-Pacific Region.

Cusi is the first Filipino to head the organization and would be at the helm for one year, Capt. Len J. Cormier, Caap chief technical adviser.

The position is rotated among member states every year.

Cormier said that that according to the Icao Universal Safety Oversight Audit Program (Usoap), many Asia-Pacific countries find it difficult to adequately meet their safety oversight obligations. One example is the lack of check pilots, cabin crews and flight operations inspectors.

Coscap staff are often asked to provide guidance on the interpretation of regulations-standards, best practices, or technical matters. Considerable assistance has been provided to support member administrations preparations and response to Icao-Usoap audits.

Cusi hopes under him, Coscap would become the perfect vehicle for the country and other member states to be able to address their specific problems, thus leading to their attainment of international safety standards.

Specifically, for the Philippines, Cusi said he hopes that this would be the opportunity to speed up the process of meeting the significant safety concerns (SSC) so that the country may get back to Category 1 status very soon.

With Coscap, Icao would be able to support, establish and improve safety among groups of participating states.

Members of the Coscap South East Asia, aside from the Philippines, include; Cambodia, Hong Kong, Macao, Indonesia, Lao Peoples Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Burma, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei Darussalam and Timor Leste.

Coscap members in South Asia include India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives and Sri Lanka, which is the senior member in Aspac, currently operating under its third five-year term.

Ccoscap North Asia includes China, Republic of Korea, the Democratic Republic of Korea and Mongolia.

Cornier said that Coscap under Cusi would get the ownership of the program, and he would be able to set the guidelines for the year.

Currently, Coscap is training 45 check pilots, 25 flight operations inspectors and 50 cabin safety inspectors at the Civil Aviation Training Center.

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/nation/4422-cusi-now-chairman-of-icao-aspac-branch

litigs

December 1st, 2010, 04:16 PM

PAL has had a lot of accidents in their almost 70 year history. The most serious one was the HS748 which crashed in Mt. Ugu on its approach to Baguio Loakan Airport back in 1987, killing all 50 on board. However, the last major one was when the Japanese got blown out of the plane as a bomb was planted on his seat (NRT flight) which was masterminded by Al Qaeda way back in 1994 (Project Bojinka). There was also this new A320 that overshot the Bacolod runway in 1998, killing 3 people on the ground (none on the plane). Most PEXers are too young to remember these fatal incidents.

Don't forget to mention the SD360 crash at Iligan and the 737 fire at domestic tarmac. Regardless, It's still my personal assessment that PAL is safer than those airlines mentioned in the list.

Kintoy

December 1st, 2010, 04:33 PM

6 fatal incidents in 70 years. that's a good record, i think.

mambo

December 1st, 2010, 04:38 PM

^^ why they did not include the American Airlines and United Airlines in Sepetember 11 attack which is one of the worst.. and Air France have also many plane crashes.

.

russian airlines also:bash:

absinthe_888

December 1st, 2010, 05:00 PM

PAL din ba yung merong nang hijack tapos tumalon using a makeshift parachute?

BULLDOG

December 1st, 2010, 05:03 PM

mCx2

December 1st, 2010, 05:19 PM

That list of worst airlines is noticeably incomplete. What with the absence of some US airlines paticularly American airlines,Northwest and the defunct Pan Am. Whatever happened to that disaster shortly after 9/11 in NYC involving an American Airliner which lost its tail and ditched into sea killling everyone onboard with some of its bits landed into houses causing a great fire.And that Northwest flight which plowed onto the cornfields with only a number of survivors in the early 80s.And who can't forget that Pan Am flight that was bombed by the Lybians and disintegrated mid air and scattered debris around Lockerbie killing everyone onboard and 3 on the ground in the early 90's. The events above are only partial and there are more minor and major incidents involving these three major US airlines. you just have to google search it. And to add to the list is of course Airfrance with 2 major incidents-the not so long ago big crash in Charles de Gaulle involving a concorde in mid 2000(this one was a classic as it ended the supersonic era in air transport) and the latest event was that A330 flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris in June 2009 that vanished during the night but was found to have crashed into Atlantic ocean.PAL on this list is a sick joke.

NTprime

December 1st, 2010, 05:26 PM

PAL din ba yung merong nang hijack tapos tumalon using a makeshift parachute?

Yep. PR812, A330. DVOMNL May 25, 2000. Guy with marital problems. Did a grand exit even before Steven Slater became famous:lol: Except that the hijacker died from the jump.

http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20000525-2

The problem with PAL is not the fatal crashes, but the number of hijackings. No less than 10 from 1952 to 2000. They've had relatively a good past decade except for the A320 that overshot the runway in Butuan back in 2007 (19 injuries).

mCx2

December 1st, 2010, 05:27 PM

PAL din ba yung merong nang hijack tapos tumalon using a makeshift parachute?

:lol:Korek ka dyan dear.:lol:Mind you,that unfortunate idiot won the award for ''The Annual Most Stupid Criminal in the World'' but wasn't able to collect his trophy.:lol:I bet he's in the Guinness World of Records.:bash:

mCx2

December 1st, 2010, 05:31 PM

Bakit sinama ang QANTAS ang pinaka nakakatakot dahil sunod-sunod ang aberya.....:ohno:

Qantas has had plenty of incidents of late but no major crashes or fatalities resulting from these events. So they are still considered safe.

NTprime

December 1st, 2010, 05:31 PM

This list is very debatable. Some facts are wrong or possibly not noted.

The first error I noticed is that PAL with 107 deaths that completed 1.18M flights ranked higher than Kenya airways which had more deaths and less flights. The same goes with the succeeding airlines.

Second is terrorism. Terrorism is not the airline's fault. The fault, besides the terrorists themselves, goes to airport security whose responsibility is to keep innocent civilians traveling using the airport safe. Actually PAL did an awesome job countering the airport security's failures in flight 434. 3 bombs and 1 hijacking for PAL at no. 4. If you think terrorism and hijacking should be considered, where's United and American after 911?

And by the way, where's Qantas after all these unfortunate incidents that almost led to a major disaster including one that made an emergency landing in Manila if you mean "dangerous" from its dictionary meaning?

I don't know about you but I think EU banned, FAA downgraded and askmen.com listed the wrong airline.

I definitely agree with you on point no. 2. PAL has had at least 10 hijackings since 1952, which in most cases is blamed on lousy airport security.

In the case of the American carriers, I think the report did not include domestic incidents, only international. Hmmm...most of PAL's incidents were domestic Philippines anyway...the perspective of the report is really biased for Western carriers. Now of course, the title of the report is based on the number fatalities in proportion with the number of flights made, looking only at airlines that operate across different continents. And who would believe askmen.com compared to a reliable source like aviation safety network?

romantic_guy08

December 1st, 2010, 05:50 PM

If only it was easy to do mileage runs in Southeast Asia, I'd want to move up to Skymiles Gold. :lol:

Reminds me of the movie Up In the Air... 10 million miles elite club... heehhe

chevy_boy

December 1st, 2010, 06:26 PM

I beg to disagree. i have never heard of a hijacking incident on PAL with a bomb exploding and the plane disintegrating at mid-air. :bash:

I remember of a bomb exploding in a PAL B747 Manila-Cebu-Tokyo but it only killed one (Japanese) and the plane was one of a few "success stories" of Filipino pilots saving the day.

hijacking of the PAL BAC 1-11 from Davao (or Zambo?) in 1976 bringing the student hijackers to Libya making it the longest standing hijacking incident that time.
never heard of a PAL disintegrating in mid-air :ohno:

I guess they are referring to a flight from CYZ to MNL that crashed....

regjeex

December 1st, 2010, 06:33 PM

share ko lang from Erbil, Iraq thread....

Eto ung airport ng Erbil ang isa sa mga autonmous region ng Iraq, the Kurdistan Region. Ang ganda ng airport nila...

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/5589/erbilairport1.jpg (http://img97.imageshack.us/i/erbilairport1.jpg/)

http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/736/erbilairport2.jpg (http://img35.imageshack.us/i/erbilairport2.jpg/)

http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/5613/erbilairport3.jpg (http://img163.imageshack.us/i/erbilairport3.jpg/)

http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/8053/erbilairport6.jpg (http://img251.imageshack.us/i/erbilairport6.jpg/)

http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/880/erbilairport5.jpg (http://img519.imageshack.us/i/erbilairport5.jpg/)

http://img693.imageshack.us/img693/7962/erbilairport4.jpg (http://img693.imageshack.us/i/erbilairport4.jpg/)

regjeex

December 1st, 2010, 06:34 PM

eto pa... :cheers:

Here are some shots of erbil int. that i found on Flickr

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu320/Rsaid21/4007783807_ef692a5b6f_b-1.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu320/Rsaid21/4008517698_8f8e8be5cc_b-1.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu320/Rsaid21/4008493878_3a52d18de3_b-1.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu320/Rsaid21/4007720385_9373afe5ce_b-1.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu320/Rsaid21/4007698633_9f25ce7289_b-1.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu320/Rsaid21/4008441660_d0ef6a78a1_b-1.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu320/Rsaid21/4007668377_b47ab93c4d_b-1.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu320/Rsaid21/4007654923_dd3839ccff_b-1.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu320/Rsaid21/4007516219_1fe1ecf456_b-1.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu320/Rsaid21/4007516175_4e2a7b2665_b-1.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu320/Rsaid21/4077400094_4f3bb7c321_b.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu320/Rsaid21/4077386526_7ab9de02c0_b.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu320/Rsaid21/4077361238_57da881d55_b.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu320/Rsaid21/4077340782_cc4db1a696_b.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu320/Rsaid21/4049636500_d2c5f3a878_o.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu320/Rsaid21/4049634764_9441ec2f90_o.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu320/Rsaid21/4019492814_fbe99b6ccc_o.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu320/Rsaid21/4018727851_78a6bfbf31_o.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu320/Rsaid21/4010593097_573dfb6335_o.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu320/Rsaid21/4011106944_6307166b2f_o.jpg

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu320/Rsaid21/4010323697_5d9da9d8ec_o.jpg

regjeex

December 1st, 2010, 06:37 PM

eto pa... galing galing ng mga screen nila... dapat palitan na ung mga screen jan sa T3 ng flat screen

http://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/34615015.jpg

http://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/36562956.jpg

Credits to abdullah ozdemir (http://www.panoramio.com/user/530752?with_photo_id=36562956)

jeffphilippines

December 1st, 2010, 07:16 PM

No need for open skies - CAAP

By Jess Diaz and Mary Ann Ll. Reyes (The Philippine Star) Updated December 02, 2010 12:00 AM Comments (1)

MANILA, Philippines – There is no need for the so-called “open skies” as the country is effectively pursuing a liberalized aviation policy, a representative of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said yesterday.

Lawyer Joseph Ray Gumabon told the House committee on transportation chaired by Leyte Rep. Roger Mercado that foreign airlines are free to include the country in their routes.

But they do not include the Philippines in their route map because there are not enough passengers, he said.

There is also the safety issue involving aviation infrastructure in the country, which has prompted US authorities to give the country a low safety rating, lumping it with some underdeveloped African nations, he said.

Committee member Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone said he got the impression from the testimony of Gumabon that “we have no need for an open skies policy.”

“In fact, between the US and Manila, for instance, there are enough available airline seats but there are not enough passengers,” he said.

“There are apparently no restrictions for foreign airlines to fly to Clark in Angeles City, Cebu, Davao, and other local destinations,” he said.

For its part, Philippine Airlines (PAL) assured the lawmakers that it would support an open skies policy if it is fair, reciprocal and would not place local carriers at a disadvantage against foreign airlines.

PAL senior assistant vice president for external affairs Ma. Socorro Gonzaga said foreign carriers enjoy adequate access to Philippine skies, debunking claims there is lack of airline seats to accommodate tourists.

She said what the country really needs are more investments in infrastructure, a stable peace and order situation, and positive image abroad to attract tourists.

“It’s not the number of airline seats that is the behind the lack of tourist interest in the Philippines but the country’s negative image abroad, specially in the area of peace and order and security,” she pointed out.

Despite this perception, Gonzaga said PAL, as the country’s flag carrier, has always been at the forefront in developing key markets to boost Philippine tourism.

She said PAL is the only Philippine carrier flying to and from several significant destinations around the world, making it the one of the primary drivers of Philippine tourism.

She pointed out that since the Ramos administration, the Philippines has been liberally granting entitlements to foreign airlines. At present, she said there are 47.4 million seats available to foreign and local carriers.

However, of these available seats, only 10.97 million seats – or 23 percent of total entitlements – were used by foreign and local carriers last year.

Of the 10.97 million passengers that came to the country by air in 2009, only 2.9 million were tourists.

Gonzaga pointed out that these figures belie the claim by proponents of open skies that there is lack of airline seats to accommodate foreign visitors.

“Even without open skies, the six million tourist arrival target of the Department of Tourism by 2016 could be accommodated based on existing airline seats or entitlements available to both foreign and local carriers,” she stressed.

She said seat entitlements to Clark are about 25.6 million; to Cebu, 20.7 million; to Davao, 20.3 million, and to Kalibo, Bohol, Palawan and Laoag, 19.6 million. In Manila, there are 21.2 million seats available yearly.

Gonzaga said the figures effectively debunk the arguments of open skies advocates that the lack of airline seats is the principal reason for low tourist arrivals in the country.

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jeffphilippines

December 1st, 2010, 07:27 PM

Foreign carriers have access -- PAL

FLAG CARRIER Philippine Airlines (PAL) said yesterday an “open skies” policy should be “fair and reciprocal,” and should “not unduly place local carriers at a disadvantage vis-a-vis foreign airlines.”

In a statement, PAL said that during a recent public hearing conducted by the House of Representatives’ transportation committee, it pointed out that foreign carriers “enjoy adequate access to Philippine skies, debunking claims there is lack of airline seats to accommodate tourists.”

“What the country really needs are more investments in infrastructure, a stable peace and order situation, and positive image abroad to attract tourists,” said Ma. Socorro Gonzaga, PAL senior assistant vice-president for external affairs. “It’s not the number of airline seats that is the behind the lack of tourist interest in the Philippines but the country’s negative image abroad, specially in the area of peace and order and security,” she added.

Ms. Gonzaga said there are 47.4 million seats available to foreign and local carriers at present.

“However, of these 47.4 million available seats, only 10.97 million seats -- or 23% of total entitlements -- were used by foreign and local carriers last year. Of the 10.97 million passengers that came to the country by air in 2009, only 2.9 million were tourists,” she said.

She said Clark in Pampanga has 25.6 million in seat entitlements yearly, Cebu, 20.7 million; Davao, 20.3 million, and Kalibo in Aklan, Bohol, Palawan and Laoag, 19.6 million.

“In Manila, there are 21.2 million seat entitlements available yearly.

The sum is more than 47.4 million seats because many of the entitlements may be used for different airports, hence the overlap,” she said.

Last month, the government said it would further liberalize the civil aviation industry to increase tourist arrivals. The move is being touted as the long-term solution to the financial woes of PAL, which is facing labor problems.

In October, the Labor department allowed the Lucio C. Tan-led airline to outsource three non-core units to cut costs. -- A. M. P. Dagcutan

hybridace101

December 1st, 2010, 11:10 PM

No need for open skies - CAAP

By Jess Diaz and Mary Ann Ll. Reyes (The Philippine Star) Updated December 02, 2010 12:00 AM Comments (1)

...

But they do not include the Philippines in their route map because there are not enough passengers, he said.

...

“In fact, between the US and Manila, for instance, there are enough available airline seats but there are not enough passengers,” he said.

...

She said what the country really needs are more investments in infrastructure, a stable peace and order situation, and positive image abroad to attract tourists.

“It’s not the number of airline seats that is the behind the lack of tourist interest in the Philippines but the country’s negative image abroad, specially in the area of peace and order and security,” she pointed out.

...

However, of these available seats, only 10.97 million seats – or 23 percent of total entitlements – were used by foreign and local carriers last year.

Of the 10.97 million passengers that came to the country by air in 2009, only 2.9 million were tourists.

...

This is what I have been arguing. If the Philippines were attractive, then why would EU carriers pull out of the country in the first place?

Again, it's not about "open skies" but whether the country is attractive to the bottom line of such carriers. And the country can start not by further "opening the skies" but by getting rid of the CCT. I frankly don't know the progress of this. It is like a mall offering plenty of parking space but inside the mall itself, there are very few shops and very few items to sell. The people go to the mall because of the shops, the things they can buy and not necessary the parking (though it makes things slightly easier for them).

To the very few who want to fly between the country and the EU, there are options using EK, QR and CX. Besides, the country is an OFW-market. If there are only few tourists, then all the more business passengers.

NTprime

December 2nd, 2010, 12:49 AM

kyril

December 2nd, 2010, 04:35 AM

In addition to American Airline's worst safety record, here's an article about its latest incident:

http://montreal.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20101130/mtl_trudeau_101130/20101130/?hub=MontrealHome

Airplane drives off Trudeau runway

The American Airlines Boeing 737 out of Dallas ran off the runway at Trudeau Airport around 8 p.m. Tuesday night.

A total of 111 passengers were on board the plane, but no one was injured.

Montreal traveller Paul Lavallee said the plane was shaking and he could see mud flying up to the sides of the plane after it rolled into the grass.

Beaconsfield resident Annemarie Rogers said no one fell out of their seats, but passengers had to brace themselves by holding on to the seats in front of them.

The plane remained on the runway with passengers inside until about 9:50 p.m.

The airplane was not seriously damaged.

The cause of the incident is unknown, said Aeroports de Montreal spokesperson Anne Marcotte.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is investigating.

Source: CTV Montreal

mwg12a

December 2nd, 2010, 08:21 AM

The problem with the sentence highlighted above is that the airports mentioned DO NOT have the capacity to process that many passenger movements. Only MNL is capable of processing the 21 million or so passenger movements. Clark can't even process 5 million pax per year unless they expand further.

So it is a chicken and egg issue...build the terminal so that the tourists/passengers will come, or wait for the tourist/passenger numbers to increase before plunking money into an airport?

This is one of the biggest arguments why they should develop DMIA into the premiere international airport, Narita style. And likewise increase the capacity of NAIA as well as the entitlements while waiting for the overall infrastructure to transform DMIA into what it should be.

Yeah, but they also mentioned above that there is no enough passengers to fill in the available seats to those airport. For instance, DMIA only have 600,000 passenger yearly, apparently, I believe it's more than that but it is still not reaching 1 million per year. Considering there are more than enough seat entitlement without the passengers or the market, why would we build an airport that is good for that amount of seat entitlement. The airport would be underutilized. Now since DMIA is being expanded already with the new extension just recently finished, it should be designed to atleast accomodate 2-3million passengers yearly in case in the fist year there is a marked increase in number, the terminal should be designed to be expanded further. So, the point here is what I have stated above already. There are many seat entitlement the trouble is "how to fill up" those seats. I definitely agree with PAL in this aspect. Not so much about the "open sky" policy. They do have a point there. What's the use of this policy if foreign carriers are allowed to fly in DVO, MCIA, Clark, ZIA and LIA? Because, apparently, that open sky policy does not cover NAIA. Its a different story if NAIA is included in the opensky policy. It does not make any sense to me at all.

Foreign carriers have access -- PAL

In a statement, PAL said that during a recent public hearing conducted by the House of Representatives’ transportation committee, it pointed out that foreign carriers “enjoy adequate access to Philippine skies, debunking claims there is lack of airline seats to accommodate tourists.”

“What the country really needs are more investments in infrastructure, a stable peace and order situation, and positive image abroad to attract tourists,” said Ma. Socorro Gonzaga, PAL senior assistant vice-president for external affairs. “It’s not the number of airline seats that is the behind the lack of tourist interest in the Philippines but the country’s negative image abroad, specially in the area of peace and order and security,” she added.

Ms. Gonzaga said there are 47.4 million seats available to foreign and local carriers at present.

“However, of these 47.4 million available seats, only 10.97 million seats -- or 23% of total entitlements -- were used by foreign and local carriers last year. Of the 10.97 million passengers that came to the country by air in 2009, only 2.9 million were tourists,” she said.

She said Clark in Pampanga has 25.6 million in seat entitlements yearly, Cebu, 20.7 million; Davao, 20.3 million, and Kalibo in Aklan, Bohol, Palawan and Laoag, 19.6 million.

“In Manila, there are 21.2 million seat entitlements available yearly.

The sum is more than 47.4 million seats because many of the entitlements may be used for different airports, hence the overlap,” she said.

s. -- A. M. P. Dagcutan

oninBadz

December 2nd, 2010, 01:00 PM

majaba98

December 2nd, 2010, 01:31 PM

^^

Perhaps the President need to be told that WAO and ALLAH VALLEY airports are there but no airline bothers to fly them, except flying goats and occasional cows. The government cannot even figure flying out of ILIGAN because of thorny approach issues. Gezz!

These DOTC people really are sleeping on their jobs.:ohno:

Great Arianespace, as you seem to be busy with the right and the wrong, and know so much about "insider views" and this is your suggestion anyway - why don´t you give the president a petition call ?

And please no answer as how complicated jurisdication is in this country and that it won´t work and never will reach him anyway, and you know better and all that stuff....

No offence arianespace, just been reading your posts and they all seem to end up with something like "I´m the leader, trust me !" stuff.

I may be one of the few to offer you offence here, I´m just am not with that "yes sir" thing. So lets play ball.
:-)
Instead of playing the leader all the time, (it´s not that I envey anyone for good governance or better information sources, i´m actually greatful for your competent information) - but how about a legislative suggestion to really help rule our country better ?

Step forward and act instead of yak-idi-yak.

Now for some real good suggestions here - we could form a forum that acts instead of just talk...that is where a laywer can prove his competence in my opinion.

And like I said: no offence, just good democratic ideas on how we all can step-up on these matters.

Now I´m open to anyones creative suggestions in this matter. A new government should be open for their countrymens´ interests, don´t you agree?

Best regards,
majaba.

zidlakan

December 2nd, 2010, 01:42 PM

romantic_guy08

December 2nd, 2010, 02:36 PM

Hope nobody minds this OT...just stumbled on this video and its quite overwhelming especially when the PR A300(?) was climbing out carrying Pope John Paul II to Papua New Guinea after the World Youth Day 1995 here in Manila.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyFiBoFq2fo

Gulf Coast

December 2nd, 2010, 02:42 PM

hybridace101

December 2nd, 2010, 02:49 PM

mCx2

December 2nd, 2010, 06:15 PM

I doubt that BA, AF, LH, AZ and even UA and CP pulled out because our airport is lousy or our skies are "closed." They pulled out because the Philippines doesn't add significant value to their respective bottom lines anymore. If EU carriers would want to fly here, they would not have pulled out in the first place.

First, there is not much reason for Europeans to do business in the Philippines hence the high-yield and premium crowd is out.

Next, EU tourists can't trust the Philippines to provide them with a safe experience hence the tourist crowd is out. Same story for Philippine tourists who don't have much craving (or even money) to experience European culture. A 30+-day trip around most of the EU costs more than a million pesos for a family of 5 and you can sense there are very few who can do that.

Lastly, despite the stories you see on TV and teleseryes focused on OFWs in Europe, there are simply far more in the middle east and even HK or SG than the EU. You can't expect a high-yield premium airline like AF to open-up a route dedicated to the relatively miniscule number OFWs bound for the EU.

On top of this, you noticed especially with the rise of right-wing governments in the EU over the past few years that getting a Visa to visit just 1 of the Schengen-member states is more difficult than before hence why would airlines want to open new routes between PH and EU if the expected visa denials would go up making the pool of potential passengers decrease?

I can go on about EU-PH relations (or the lack of it) but that will be off-topic already but it's sufficing to say it's just not worth it in the eyes of EU and Western carriers to open a route between those 2 points. They can make more money flying to long standing Cat 2 African countries.

Someone mentioned it: airlines will not start a route unless it gives them a healthy return on their investment. Take note that it's extremely expensive to operate a flight.

You seem to be discounting on Philippines ability to become the next ''it'' SEA tourist destination. Don't be too harsh on your assessment about our attractiveness in the europeans point of view as you are not a european and you can't speak for them. Things are changing at the moment and trends and fads come and go. Bali and Thailand are no longer considered safe destinations. Cambodia and vietnam both with terrible history of atrocities are now the new favourites and the Philippines is slowly elbowing itself into these latest list of popular holiday destination together with China. Among the biggest reasons are affordability,value for money and exciting new world to explore.
In the early to mid 70s Manila was one of the most popular hubs in SEA. PAL used to fly to the Scandinavian countries,western Europe,extensively in Asia and Australia and of course the USA until it fell out of favour and those routes have become unprofitable brought about by Philippines bad image and unpopularity back then. During that era Singapore Airlines is only in its infancy and did not become a hub until the early 90s. So that's the tragic story -we lost our country's good image,then the routes and our honour as one of the major hubs in Asia Pacific. Now with PALs small fleet and our not so great Segmented Manila airports I can't see the prospect of us becoming a hub in the near future. But as major tourist destination-there's a high posibility.We have a lot to offer.

litigs

December 2nd, 2010, 08:36 PM

I'm not sure if pnoy was properly briefed on the state of all Mindanao airports including on going, the ones that are supposed to be complete by now (ghost tower in Pagadian) and existing ones in the interior that needs to be fixed or revived. Maybe there was a list but he may not have time to do it so he just lets his aide recommend to him what is best to say to put some comfort to the constituents of Mindanao. I'm sure what he said was all in good intentions and we are used to those unfulfilled promises by politicians anyways. Just like what they say during the campaign, " if you don't a have river bellow the bridge, I will make you one". Talking about a politician addressing the crowd about a bridge only to be cautioned that no river exist.

sandwindstars

December 2nd, 2010, 09:30 PM

majaba98

December 2nd, 2010, 11:13 PM

I agree with you that it is not about the bling bling but the functionality of the airport and viability. One doesn't have to look at 50 years down the road, because there's about 20 years the country has to play catch up.

Clark is already more than halfway through - the infrastructure is there, 2 runways, all the bells and whistles, the connectivity is there (SCTEX, NLEX, TPLEX), the population demographic is there. All it needs is to connect all these components to make it very viable. The new one they just opened is just band aid. The comprehensive master plan was done in FVR's time. What it needs is a proper terminal that can be expanded. It isn't even necessary to have a high speed rail for now, but express shuttle buses to different points, even DMIA-NAIA (like Heathrow-Gatwick). Toronto Pearson serves towns and cities within 200+ km radius. There are shuttle mini buses from major towns and cities to the airport. Even people from Detroit, drive 500 km to fly out of Toronto.

NAIA will max out in 3 years time, based on current trend. T1 was planned in early '70s, opened only 1984 (it was obsolete by then), maxed out in less than 10 years. T2 planned in 1989, opened in 1998, maxed out in 10 years (9 m pax). The Philippines is in a steep growth trajectory, in double digits. The LRT/MRT lines are full capacity in 2-3 years of operation. They were planned decades ago.

Planning should provide solutions for the future. So many masterplans have been made but they gather dust, or the actualization takes decades. The plan for the nautical highway was gathering dust until GMA dusted it and incorporated it into her development plans. It turned out to be an engine of economic growth in the Visayas, who would have thought? Same as Clark, it isn't only an airport, a destination, a gateway but a driver of growth complementing Subic and Manila, the whole central region.

Let's face it, NAIA as a viable international gateway is nearing its sell by date, to many foreigners, it's already toast. Given the chance, people would rather fly to Cebu or Clark to the Philippines rather than go through Manila. As for money, I had pointed this out in other forums. 60% of the OFW remittances, actually are from balikbayan. How many condos, house and lot can they buy for investment? Has anyone looked at these remittances as potential sources of financing? If Dinky Soliman can have a "peace bond" I'm sure having a MCIA or DMIA bonds will be more saleable.

Your common sence is realistic and comprehensive sandwindstars; I like your approach to reality and point of view.

Another point is that from the first plan to expand, to a evaluated master plan (which may take years, cause one follows the next one) to the construction on site, and then to the opening - takes ages in this country. And then you also have court rulings because someone is not happy with the deal, closing down the site for an unknown time. No wonder terminals are outdated within such a short time period of only 2 - 3 years.

NTprime

December 3rd, 2010, 01:37 AM

not necessarily. that's where good honest-to-goodness planning is impe-
rative, one that hovers on being soberly realistic, something in between
extreme conservatism or reckless optimism. this is also where a good
master plan and professionally conducted feasibility studies are critical.
a carefully made master plan can generate a good estimate of future levels
of utilization in 20 years (or 30 as the case maybe), and since the gesta-
tion period of this kind of projects average 7 years from concept to finish,
we can actually build terminals and amenities to cater to a certain service
level in x years, giving enough slack time for the gestation of the next
improvement, rehabilitation, and expansion. even the expected boosts in
passenger levels brought about by urban development can be estimated
and properly considered in the projections.

Dear Paul, this is truly where we appreciate the precision and detailed thought process of an engineer like you:) Which is exactly why the government needs to appoint more technocrats, not just due to political accommodations! In many instances in the past, retired generals were appointed to a lot of posts that would have probably been better off with business executives or engineers who understand economics, marketing and promotions, and customer service. Nothing personal against air force people (I have a few friends who are soon to be the next wave of leadership in the PAF), but the problem with their paradigm is that many of them are tactical and operational from a military perspective, not a commercial perspective. I mean, the higher up they go, the more they are used to ordering around subordinates, instead of listening to their customers!

So many airports in other countries have been successful because they transformed beyond their normal revenue streams of aircraft parking fees, parking garage fees, passenger facility charges, flowage fees, etc. and into more of a mall concept (leasing fees, percentage of rentals of non-airline tenants, etc.) but really it is about marketing the destination (and thus the airport) itself. The more customers, the more business, the bigger the airport. So the airport itself is just a cog in a larger web of complex marketing of a total brand of the country. In the US mergers can make or break an airport which is a hub of one of the merging entities. In the 90s STL expanded to a second runway as it was one of the top 10 airports in the US. But then TWA was bought by AA in 2001 and out went the STL hub. Nowadays the total passenger movements in STL is less than 13 million pax, down from a peak of 30 million in the late 90s.

Good thing for Philippine airports the hub and spoke concept is not as ingrained compared to in the US. PR and 5J still have MNL and CEB as major hubs, and they haven't become an airline alliance hub yet. When this happens (say MNL becomes a Star Alliance or Skyteam hub), you will see a lot of passengers coming and going through. Which then increases the economic viability of the airport, even without government having to intervene. And then the airports can become self-sufficient and not rely on funding from the government.

The problem arises when some people insist on building huge facilities
with capacities reaching levels that are expected to materialize 50 years
from now! as has been pointed out by @arianespace in another thread.
(or like building an 80-km bridge between cebu and bohol!) ... , i mean,
sobriety is the name of the game ... especially when billions of taxpayers
money is concerned.

Exactly! Which is where the value of long term masterplans comes in. I wish the government prioritize funding to those airports that need it (NAIA, DMIA and MCIA), instead of building in places which will hardly see direct flights from abroad (Panglao). Even if Bohol becomes another Boracay, I would still expect most pax to transit via Manila, not necessarily fly in direct.

To me the PHP7 billion is best spent in any of the 3 major gateways of the country, not in a destination which will probably suffer as a result of over-development.

I agree:) basically law of supply and demand. Take for example Tagbilaran. Yes it does have a lot of entitlements which is a good one by the way but the real issue is, if there is enough traffic. As what has been published, seat allocations were underutilized. Building a huge airport just because it has entitlements isn't a great idea at all. Building one will just be detrimental in the long run because issues such as return of investment, interest rate and maintenance cost will surface.

Yes, I agree with you that Tagbilaran and the eventual Panglao should not be built as a huge airport primarily because it will be underutilized in the near to medium term.

I agree with you that it is not about the bling bling but the functionality of the airport and viability. One doesn't have to look at 50 years down the road, because there's about 20 years the country has to play catch up.

Clark is already more than halfway through - the infrastructure is there, 2 runways, all the bells and whistles, the connectivity is there (SCTEX, NLEX, TPLEX), the population demographic is there. All it needs is to connect all these components to make it very viable. The new one they just opened is just band aid. The comprehensive master plan was done in FVR's time. What it needs is a proper terminal that can be expanded. It isn't even necessary to have a high speed rail for now, but express shuttle buses to different points, even DMIA-NAIA (like Heathrow-Gatwick). Toronto Pearson serves towns and cities within 200+ km radius. There are shuttle mini buses from major towns and cities to the airport. Even people from Detroit, drive 500 km to fly out of Toronto.

NAIA will max out in 3 years time, based on current trend. T1 was planned in early '70s, opened only 1984 (it was obsolete by then), maxed out in less than 10 years. T2 planned in 1989, opened in 1998, maxed out in 10 years (9 m pax). The Philippines is in a steep growth trajectory, in double digits. The LRT/MRT lines are full capacity in 2-3 years of operation. They were planned decades ago.

Planning should provide solutions for the future. So many masterplans have been made but they gather dust, or the actualization takes decades. The plan for the nautical highway was gathering dust until GMA dusted it and incorporated it into her development plans. It turned out to be an engine of economic growth in the Visayas, who would have thought? Same as Clark, it isn't only an airport, a destination, a gateway but a driver of growth complementing Subic and Manila, the whole central region.

Let's face it, NAIA as a viable international gateway is nearing its sell by date, to many foreigners, it's already toast. Given the chance, people would rather fly to Cebu or Clark to the Philippines rather than go through Manila. As for money, I had pointed this out in other forums. 60% of the OFW remittances, actually are from balikbayan. How many condos, house and lot can they buy for investment? Has anyone looked at these remittances as potential sources of financing? If Dinky Soliman can have a "peace bond" I'm sure having a MCIA or DMIA bonds will be more saleable.

50 years is too long for our lifetimes! By that time we may be in wheelchairs or six feet under:lol:

In the near term, we will definitely see a lot more international pax flying through CRK and CEB. Especially because of "open skies".

But then, you cannot completely shut down NAIA the moment DMIA is made the premiere international gateway (wasn't that announced already way back during FVR's time?). NAIA for me will still be there in the short term unless DMIA is fully developed and reaches the 15 million passenger mark. By then, we would probably see MCIA exceed the 10 million passenger mark (both domestic and international). The way it is, MCIA has been doing quite well in bringing more international arrivals (see chart below).

http://www.mactan-cebuairport.com.ph/traffic_statistics/passenger/internationS.gif

sandwindstars

December 3rd, 2010, 06:37 AM

^^ No, you can't close down NAIA not for another 10 years, With open skies, CRK and CEB will be bringing in new business not just take the congestion from NAIA.

bulabog jalaur

December 3rd, 2010, 06:42 AM

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=12300149

Qantas Claims Rolls-Royce Breached A380 Engine Contract

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Qantas Airways is claiming damages from engine maker Rolls-Royce over faulty Airbus A380 engines and loss of business, as investigators concluded a design fault was the likely cause of a mid-air engine failure on an Airbus A380 last month........

sandwindstars

December 3rd, 2010, 06:54 AM

I don't know how to embed, so check the link. Brilliant. Some offensive language.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0rxASx1SxY&feature=player_embedded

Linguine

December 3rd, 2010, 09:33 AM

Air traffic upgraded for safety, efficiency

Minding air traffic at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport is being boosted by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency in a bid to improve safety and efficiency at the terminals.

Senior representative Susomo Ito turned over to Director general Albert Cusi of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines the Air Traffic Flow Simulator, an integral part of Communication, Navigation System/Air Traffic Management, which would be operational in 2013.

The P10 billion project by the government is a satellite-based system being used inleading airports around ther world.

The JICA experts and CAAP counterparts surveyed traffic flow in the Philippines in 2009, seeking to balance landing and take-off on NAIA’s carrying capacity.

As designed, the simulator would forecast the hourly volume of inbound traffic and the duration of airborne holding.

Aircraft arriving Manila are assigned an Expected Departure Clearance Time to reduce the waiting period which, according to JICA, will result in better traffic coordination and reduced fuel emissions.

During a preview, Japanese technical staff showed a monitor of 28 arriving aircraft given a maximum airborne holding time of 30 minutes.

Using the simulator, air controllers were able to cut the holding period to 10 minutes.

Cusi lauded the upgrade for its ability to provide information on real-time traffic volume allowing updates to be circulated to airline operators on the Internet.

Air Traffic Services director Willy Borja said the simulator which is based on standards of the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau could adapt to projected increases in air traffic amid an expanding aviation industry. Eric B. Apolonio

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideMetro.htm?f=/2010/december/3/metro1.isx&d=2010/december/3

NTprime

December 3rd, 2010, 10:18 AM

^^ No, you can't close down NAIA not for another 10 years, With open skies, CRK and CEB will be bringing in new business not just take the congestion from NAIA.

Oh, I didn't mean close NAIA down. I am in fact one of the advocates of keeping NAIA open for the long term and making it the equivalent of HND while CRK be made the equivalent of NRT.

We just need to ensure that the government planners also consider viewpoints like this. Openly they're saying that CRK will be the premiere airport but they're not clear exactly what will become of NAIA in the medium term. As for the short term, I am very certain NAIA will still be around by the time PNoy's term ends, and even possibly beyond that.

ivanc

December 3rd, 2010, 11:17 AM

does anyone have a link for some info on PAL's fare classes? thanks

mikem488

December 3rd, 2010, 07:50 PM

hybridace101

December 3rd, 2010, 10:12 PM

^^

Weird that were the only country that has a "21-day" rule except for countries where we have existing reciprocal agreements with. Others would go 30 days. Though look at the schengen zone, some countries like the NL will issue you visas to exactly match how long your planned itinerary will be. So if you only intend to stay for 1 day in your itinerary, they will give you a visa that will allow you to stay for that period only.

It makes it difficult to book flights online to the EU because carriers will demand you pay immediately but then you have little recourse if your visa gets denied.

hybridace101

December 3rd, 2010, 10:20 PM

It's weird: CX can offer (somehow refundable) fares less than USD250 but for SQ we are lucky to get fares slightly less than USD400 (all-in). Is there any way we can get lower fares than that?

Sky Harbor

December 4th, 2010, 12:48 AM

It would be nice if the Philippines would do like Thailand and have a thirty day visa.

If I stay 26 days it cost me 3850p. It would be 2850 (plus a mandatory 500p for expediting) if I wanted to go and stand at the government office. In Thailand its free up to 30 days.

Just hurting the Philippine economy. Because most of the time I just leave after 21 days as a protest not to have to pay the fee. STUPID by the Phlippine government. They could still collect the same extension to 59 days that they do today on the foreign expats.

I would guess that there are a lot of tourist who leave on the 21 day. That is money that could have been spent into the Phlippine economy that will forever be lost.

^^

Weird that were the only country that has a "21-day" rule except for countries where we have existing reciprocal agreements with. Others would go 30 days. Though look at the schengen zone, some countries like the NL will issue you visas to exactly match how long your planned itinerary will be. So if you only intend to stay for 1 day in your itinerary, they will give you a visa that will allow you to stay for that period only.

It makes it difficult to book flights online to the EU because carriers will demand you pay immediately but then you have little recourse if your visa gets denied.

If you think about it, there are a lot of tourists who extend beyond 21 days, either by paying for an extension at the BI, or temporarily leaving the country and returning. If length is a problem, we can blame the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940. Since I heard that a new immigration law was passed, visa lengths may change, though I don't know.

hybridace101

December 4th, 2010, 01:12 AM

NTprime

December 4th, 2010, 01:21 AM

Leaving the country for a short period of time appears to be a practical option. HKG and BKI are around 1.75 hours away from MNL anyway and most foreign nationals don't need a visa to fly there. It costs 10x to go fly there than file the extension but it's probably worth the cost to avoid the hassles. But if you also think about it, HKG is stingier at granting most tourists some time to stay in their territory - 14 days except for US nationals.

Well, that's because you'd see most of HKG already in less than 14 days, much less for business unless it's a long term project. Anything longer would need an employment pass. For the Philippines, they should increase the short stay visa to 30 days for most nationalities that are given visa upon arrival, similar to those for ASEAN nationals. But for those nationalities who are prone to trafficking and human smuggling, the current rules are fine.

Linguine

December 4th, 2010, 02:43 PM

Airlines slam Customs threat at Naia
Saturday, 04 December 2010 18:48 Recto L. Mercene / Reporter

IN a last-ditch effort to compel airline carriers to pay their overtime services, Bureau of Customs (BOC) personnel at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) will stop work after 5 p.m. on weekdays and will not report for work during Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.

The customs employees said the Board of Airline Representatives (BAR) has not paid their overtime work for the last 16 months.

BAR First Vice-Chairman and Delta Air country manager Steven Crowdey wrote BOC Commissioner Angelito Alvarez, expressing their concern regarding unverified reports that Customs employees in Naia are planning to go on mass leave, intent on disrupting international flight operations outside the regular hours of work (8 a.m.-5 p.m.) for government employees.

“We have reasons to believe and therefore allege that the intended mass leave is in retaliation for a recent decision of the Court of Appeals favoring BAR on the overtime issue filed by the BOC on its October 26, 2010 promulgation,” Crowdey said.

“If the threatened mass leave results in disruptions of international gateways, the BoC personnel’s actions will directly and adversely affect not only our balikbayan and overseas Filipino workers but also foreign visitors and investors,” Crowdey said.

He added that such scenario will once again put the Philippines in a bad light and will be a setback in the promotion of the tourism industry, a flagship sector of the Aquino Administration.

Crowdey told Alvarez that the threatened mass leave, in light of its obvious purpose, constitutes an illegal strike and BAR will not hesitate to take legal remedies against them, including appropriate civil actions for damage to recover any and all losses resulting from the disruption of the operations of international airports.

Crowdey has urged Alvarez to take appropriate action to prevent the threatened mass leave of the BOC personnel by exercising its power of control and supervision over the officers and personnel assigned at the Naia.

The BAR’s letter was also sent to Collector Tess Roque, head of the Passengers and Customer Relations of the BOC at the Naia.

Earlier, Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim had suggested that the BOC adopt a work shift, which is done in all airports with 24-hour operations, to avert confusion and possible backlash from passengers using the Naia.

Air Traffic Controllers, Aviation Security Guards of the National Police, the Naia aircraft operations division, quarantine and immigration, including porterage and other services have adopted the 24-hour shift system for years as a concession to the special nature of their jobs at the airport. This system has also been adopted by all airports rendering 24-hour service.

Lim called on the Department of Finance and the BoC to resolve once and for all who should shoulder the payment for overtime services of Customs workers at Naia. Lim said such delays may further discourage both the airline businesses and investors to do business in the Philippines.

Some sectors have urged the BOC to adopt the tack of the Bureau of Quarantine and Immigration, which had successfully lobbied Congress to pass a law exempting them from the Civil Service Commission’s limitation on overtime services after office hours.

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/top-news/4518-airlines-slam-customs-threat-at-naia

Ph Man

December 4th, 2010, 05:10 PM

"ZukiChirO"

December 4th, 2010, 05:35 PM

pano nlang kya kung ganito ang mga Airlines sa Pinas...ibabalik paba nila ang Category 1?..hehehe

XPHqQaW7TmQ

hybridace101

December 4th, 2010, 06:49 PM

dexter06

December 4th, 2010, 08:08 PM

:ohno:
the problem seems to be very simple, with very simple solution. have them work in shifts. buti na lang ang flight ng KLM sa hapon, kung hindi, talagang magppullout na ang KL because of these unfriendly policies and attitudes. One of DL's flights arrives just before midnight, so they're in big trouble just in case.

KL's flights actually come before dawn, around 5-6ish. That is way before office hours.

But yes, why not have common sense shifting implemented?

Simple solution indeed, no need for a rocket scientist but look at how they are addressing it. Wala man lang "CAN DO" attitude. Sorry for the gripe but i just feel so helpless reading this bit of news. First read it last October when passengers of APX's inaugural return flight from Singapore were "stranded" inside the aircraft due to the absence of customs personnel. From that time till now, BOC should have taken steps already. What else is new. Talaga naman.

Ph Man

December 4th, 2010, 08:40 PM

If only the job can be outsourced!
:ohno:

KL's flights actually come before dawn, around 5-6ish. That is way before office hours.

But yes, why not have common sense shifting implemented?

Oh, that's a long wait before the return flight to AMS.

hybridace101

December 5th, 2010, 04:10 AM

Correction, it arrives 9.35, I just checked. But before it did land before dawn. It would definitely be a serious problem for KL if it kept its schedule. Perhaps the BOC is understaffed.

Linguine

December 5th, 2010, 05:34 AM

Travel executive says pocket open skies will not impact on tourist arrivals
By Mary Ann Ll. Reyes (The Philippine Star) Updated December 05, 2010 12:00 AM Comments (0) View comments

MANILA, Philippines – A tourism industry leader and open skies advocate said proposals to declare pocket open skies in some major provincial airports will have no effect on tourist arrivals unless other concerns are first addressed.

Robert Lim Joseph, chairman of the Travel Cooperative of the Philippines said lawmakers recently thumbed down bills proposing pocket open skies in certain provincial airports supposedly to attract tourists.

“Apparently the bills are not needed at present because foreign airlines can readily come but only they are not using their entitlements,” he said.

The lawmakers’ action was prompted by testimonies from Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) deputy executive director Porvenir Porciuncula and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) head executive assistant Atty. Joseph Ray Gumabon that an open skies policy does not guarantee more foreign flights and more tourists unless other relevant issues such as aviation safety, peace and order, security, and infrastructure are addressed.

They cited that even with the issuance of Executive Order 500 and 500-A declaring pocket open skies in the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in Clark, Pampanga, tourists did not come in droves and foreign airlines did not mount more flights. The budget airlines, they said, were already operating in Clark when EO 500 was issued by former President Arroyo in 2006.

“We cannot give for free our air rights. Why give our air rights for free if they (foreign airlines) won’t come anyway. We gave European, Asian and US carriers rights to fly to the Philippines but where are the tourists. The European carriers even left us,” Joseph said.

He, however, clarified that he is not against open skies as long as there is fair exchange of air rights with foreign countries. “If we give our rights for free, the Philippines will not have any bargaining position during air negotiations.”

Joseph said the government should concentrate on promotions, infrastructure development, maintenance of peace and order, and cleanliness to and from airports and tourist destinations.

He noted that the one-sided open skies being proposed by advocates would allow, for example, Singapore Airlines to fly from Singapore to Clark, then pick up passengers there and fly them to the United States. He said this is against national interest but good for the brokers because of GSA (General Sales Agent) commissions.

It was learned during the hearing that 47.4 million airline seats are available per year but only 10.97 million seats were utilized by both foreign and local carriers last year, disputing the claim by open skies proponents that there is lack of airline seats.

Out of these 10.7 million seats that were used, only three million seats were availed of by tourists.

Linguine

December 5th, 2010, 05:42 AM

PAL cites need to restructure, spin off to survive
(The Philippine Star) Updated December 05, 2010 12:00 AM Comments (1) View comments

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine Airlines (PAL) said recently that its corporate restructuring and spin-off programs are necessary to ensure the flag carrier’s continued survival in a cut-throat airline industry buffeted by massive losses in the last two years.

Speaking before the House committee on labor, PAL president and CEO Jaime Bautista maintained that the recent decision of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) affirming PAL management’s prerogative to restructure its organization “is based on solid legal grounds.” It also provides a generous separation package to about 2,600 affected workers.

He said the DOLE decision allows PAL to spin-off or sell three of its non-core units such as in-flight catering, airport services and call center reservations and contract the same to third party service providers. The agency also ruled that the termination of affected employees as a result of the spin off is in accordance with law, and that PAL is not liable for any unfair labor practice as a result of said termination.

Bautista said Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz based her Oct. 29, 2010 order on pertinent provisions of the Labor Code, Civil Code, past rulings of the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC), Supreme Court decisions and the current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between PAL and the PAL Employees Association (PALEA).

He said complaints by PALEA officers and other militant groups that the DOLE ruling trampled on workers’ rights have no factual or legal justification. He stressed that PAL’s string of massive losses in the last two years amounting to $312 million or almost P15 billion necessitated the spin-off to ensure PAL’s continued survival. He said the sale of the three non-core units was only done as a last resort after 14 major cost-cutting measures proved inadequate to guarantee PAL’s continued operations. He also stressed that hiring third party service providers after PAL decided to close down its non-core units is not ‘contractualization’ as the union claims.

“DOLE upheld not only once, but twice, PAL’s position that the planned spin-off ‘is a matter of sound business judgment... in order to maintain the survival and sound financial health of the company in a globally competitive airline industry’,” Bautista said.

He explained that PAL’s spin-off move was spurred by the need to restructure and reduce costs to be sustainably viable. This, he said, were done by many airlines worldwide which are now experiencing the current rebound as reported by the International Air Transport Association.

Had DOLE ruled against PAL’s restructing plan, Bautista said the airline and all other businesses in the Philippines would be placed in a very difficult situation. “Local and foreign investors would shy away from the country if businesses are barred from exercising their right to control and manage the course and direction of their respective enterprises,” he told lawmakers.

Meanwhile, Bautista begged off from discussing in detail the issues related to alleged age and gender discrimination, maternity benefits and additional pay for PAL’s flight attendants, stressing that the same are currently pending litigation before the labor department and Commission on Human Rights.

The PAL spin-off plan as approved by DOLE was estimated to cost the airline some P2.5-billion broken down as follows: workers’ separation pay equivalent to 125 percent of their monthly salary for every year of service; a one-time cash gratuity of P50,000 per worker; commutation of 100 percent of their vacation and sick leave credits to cash; free plane tickets depending on years of service; one year extension of hospitalization benefits; and employment with the third party service providers with guaranteed payment for one year of whatever salary is granted by their new employers.

ianers_ianized

December 5th, 2010, 06:51 AM

share ko lang from Erbil, Iraq thread....

Eto ung airport ng Erbil ang isa sa mga autonmous region ng Iraq, the Kurdistan Region. Ang ganda ng airport nila...
Ang ganda sana kahit Cebu ganyan kganda airport...

diz

December 5th, 2010, 07:33 AM

Poor PAL. F*cking a**hole FAA. Conceited bastards enforce air safety like their own is so damn perfect.

Deus Ex

December 5th, 2010, 10:12 AM

Poor PAL. F*cking a**hole FAA. Conceited bastards enforce air safety like their own is so damn perfect.
Finally!
I couldn't agree more!:)

hybridace101

December 5th, 2010, 11:51 AM

Linguine

December 5th, 2010, 04:55 PM

tit for tat.....

AOC gets back at customs
Sunday, 05 December 2010 20:43 Recto Mercene / Reporter

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/images/stories/daily_images/2010/December2010/12062010/nation01.jpg

THE empire strikes back.

The Airline Operators Council (AOC) said starting January 1, 2011, it would no longer provide the customs bureau with arrival cards.

The AOC feel aggrieved over the “shabby treatment” its members have been receiving from customs during the past weeks and it had come to a head with the planned work slowdown of customs personnel.

AOC chairmann and KLM assistant station manager Maria Lourdes Reyes wrote Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) Customs Collector Carlos So that the group would scrap the supply of arrival cards on the first day of the New Year, a move unanimously approved by the general membership in a meeting at the Naia last week.

Reyes said the AOC has been supplying customs in Naia, Mactan-Cebu International Airport, and the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport at Clark Field, Pampanga, with a total of 1.5 million copies of the card a month—actually two copies, one for immigration and the other for the customs.

The AOC action came on the heels of the letter of the First Vice Chairman of the Board of Airline Representatives (BAR), Delta Air country manager Steven Crowdey, requesting Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez to stop the planned strike or disruption of service at the airport by his men anytime soon.

Crowdey said the planned work slowdown would be a slap on the face of the country’s bid to attract tourists, especially since the Philippines remains a laggard in comparison with other Asian countries in luring tourists because of the perceived lack of peace and order, limited infrastructure, and the challenges passengers had to face arriving at the Naia, such as opportunistic taxi drivers and criminal syndicates.

Now, the country faces another headache with the recalcitrant customs personnel taking their retribution against innocent passengers, the AOC said.

The BAR said the reports they have on the planned work slowdown is that the airport customs personnel would stop service after office hours during weekdays and would not report for work during Saturdays, Sundays and holidays because they have not received their overtime pay from the BAR for the last 16 months.

The BAR refused to pay the overtime services after the Court of Appeals, where the customs personnel lodged their complaint, ruled in favor of the air carriers.

In apparent revenge, some customs personnel began refusing to service arriving flights after midnight, forcing disgruntled passengers to wait for almost an hour inside the plane. In many instances, the airport customs booths remains undermanned, forcing arriving passengers to form a long line, waiting for their clearance.

The air carriers said the customs move was purposely meant to make air travelers hate the airline companies.

It remains a puzzle that government appears slow in addressing an impending disaster at holiday season time and balikbayan, tourists and migrant Filipino workers are arriving by the thousands every day.

For the last 10 years, the AOC had been printing and distributing the customs-immigration cards to all Philippine-bound passengers free of charge. The country used up about 22 million copies a year, with Philippine Airlines being the biggest user at 5 million copies, followed by Cebu Pacific Air, with 3 million copies.

In Photo: A Long queue of arriving passengers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport forms at the few customs booths available because some personnel have refused to report for work over alleged nonpayment of their overtime by the airlines they service. (Recto Mercene)

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/nation/4560-aoc-gets-back-at-customs

majaba98

December 5th, 2010, 05:34 PM

sandwindstars

December 6th, 2010, 05:39 AM

Sou-jiro

December 6th, 2010, 10:04 AM

Cebu Pacific please Paint one of your A320s with the Azkals!.....nevermind PAL..

Gulf Coast

December 6th, 2010, 12:02 PM

PR128 Zam-Mnl flight, an a319 service,with an aircraft registry of 8600 had a decompression a while ago. Vibration was felt and oxygen masks dropped:)

thescene

December 6th, 2010, 03:34 PM

Does anyone here have an idea as to what the loads are of the MNL-NRT and NRT-MNL routes?

absinthe_888

December 6th, 2010, 04:13 PM

hybridace101

December 6th, 2010, 05:24 PM

Does anyone here have an idea as to what the loads are of the MNL-NRT and NRT-MNL routes?

Probably very high. Especially with OFWs in Japan and US-bound passengers.

Going back to the customs issue. Interesting that the court ruled in favour of the carriers but it didn't necessarily say that the customs officials should continue working. It only addressed (somehow) the issue of who will pay OT and not necessarily forcing the customs officers to work OT.

hokage

December 7th, 2010, 02:42 AM

Probably very high. Especially with OFWs in Japan and US-bound passengers.

Going back to the customs issue. Interesting that the court ruled in favour of the carriers but it didn't necessarily say that the customs officials should continue working. It only addressed (somehow) the issue of who will pay OT and not necessarily forcing the customs officers to work OT.

Jeez!! Why should anybody get OT pay? Work in shifts and staff according to forecasted schedule. If flights are off sched, then pax could wait. They have curfews on most of the airports around the world.

Linguine

December 7th, 2010, 03:18 AM

PAL to shoulder extra pay for Customs; gov’t to print immigration cards

FLAG-CARRIER Philippine Airlines (PAL) has agreed to shoulder a portion of unpaid overtime work of Customs officials detailed at the three terminals of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), in an attempt to avert possible chaos from a shortage of personnel with the expected volume of arrivals for the holidays, the company’s spokesperson yesterday said.

In a string of airport woes, the government may be forced to spend for the printing of immigration cards that has been previously financed by a private firm or face the lack of entry/departure documents beginning next year.

Ma. Cielo C. Villaluna, in a phone interview, said the carrier agreed to shoulder five months of the total 16 months of overdue overtime work payments "in the spirit of Christmas."

She declined to mention how much PAL will shoulder in the estimated P1.2 billion in unpaid services, saying "full accounting of the bill" has yet to be completed.

Ms. Villaluna said PAL offered the proposal to other members of the Board of Airline Representatives (BAR), which groups general managers of airlines with international flights, in a meeting last night, results of which were still unavailable as of press time.

"The proposal is for them to shoulder a portion of the overtime work [payments], probably about three to five months per airline or the whole of BAR. It will depend on them. But for PAL, we are willing to cover five months [of overtime work]," she said.

Sought for comment Customs Commissioner Angelito A. Alvarez, in a phone interview, welcomed PAL’s plan, adding that the bureau will hire additional 100 employees next year "to work on three shifts to avoid over time work" in NAIA.

About 600 Customs examiners stationed in the three NAIA terminals have threatened to leave their posts after office hours if their overtime work will not be settled.

In a decision last Nov. 10, the Court of Appeals, denying a motion for reconsideration filed by the Office of the President and the Department of Finance, has affirmed its ruling on July 9, 2009 that declared as unconstitutional a Customs bureau directive dated April 24, 1992 (Administrative Circular 7-922) which required airlines to pay overtime, traveling, board and lodging expenses and/or meal allowance of Customs personnel at NAIA.

Alongside the decision, the appeals court, favoring BAR, also junked another Customs order in 2005 that more than doubled the hike in charges.

By issuing the directives, the court noted that the Customs bureau is usurping legislative powers by citing a provision in the Tariff and Customs Code which states that "Custom officials may be assigned by a collector to do overtime work at rates fixed by the Commissioner of Customs when the service rendered is to be paid for by importers, shippers, or other persons served."

Meanwhile, another problem looms in the country’s airports after the Airline Operators Council (AOC), which groups 48 airline managers and ground handlers, said it will no longer finance the production of Immigration arrival cards and Customs declaration forms beginning Jan. 1 without a sponsor.

Smart Communications, Inc., which has sponsored the printing of over 22 million of Customs and Immigration documents each year for more than a decade now, has declined to finance the same beginning 2011.

Maria Lourdes S. Reyes, AOC chairman, said in a text message that the group’s decision was not "in retaliation" to the possible strike of Customs officials in NAIA.

"We don’t want to pay for the printing because in the first place, it should be the government that should finance that," Ms. Reyes said.

To this, Mr. Alvarez said the bureau "may pay" for the printing of declaration forms that bear details of arriving passengers and cargo.

"But nothing is final yet [since] we have sufficient time to discuss the matter. We may also ask a sponsor to finance the project like what airliners are doing now," he said.

Ronaldo P. Ledesma, Immigration officer-in-charge, agreed with Mr. Alvarez, saying "a bidding may be conducted" to find a printer "that will be paid by the bureau."

Both officials declined to estimate additional costs that may be incurred for the planned printings, saying they are yet to be discussed.

NAIA Customs officials were not immediately available for comment. -- Prinz P. Magtulis
|

http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=22450

NTprime

December 7th, 2010, 03:24 AM

^^Uh oh, more fodder for the PALEA people to bring up against PAL.:ohno:

It's like..."if you can pay OT to the BOC who are not even you're employees, why can't you pay your employees better that you even resort to terminating their services by way of an outsourcing agreement?"

The BOC is a government agency. They should serve the people first, not inconvenience them. Besides, how much taxes and customs duties do they really get from international passengers? Probably much less than what they purposely miss out from big time smugglers who bribe the BOC people. What a farce!

Linguine

December 7th, 2010, 04:27 AM

New NAIA Customs men dispatched
By Rudy Santos (The Philippine Star) Updated December 07, 2010 12:00 AM Comments (16) View comments

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Customs (BOC), in response to the threat of the Airline Operators Council (AOC) to stop supplying customs declaration forms effective January, dispatched some 78 newly hired Customs personnel at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) terminals who have started working in shifts.

Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez told dzRH yesterday morning that those who work on a 24-hour shift will enjoy night differential pay. The BOC will also start looking for a printing company that will bid for the printing of Customs declaration forms, he said.

“This is an opportunity for us to review the situation,” he said, referring to the AOC’s decision to cease providing forms next year.

The move was seen as retaliation for the shabby treatment the airlines have been receiving since they stopped paying airport officials overtime for the last 16 months.

The AOC said unruly Customs personnel are taking revenge on innocent passengers.

Delta Air country manager Steven Crowdey, Board of Airline Representatives (BAR) first vice chairman, had requested Alvarez to stop his men from disrupting the service at the airport.

However, Alvarez said that the reported conflicts were blown out of proportion and that they have already taken steps to address the issues.

He said he is wondering why the overtime pay became an issue considering that he has already talked to Philippine Airlines (PAL) president Jimmy Bautista since Dec. 3.

Bautista reportedly agreed to give an initial payment to the 412 BOC employees assigned at NAIA.

Based on the old rate, the BOC-NAIA employees reportedly charge P10 million a month, and accumulated a backlog of P160 million during the last 16 months.

The 412 employees were from the arrival, departure, collection, export division, and Aircraft Operations Division.

As to reports that some BOC employees appeared to have gone on strike thus causing long queues, the Customs chief said that he has already formed a backup team that underwent training to take over the abandoned posts.

The BAR and BOC were scheduled to meet yesterday afternoon and Alvarez is optimistic the problem would have a permanent solution.

The BOC personnel are reportedly requesting a 100 percent increase in their overtime pay.

The BAR, of which PAL is a member, said they are willing to pay the last five months’ worth of overtime of the airport personnel.

Alvarez said that for the last 16 months, some personnel have been rendering service beyond office hours, despite the court ruling favoring the BAR not to shoulder overtime pay.

The AOC and the BOC have been in disagreement over the issue of overtime pay of some 400 customs officers assigned at the premier airport.

Eventually, the issue was addressed by the Court of Appeals, who ruled that the BAR is entitled to their claim not to shoulder the overtime pay of government workers.

Alvarez also denied news reports linking the overtime pay with the customs declaration forms issue and that the threat of AOC to stop printing the cards is not a cause of concern because it would still take effect on Jan. 1 and by then he would have already come up with a viable answer.

Instead of relying on the AOC to produce the customs declaration forms, the Customs chief said they could take over the task and directly talk to advertisers such as Smart Communications.

He believed that the telecommunications firm would continue to advertise in the customs declaration forms since they are getting very good exposure.

Alvarez has already informally discussed the proposal with a Smart marketing executive who reportedly said that in principle they are interested to tie up with the BOC and just need to check on their agreement with AOC.

The BOC, for their part, would have to consult the Commission on Audit (COA).

The BOC uses about 1.5 million pieces of customs declaration forms issued at the NAIA, Mactan-Cebu International Airport, and the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark.

Alvarez said that there are a lot of firms which would apply to print the forms, especially if their company name could be carried on the forms as a way of advertising or promotion.

“We can start looking for bidders,” Alvarez said, but added that the BOC would have to confer with the AOC and PAL to clarify their statement withdrawing the supply of cards.

However, the mess has affected foreign visitors and the Department of Tourism seemed powerless to help them.

“We have already been receiving numerous complaints from arriving foreign visitors, but I really have no control over the problem,” Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim said, adding that he already met with BOC officials and asked them to resolve the problem immediately because it could adversely affect foreign arrivals in the country.

Lim said the BOC promised to assign personnel by shift so that they could provide 24-hour service at the airports without collecting overtime pay starting next year.

“To resolve the issue, BOC agreed to have three shifts of personnel starting January,” Lim explained, adding that the BOC would also be seeking supplementary budget from Congress or require additional airport tax to cover the salaries of their personnel.

He said that Congress may also come out with a new measure junking the mandatory three percent carrier tax imposed on foreign airlines operating in the country.

Only in the Philippines

But lawmakers have other things in mind.

Aklan Rep. Florencio Miraflores, chairman of the House committee on tourism, said President Aquino should immediately order the scrapping of the scheme that makes airlines pay for the overtime pay of customs, immigration and personnel that is making the Philippines a laughingstock and a poor investment and tourist destination.

He said it was both “unfair” and “unusual” that private airlines are made to pay for overtime work of government personnel for rendering services that are expected of them in the first place.

He said the practice of having private local and foreign carriers pay for overtime work is happening not only at the NAIA but in other international airports in the country as well.

“There’s no other solution to this mess but to scrap this practice. Imagine, 300 to 400 passengers coming in from just one of so many flights in a day all crowding in one airport,” Miraflores told The STAR.

Ang Kasangga party-list Rep. Teodorico Haresco said the policy runs counter to efforts to make the country competitive for investments and tourism.

“Many of those (foreigners) coming in may have set their travel plans for the holidays to the Philippines but with this kind of experience, I doubt if they will come back and most likely, they will tell stories about the horrible experience of just entering the country. Mind you, official figures show that we have about one to two million visitors a year so you have one or two million tourists telling others of their bad experience at our airports,” Haresco said.

He said this kind of policy could be the reason why the Philippines, with a population of over 90 million, can hardly get three million tourists every year compared to Malaysia with less than 30 million residents getting anywhere from 20 to 25 million tourists annually.

Joseph Ray Gumabon, an executive assistant at the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, on the other hand, urged lawmakers to first address safety issues at the NAIA and other airports before considering policy changes aimed at boosting tourist arrivals in the country.

Gumabon told the House transportation committee that before the government overhauls tourism-related polices, it should upgrade airport facilities to ensure flight safety.

He said the country’s aviation infrastructure “must maintain the required level of international safety compliance” for future policy changes in aviation and tourism to yield positive results.

Palace: Sit down and talk

But Malacañang said it is leaving it up to immigration and customs officials to settle the contentious issue among themselves.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the government is now trying to find ways to pay the overtime fees of Customs personnel after the Supreme Court ruled that these should have been borne by the government, and not the airport management.

Nonetheless, he said the issues will have to be threshed out by the two concerned agencies, which means Immigration commissioner officer-in-charge Rey Ledesma and Customs commissioner Alvarez will have to discuss the problem.

But the problem is that there is no law that requires the Bureau of Customs to pay overtime.

Lacierda, however, pointed out that the issue is already being addressed.

“In fact, they are planning to do a measure to be able to pay. The income of the airport is big. But they still have to discuss the issue because this is primarily the responsibility of the Bureau of Customs,” he said. “There are already suggestions but I would rather that Alvarez make the announcement about the steps they undertake.”

No ‘Merry Christmas’ at the airport

Meanwhile, Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General Manager Jose Honrado appealed to airport workers to stop greeting arriving passengers a merry Christmas.

“Please don’t say Merry Christmas or Happy New Year because this might be misinterpreted as asking for bribes. Simply smile or greet them good morning, as the case may be,” he said.

The MIAA had been appealing to airport workers, especially during the approach of the holiday season, to refrain from greeting arriving balikbayans, overseas Filipino workers and tourists. – With Delon Porcalla, Paolo Romero, Jess Diaz, Mayen Jaymalin, Evelyn Macairan, Rainier Allan Ronda

Skyblade

December 7th, 2010, 06:28 AM

Does anyone here have an idea as to what the loads are of the MNL-NRT and NRT-MNL routes?

Here's something that's not exactly the latest stats nor reflecting all the airlines operating the route, but still an interesting read: a chart (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zR2W0MjbbUQ/S8L0PXxFejI/AAAAAAAABRQ/2G6Pmt8qtko/s1600/JAL+suspension+plan.jpg) found in JALPak's blog (http://jal-pak.blogspot.com/2010/04/mlits-original-suspension-plan-36.html) shows JL's 2008 LF (along with a bunch of other goodies) for NRT-MNL at 57.8%

hybridace101

December 7th, 2010, 07:12 AM

NTprime

December 7th, 2010, 08:48 AM

Here's something that's not exactly the latest stats nor reflecting all the airlines operating the route, but still an interesting read: a chart (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zR2W0MjbbUQ/S8L0PXxFejI/AAAAAAAABRQ/2G6Pmt8qtko/s1600/JAL+suspension+plan.jpg) found in JALPak's blog (http://jal-pak.blogspot.com/2010/04/mlits-original-suspension-plan-36.html) shows JL's 2008 LF (along with a bunch of other goodies) for NRT-MNL at 57.8%

Wow, this is an interesting find!

MNL, together with BKK and SIN, has the most number of weekly flights in the ASEAN region (14). BKK and SIN though have the 772s, which means more passengers but look at the yield percentages....MNL only has 3%, while SIN and BKK has 13.8% and 17.1%, respectively. And CGK despite having only 7 weekly flights, has a yield of over 33%!

Now here's the kicker...why does SIN, despite its load factor of only 49.7%, still have greater yields than MNL at 57.8%LF? And look at CGK with only 48.9%LF! Obviously MNL has less premium passengers, which is one of the obvious reasons I can think of, plus probably high operating expenses on the ground. Hmmm...is CGK cheaper as well? Looks definitely like it, probably cheaper fuel and labor costs.

Of course, data was from 2006-2008, just before the global financial crisis struck. I wonder how it's been in the 2 years since then...

SleMarKen

December 7th, 2010, 09:46 AM

airphilexpress Singapore-Cebu
started last Dec 1, 2010

http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/2681/ape1.jpg

http://img600.imageshack.us/img600/6263/ape2.jpg

http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/5293/ape3f.jpg

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/1703/ape4.jpg

http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/32/ape5.jpg

http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/1347/ape6.jpg

http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/1705/ape7.jpg

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/732/ape8.jpg

http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/9825/ape9.jpg

http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/6690/ape10.jpg

http://img815.imageshack.us/img815/6088/cebslwm15.jpg

oragon.com

December 7th, 2010, 11:12 AM

http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/8830/56995254.jpg (http://img822.imageshack.us/i/56995254.jpg/)

swahi

December 7th, 2010, 11:40 AM

http://business.inquirer.net/money/breakingnews/view/20101207-307578/Early-poll-results-show-workers-favoring-strike-at-PAL

just go on strike and get it over with.:bash:

Sky Harbor

December 7th, 2010, 11:46 AM

^^ They cannot. Not while the DOLE is handling the case. According to PALEA, the vote is merely "consultative".

swahi

December 7th, 2010, 11:57 AM

NTprime

December 7th, 2010, 12:02 PM

Skyharbor,

not in the philippines. even if dole says they cannot, they can still go on strike, though illegal. Look at the jeepneys. When they do a strike, they are threatened with cancellation of their franchise. Na cancel? Wala. That's the problem with the philippines, labor is too much at times.

If they will abide by DOLE, then the proceedings are mere proceedings, just to get the sentiment. This proceedings are flawed to begin with. You ask for people who are threatened with retrenchment to vote yes or no? The answer is obvious as it is their career that is at stake. To not go on strike means the threat of retrenchment looms bigger. If they continue with their actions, tensions will not simmer down. It will come down to a deadlock, and when it comes to losing your jobs, you start throwing logic out the window. There is no right or wrong to a breadwinner threatened.

Oh, Lucio Tan will be happy he has an excuse to shut down again the airline if the PALEA people go on strike. And then LT will most likely get a few concessions from government, unless government is hell bent to take over the airline themselves.

Why can't PALEA people realize that they won't lose their jobs, they'll just be having a different employer. If they don't perform up to standard with their new employer then they could definitely lose their jobs, something PAL hasn't had the balls to do lately, more so that they are making money again now.

swahi

December 7th, 2010, 12:09 PM

sky, dont get me wrong. I was just being a little sarcastic when i said they should go on strike to get it over with. Its obviously a ploy or one upmanship in their never ending negotiations.

I talked with my neighbor whose wife is a 40 year old FA with Cathay Pacific. Their retirement age is 55. So PAL's FAs have basis. As far as the ground crew is concerned, unfortunately for them, the trend is really outsourcing. Thus, PAL has to bite the bullet, either they do it now, or later. The longer they prolong it, the worse off/more complicated it gets

Linguine

December 7th, 2010, 12:15 PM

I see no immediate solution....yet.

PAL open to gov’t-brokered talks with union

PHILIPPINE AIRLINES (PAL) said today that it welcomed the decision of the president to assign Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa to broker talks between PAL and its ground workers’ union.

“PAL appreciates President Aquino’s concern and desire to put closure to the PAL-Palea dispute. Like the President, PAL believes that the public deserves a quick resolution to this issue so as not to further cause anxiety to thousands of passengers who have already firmed up their holiday travel plans,”PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said in a statement.

PAL Employees Association (Palea) threatened yesterday to hold a strike vote today to get support for a planned work stoppage amid the airline’s plan to outsource three units and lay off employees.

In today's statement, Ms. Villaluna reiterated that PAL lawyers are questioning the legality and propriety of the strike vote.

“It’s not a question of how many ‘yes’ or ‘no’ votes were cast by PALEA members; the issue is whether or not there is a legal justification for such referendum. PAL believes there is none,” she said.

She assured that it’s business as usual at PAL despite the ongoing strike vote by members of its rank-and-file union.

“All flights continue to operate normally according to published schedules,” she said.
|

http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=22488

arianespace

December 7th, 2010, 12:47 PM

^^Wow, this is an interesting find!

MNL, together with BKK and SIN, has the most number of weekly flights in the ASEAN region (14). BKK and SIN though have the 772s, which means more passengers but look at the yield percentages....MNL only has 3%, while SIN and BKK has 13.8% and 17.1%, respectively. And CGK despite having only 7 weekly flights, has a yield of over 33%!

Now here's the kicker...why does SIN, despite its load factor of only 49.7%, still have greater yields than MNL at 57.8%LF? And look at CGK with only 48.9%LF! Obviously MNL has less premium passengers, which is one of the obvious reasons I can think of, plus probably high operating expenses on the ground. Hmmm...is CGK cheaper as well? Looks definitely like it, probably cheaper fuel and labor costs.

Of course, data was from 2006-2008, just before the global financial crisis struck. I wonder how it's been in the 2 years since then...

Perhaps, the Boeing 767 is not that obvious.
What I can tell is that from CGK, there are only two airlines that fly NRT. While in MNL, you have the luxury of flying 3 airlines four times a day. The competition is much healthier here, although not as many as that compared to SIN or BKK, and most do transit to the bigger island in the west.

pthfndr19

December 7th, 2010, 03:03 PM

SEAIR's first Airbus
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c124/alfinsky/SEAIR-2.jpg

thescene

December 7th, 2010, 04:10 PM

majaba98

December 7th, 2010, 04:29 PM

Cojuangco forms budget airline with Air Asia
By Julito Rada

December 7, 2010

MALAYSIAN low-cost airline Air Asia is forming a local subsidiary with telecom heir Antonio Cojuangco to fly to select domestic routes, Board of Investments managing head Cristino Panlilio told reporters Monday.

Panlilio said he was told of the plan by Air Asia chief executive Tony Fernandes at the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ finance ministers’ meeting in Kuala Lumpur last week.

The planned Philippine subsidiary should start commercial operations next year, Panlilio said without adding details.

Cojuangco was chairman and chief executive of Philippine Airlines during the early Cory Aquino years after his group won the bidding for the privatization of the flag carrier.

Air Asia began offering regional flights to and from the Philippines out of Clark in April 2005.

Fernandes told Bloomberg last week that Air Asia, Asia’s largest budget airline with 100 planes in its fleet, planned to acquire as many as 12 planes a year and was seeking opportunities in the Philippines, Vietnam, China and India.

jeffphilippines

December 7th, 2010, 05:13 PM

Getting back aviation safety Category 1 more important–Cusi

Tuesday, 07 December 2010 20:45 Recto Mercene .DIRECTOR General Alfonso Cusi of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) on Tuesday said that he was never involved in any anomaly during his entire term as general manager of the Manila International Airport Authority (Miaa) and in his present position.

“I was never involved in any anomaly, they can check my record,” Cusi said in reply to accusations by Akbayan party-list group secretary-general Edwin Castillo.

Castillo earlier said that Akbayan, a party-list group allied with the Aquino admnistration, would file graft and corruption charges before the Ombudsman against Cusi, for allegedly “being a known ally” of Mike Arroyo, the husband of former President Gloria Arroyo. 

Akbayan held a demonstration at the Caap main office recently, where Castillo’s group said that Cusi’s link with Mike Arroyo “was clearly shown in the numerous irregular and illegal deals he has spearheaded in the Caap and the Manila International Airport Authority.”

“Those who are accusing me should just file their charges in the courts and I am willing to answer all of them,” Cusi told the BusinessMirror.

He said he does not like to engage in any media war because he is currently focused on solving the myriad problems of the Caap to be able to get the country’s aviation safety status back to Category 1.

At the same time, Cusi denies accusations made by Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda that he is not a team player.

Lacierda apparently made the comment after Cusi deferred participating in a Caap board resolution appointing of seven administration allies to key positions at the Caap.

“I want to clarify that I am not against the persons being appointed by the DOTC [Department of Transportation and Communications] more so the desire letter of the President. It is the process of appointment [that I oppose],” said Cusi.

“I don’t know why I am perceived as being not a team player…I am just protecting the authority and serving the country. This is my focus since I assumed post regardless of my political affiliations, I am following the line of the President matuwid na daan,’” Cusi said.

Cusi explained in writing to all Caap board members and its chairman, Transportation Secretary Jose de Jesus, that because of the scheduled arrival of the International Civil Aviation Organization (Icao) Validation Mission, it is not safe to implement a reorganization in the agency.

On November 17, 2010, in a telephone conference with Icao officers, Caap learned that these “operational concerns” were the bases of the Icao audit’s postponement.

Icao wrote Cusi: “These operational reasons relate to the insecurity of Icao in the sustainability of the present reforms being undertaken by Caap. The present unclear political announcements of a change in senior management could create, in Icao’s opinion, an indeterminable future of professional processes within Caap.”

“I and my technical team have been working very hard to regain Category 1, lift the Safety Security Concerns of Icao and blacklisting by the European Union. What is political about that? We are all just working for the interest of the country,” Cusi said.

He said all seven career positions are career “plantilla” positions being occupied by Caap holdover employees in an officer in charge capacity, because they are still undergoing selection process as defined by the law.

The Assistant Director General II (Air Navigation Service) and Assistant Director General II (Air Traffic Service) are both occupied by the same person appointed by the board, Andrew Basallote and Wilfredo S. Borja, respectively, who enjoy the trust and confidence of Cusi.

Napoleon Garcia, who is not an organic personnel of Caap, is the OIC of the Approved Training Organization, Wilson Mirabona and Edgardo Costes are both employees of Caap.

The Caap Selection Board’s implementing rules provide that selection prioritization should be in the following order; first, Caap holdover permanent employees should be considered, followed by holdover temporary employees, then holdover casual employees, followed by holdover contractual employees and last, non-Caap employee-applicants.

(Recto Mercene)

Kintoy

December 7th, 2010, 05:18 PM

AirAsia to Form Philippine Venture With Cojuangco in First Quarter of 2011

AirAsia Bhd., Southeast Asia’s biggest budget carrier, plans to form a Philippine unit by the first quarter of next year, Philippine Board of Investments head Cristino Panlilio said.

The Philippine venture will be formed with Antonio Cojuangco, a former chairman of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., and start flying domestic and overseas routes in 2011, Panlilio said by phone today. Cojuangco is President Benigno Aquino’s cousin and a nephew of San Miguel Corp. Chairman Eduardo Cojuangco.

Sepang, Malaysia-based AirAsia may expand into the Philippines as airlines including Cebu Air Inc. increase their fleets and services to meet rising demand in the archipelago. The government has set a target to double tourism arrivals in six years to help spur economic growth.

Today is a national holiday in Malaysia. An e-mail to AirAsia Chief Executive Officer Tony Fernandes didn’t immediately receive a reply.

Tiger Airways Holdings Ltd., the budget carrier backed by Singapore Airlines Ltd., on Nov. 23 said it will lease two planes to South East Asian Airlines or SEAir and form a marketing venture to expand into the Philippines.

SEAir flights from Clark, north of Manila, to Singapore will start Dec. 16 and be offered through Tiger Air’s website.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-07/airasia-to-form-philippine-venture-with-cojuangco-update1-.html

b_two

December 7th, 2010, 06:08 PM

here comes the relatives... :horse:

majaba98

December 7th, 2010, 06:20 PM

:nuts::nuts::nuts::nuts::nuts::ohno:here comes the relatives... :horse:

quannar

December 7th, 2010, 07:34 PM

http://photos-p.friendster.com/photos/92/19/4539129/2_809880784l.jpg

Ph Man

December 7th, 2010, 08:15 PM

^^ Good news. I think CO have been using a B737.
Based on this 2-yr old photo from my files:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3134/2727895526_74959d7435.jpg

mrboy

December 8th, 2010, 02:28 AM

Aquino graces launch of SEAIR's first air bus (http://www.zambotimes.com/archives/26318-Aquino-graces-launch-of-SEAIRs-first-air-bus.html)

CLARK FREEPORT ZONE: President Benigno S. Aquino III was the guest of honor at the blessing of the first Airbus of South East Asian Airlines (SEAIR) on Tuesday at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport here.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs696.snc4/63591_125079010890311_108035559261323_186286_6861258_n.jpg

The new 144-seat A319 jet aircraft will fly SEAIR's first international destination—Singapore, starting Dec. 16.

SEAIR President Avelino Zapanta said that with the new aircraft, his company projects monthly air passenger traffic at the Clark Freeport Zone to increase by more than 60 percent or an additional 200,000 passengers annually.

Additional routes for the new jet aircraft, according to him will be added in the coming months.

"The introduction of these new flights will create a welcome boost to the Philippine tourism industry and create more high-caliber local jobs," said Zapanta.

SEAIR is the first airline locator at the Clark Freeport Zone and the second firm to put its trust and confidence in the Clark Development Corp. It is also the first Tiger Airways Partner Airline that will market and distribute its seats using its established internet booking system, tigerairways.com.

According to Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC), an average of 25,000 passengers land every month at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) at Clark.

The airline was founded in 1995 with an initial investment of P2 million and two nine-seater planes. Through the years, it has helped develop and brought travelers to some of the most breathtaking destinations in the country including Batanes, Palawan, and Boracay. It has the longest history of uninterrupted flights to Caticlan, having served this gateway to one of the world's top beach destinations, Boracay, for almost 16 years.

-DZT

hybridace101

December 8th, 2010, 02:38 AM

I'm looking at the Brisbane Airport website and i see MNL-BNE via PAL in their January 2011 timetable. Anyone know what this is?

http://bne.com.au/files/pdf/Monthly%20International%20Timetables/January_11.pdf

PR's timetable (http://www.philippineairlines.com/Images/International%20Winter%2006Dec2010_tcm61-24245.pdf) says that it will serve BNE on that date and 18 December only.

mwg12a

December 8th, 2010, 03:46 AM

here comes the relatives... :horse:

So what? AirAsia is a private company....

Linguine

December 8th, 2010, 03:50 AM

PAL ground workers vote to strike over ‘union-busting’

THE PHILIPPINE Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) members want to hold a strike, citing partial results.

In a statement, the group said the balloting closed at 5:00 p.m.

yesterday for several PAL offices and outlying stations in 14 provincial cities and the call center reservations building.

“In call center reservations, there was an 84% turnout with 86% voting yes. In the outlying stations some 80% of the members voted and 80% of them voted yes,” it said.

“Not all the outlying stations however have transmitted the results.

The votes of a majority of PALEA members remain not counted yet as balloting will only end by midnight tonight at the Terminal 2 of the Manila International Airport, the international cargo terminal, the in-flight catering department and the Mactan airport in Cebu,” it added.

The group said it would decide on its next move after the final results are canvassed.

The Lucio C. Tan-led airline is questioning the move, saying PALEA’s complaints have been consolidated into one and that the union had agreed to a status quo. The previous case, which was taken over by the Labor department in April to prevent a strike, involves PAL’s decision to outsource in-flight catering, airport services, and call center reservations, which would result in the layoff of 2,600 workers.

This time, PALEA is citing “individual bargaining” allegedly being carried out by the airline management, which it claims is “union-busting.” -- AMPD
|

http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=22519

kiretoce

December 8th, 2010, 04:40 AM

http://photos-p.friendster.com/photos/92/19/4539129/2_809880784l.jpg

Hmm....so CS [Continental Micronesia] still retains it's "Continental" (CO) name and not "United" (UA)?

xzibit31

December 8th, 2010, 05:08 AM

majaba98

December 8th, 2010, 09:19 AM

majaba98

December 8th, 2010, 09:25 AM

Bye bye PAL....
Gracious welcome to AirphilExpress, Cebu Pacific, SEAir, Zest and soon Tiger Philippines !!

Oopps ! It´s Air Asia Philippines not Tiger PH. They already have tied up with SEAir. My mistake, sorry.

kyril

December 8th, 2010, 10:58 AM

^ I'm not defending PAL pero ang baduy naman kung puro LCC ang mga airlines ng Philippines.

hybridace101

December 8th, 2010, 11:12 AM

Not really, in fact most legacy carriers in the US and EU are doing a desperate attempt to imitate LCCs by charging auxillary fees (such as special seats and baggage check-in) especially for Y passengers.

majaba98

December 8th, 2010, 11:48 AM

^ I'm not defending PAL pero ang baduy naman kung puro LCC ang mga airlines ng Philippines.

I actually would hate to see the Flag Carrier go broke. We do need a Legecy Airline. Hope they can handle their disputes untill years end, which I don´t believe though.

So, I revise my last mail and wish PAL steady growth and solid income !
:)

majaba98

December 8th, 2010, 11:58 AM

Mother of all budget carriers

Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:29:00 12/07/2010

Filed Under: Economy and Business and Finance, Travel & Commuting, Air Transport, Investments, Philippines - Regions, Benigno Aquino III, People, Personalities
Most Read
MEGA BUDGET carrier Air Asia will set up a Philippine subsidiary in partnership with businessman Tonyboy Cojuangco in a bid to capture a bigger slice of the growing China travel market.

According to sources familiar with the deal, the local unit of the airline owned by Malaysian magnate Tony Fernandes, may commence operations as early as the first quarter of 2011.

Apart from Cojuangco, it will also have as partners Michael Romero of Manila North Harbor fame and former media personality Maan Hontiveros.

Hontiveros—who shares Cojuangco’s passion for classical guitar music—will be the airline’s CEO, we hear.

The new budget carrier has reportedly already gotten the nod of regulators (at least, in principle) and is now in the process of deciding whether it would operate from the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Angeles, Pampanga, or the Subic Bay International Airport in Olongapo, Zambales.

Clark has the edge by virtue of its longer runways (two of them, in fact), large aircraft handling facilities and proximity to Metro Manila via the North Luzon Expressway. Subic, on the other hand, is a very interesting location for potential tourists. Expect a flurry of lobbying in the coming weeks as decision time for the airline nears.

Incidentally, Air Asia (named the world’s best budget carrier by Skytrax for 2009 and 2010) is a longtime user of the slogan “Now everyone can fly.” It should be interesting how this plays out against Cebu Pacific’s “It’s time everyone flies.” Daxim L. Lucas

majaba98

December 8th, 2010, 12:04 PM

Open skies for Phl secondary airports
By Ding Cervantes (The Philippine Star) Updated December 08, 2010 12:00 AM Comments (1)

CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga, Philippines – President Aquino is set to issue this month an executive order (EO) enforcing an open skies policy nationwide except Manila, thus opening the country’s secondary airports to foreign airlines.

Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim and Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima confirmed this during Aquino’s visit here for the launching of the first SeaAir Airbus plane and the groundbreaking of the Medical City in this freeport.

Purisima said the EO is ready for signature by the President and should be enforced before yearend.

The EO, he said, will open the country’s secondary airports nationwide to foreign airlines, except the international airports in Manila.

“The economic managers have agreed on this. It is for the interest of the country,” he said, adding that the EO will virtually be a total open skies policy, except for the so-called aviation fifth freedom of foreign airlines to pick up local passengers bound for a destination in a third country.

“In formulating policies, the interest of the majority comes first,” he said, alluding to opposition from some local airlines calling for protection of the local aviation industry.

“There will be more competition, some will be challenged, but the move will be vibrant for the country’s economy. There are about 40 million Filipinos who are suffering (from poverty) and many are unemployed,” he said.

Lim declined to give more information about the open skies EO, saying he did not want to preempt the President, but he also noted that the presidential fiat would cover all secondary airports in the country except Manila.

Purisima said the Aquino government would like to make open skies more permanent by pushing for legislation on it.

“If the people understand it and the project succeeds, the members of Congress who are supposed to represent the people will pass legislation to make open skies a more permanent policy,” he said.

Avelino Zapanta, SeaAir president and chief executive officer, said he supported the open skies move because despite competition from foreign airlines, the policy would bring in more tourists and boost local tourism to such extent that, in the long run, even local airlines would benefit.

He said that while some secondary airports in the provinces could not yet accommodate big aircraft, foreign airlines will always have the option to use smaller airplanes.

PALEA can’t go on strike

Meanwhile, the Department of Labor Employment (DOLE) said that employees of Philippines Airlines (PAL) cannot go on strike even if they would all vote in favor of work stoppage.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said DOLE has long assumed jurisdiction over the PAL labor dispute, and that prevents members of the PAL Employees Association (PALEA) from going on strike.

“Striking on this issue is not countenance of the law. The issue is already under assumed jurisdiction of DOLE and it’s just a matter of implementing the decision,” Baldoz said.

Some 3,700 PALEA members nationwide started voting on whether to go on strike yesterday as they insisted on the legality of their action.

“In form, the strike vote is simply an exercise of the freedom of speech. We want to gauge the sentiments of PALEA members. More than that, the strike vote is also a requirement of the law. So how can it be illegal and inappropriate?” PALEA president Gerry Rivera said.

Rivera said the vote’s final tally is expected after midnight since highly operational PAL work areas like the airport services department, airport ticketing office, in-flight catering department, and the Mactan airport in Cebu where the bulk of PALEA members are situated will have their balloting until midnight.

PAL management said they would question the legality of the strike vote.

Baldoz said PALEA should have filed a notice to hold a strike vote before the Office of the President (OP) and not before the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) or they should have a filed a motion for reconsideration of the DOLE ruling before the court.

She, however, clarified that the question of legality of PALEA’s move to undertake a strike vote in preparation for a possible work stoppage is now beyond the DOLE’s jurisdiction.

“Under the present circumstances, the competent authority to rule on the legality of the strike vote is the OP,” Baldoz said.

She noted that the NCMB has already forwarded all the records concerning the PAL disputes to the OP where PALEA filed a petition to junk a previous DOLE ruling.

But Baldoz said the DOLE’s NCMB is on standby to provide conciliators in case OP would seek assistance while trying to resolve the dispute between PAL management and employees.

PALEA filed a notice of strike last Nov. 5 alleging unfair labor practices and union busting against PAL management.

PAL: Business as usual

As this developed, PAL welcomed President Aquino’s decision to designate Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. to broker talks between PAL and its ground workers’ union.

In a statement, PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said the flag carrier wants to finally resolve whether or not the PALEA has legal ground to conduct a strike vote, much less engage in a work stoppage. PAL lawyers are questioning the legality and propriety of the strike vote.

She said it is not a question of how many “yes” votes were cast by PALEA members because the issue is whether or not there is a legal justification for such referendum.

“Philippine Airlines apologizes for the inconvenience and anxiety caused by recent news reports about the planned strike of its ground workers. Please be assured that PAL is exhausting all legal remedies to avert a work stoppage. There are no winners in a strike… the economy, the airline, its workers and most importantly, the riding public, are all losers in a labor strike,” she said.

Villaluna assured the public it is business as usual at PAL despite the ongoing strike vote by members of its rank-and-file union.

“All flights continue to operate normally according to published schedules,” she said, assuring PAL passengers, especially those flying in and out of the country during the coming holidays, that PAL is exerting all efforts to ensure that there will be no flight disruptions. – Mayen Jaymalin, Rudy Santos

hybridace101

December 8th, 2010, 12:53 PM

Blueleo

December 8th, 2010, 04:01 PM

Will my breasts blow up this airplane?
By Naomi Wolf
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 06:16:00 12/08/2010

OXFORD—JUST when it seemed that America’s “Homeland Security state” could not get more surreal, the US Transportation Security Administration has rolled out a costly Scylla and Charybdis at major airports: either you accept dangerous doses of radiation and high-resolution imaging of your naked body, or, worried about the health risks of cumulative radiation, you opt out of the new full-body X-ray machines (rapidly dubbed “porno-scanners”).

But if you opt out, you are subjected, as I was last week, to an extraordinarily sexualized and invasive “pat-down” by TSA officials. “I will now touch your private parts,” a very uncomfortable female TSA official said to me when I flew out of New York’s Kennedy Airport. And, sure enough, I experienced the invasive touching of genitals and breasts that is now standard policy for US travelers.

Men report handling of their testicles and penises, TSA officials are instructed to open and peer down waistbands, and YouTube is now rife with videos of frightened children being—to describe it accurately—sexually molested, though this is the last thing most TSA officials wish to do.

Are we free not to be radiated or groped? We are not. Passengers who have refused to be patted down on their genitals have been handcuffed to chairs. Each new terror alert or high-tech innovation, it seems, makes new demands on our liberty in the name of security. But travelers’ recent experiences in the US should give security officials elsewhere good reason to avoid implementing similar policies.

In fact, America’s bizarre new policy is likely to remain unique among airports in the industrialized countries, if not the entire world. Israeli security officials, for example, scoff at genital pat-downs, which they say accomplish nothing.

That is not exactly true. Twenty-four percent of women have been sexually assaulted, or molested by a trusted adult in childhood or adolescence—as have 17 percent of men. Many of these survivors will be re-traumatized when strangers grope their genitals. And children will be placed most at risk of profound negative effects.

Years of sensitive educational outreach have finally made it the norm for American children to understand that their bodies are their own, that adults should not touch them intimately or in ways that make them uncomfortable, and that they can expect to be protected from such violation. By desensitizing children to sexually inappropriate touching, the pat-downs are destroying those hard-won gains.

It gets worse. TSA officials have been advised to tell small children that the sexual pat-downs are a game. To anyone who has ever counseled survivors of childhood sexual abuse, this should set off alarm bells: the most common ploy of sexual predators is to portray the abuse as a “game.” As Ken Wooden of the organization Child Lures Prevention puts it, the TSA’s “incredibly misinformed and misguided ‘advice’ is completely contrary to what we in the sexual-abuse prevention field have been trying to accomplish for the past 30 years.”

Americans, for once, are fighting back against this latest violation of their rights. Two states, New Jersey and Idaho, recently introduced legislation to seek to opt out of the new policy. Questions about the change in practice have reached Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who admitted that she herself would resist a sexual pat-down, and President Barack Obama.

So what led to a policy that is appalling to citizens, damaging to children, and ineffective for improving our security? Welcome to America’s current reality, in which threats are hyped so that a handful of insiders can make a killing.

Shortly after former Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff made the rounds of TV shows arguing in favor of such measures to thwart “bad guys,” one of his consulting firm’s clients, Rapiscan, won the $350-million contract to provide the full-body X-ray machines. As one TSA supervisor said to me after my own sexualized pat-down, “This is about bureaucracy—people trying to cover their asses—and there is a ton of money involved as well.”

Meanwhile, the supervisor confirmed—as has online discussion by TSA employees—that workers ordered to molest travelers are traumatized, too. One army veteran said that he cries every day from the resistance and outcry he now faces from passengers, and that the stress is worse than being on active military deployment. Others say they feel degraded and ashamed. Indeed, TSA workers are now working in a sexually hostile environment, which is illegal.

Finally, one must ask: Is there a psychological element to the US requirement of submission to genital groping by uniformed officials? It is impossible to forget the many strange sexual twists of Bush administration policies, from forced nudity of prisoners—which post-Abu Ghraib records show was systemic, not an aberration—to the sexual threats and sexual assaults against such prisoners, the sexualized hazing rituals and accounts of rape practiced with impunity by contractors, and so on.

I am not suggesting that sexually degrading practices are a conscious part of the TSA’s new policy. But the history of closing societies shows that nudity and forced or degrading sexualized practices become, consciously or unconsciously, part of the state’s consolidation of power.

It is not too extreme to put this into context: billions of dollars in profit now depend on insiders like Chertoff maintaining US society in a state of overhyped alert that demands increasingly costly technology. Maintaining these profits requires a population conditioned by this theater of fear to submit to anything—even the sexual quasi-abuse of themselves and their children. Project Syndicate

(Naomi Wolf is a political activist and social critic whose most recent book is “Give Me Liberty: A Handbook for American Revolutionaries.”)

majaba98

December 8th, 2010, 08:03 PM

I dreamt that AK would set-up a Philippine operation. It was just a matter of time before they actually did. Now the slogan would be something of a contention and unlike 2 TV shows, there would be REAL issues of copyright infringement if the Philippine version of AK will be loyal to its Malaysian parent.

I am thinking that the Philippine AK would likely use CRK as the Malaysian version already flies to CRK and it would be logistically sound if the former sets its base up where the latter is located. It will be hard to see SFS being used as a hub if the Philippine AK decides to expand.

I myself wish they will set up shop in Subic. This airport needs traffic and income. Otherwise it will turn into another white elephant. It´s completely intact and has sufficient infrastructure except for a few repairs on the terminal.

majaba98

December 8th, 2010, 08:07 PM

majaba98

December 8th, 2010, 08:17 PM

Found on Facebook.com
http://www.box.net/shared/q546f4y0hy

For all those who want to support the creation of AirAsia Philippines.

Project presented by the MSc Air Transport Management of the University of Cranfield on the 12th of May 2010 to Industry representatives including IATA, Boeing...

For years now, the Philippine air transport market has seen high growth rates, while at the same time the na-tional airline was not able to benefit from this. Currently the market is underserved and AirAsia Philippines is going to fill this gap by providing low cost, safe and appealing flights to the local community.
We believe that the sector will grow further in the future. Recent developments support this and the country’s unique geographic situation makes affordable air transportation a key necessity for its economic and social development. The current government stimulates this growth by investing in infrastructure programs tailored to the domestic aviation industry.

In addition to a positive outlook for the national Philippine market, a proposed Open Skies agreement within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) by 2015 will also boost regional and international traffic numbers. In order to participate in this growth period, the right actions have to be taken now.

With a strategy strictly following the low cost concept, AirAsia Philippines will expand rapidly to gain market share from its competitors and establish itself as a strong and proud Philippine airline. The airline will be based at Clark airport. The former military airbase is supposed to become the major gateway to the Philippines within the next decade and currently provides more than enough opportunities to expand.

AirAsia Philippines will use a modern single aircraft fleet based on the Airbus A320. This will help the venture to reduce costs while at the same time provide safe air transportation. The type is one of the most successful single-aisle aircraft ever produced and has a long lasting track record with airlines from all over the world. Its size perfectly suits the requirements of AirAsia Philippines.

In the first years of operation, the airline will primarily focus on the domestic market in order to rapidly gain market share. Growth in destinations and frequencies is the major goal for the subsequent years. Internation-ally, the airline will connect the country with destinations in other Southeast Asian countries.

The new venture will provide investors with an exquisite opportunity to participate in the future growth of the Philippines and the ASEAN region. In its first years of operation, the airline is supposed to have a growth in revenue of 133% and a Return-on-Equity of 6.15%. Investors will have the chance to regain their initial invest-ment in less than three years and the total return on investment will be 35% per annum for the first three years of operation.
(weniger)

mwg12a

December 9th, 2010, 04:34 AM

The United States is a rusty, hypocritic, neurotic culture. Sick and simply outdated. It´s about time for some change. Luckily the next super power will NOT be the USA any longer.

As if the next superpower would not be a bad one, take for instance how Chinese officials supressed their citizens. You want these to happen to you as well? I'm not giving justice to what is said to be wrong even in the US but come on!!! This report is really outrageous. They wanted safety yet they question and refuse all kinds of safety measures needed to be done. They don't want pat down, they don't want to walk through x-rays at the airport what can officials do to protect their citizens??? It's not like the xrays shows a clear view of your private part, it works like an xray. Yes, radiation may be an issue but heck, we expose ourselves in radiation almost on a daily basis using cell phones, watching TV and other appliances that was said to emit a small form of radiation.

^ I'm not defending PAL pero ang baduy naman kung puro LCC ang mga airlines ng Philippines.

PAL do really needed to downsize and cater to all long haul flights only. Leave all domestic and regional services to AirPhilExpress, this is how LCCs profits because they can opt to lower the airfare by reducing the service package they offer to clients/passengers. I don't think LCC would work for long haul services because they would really have to offer onboard services such as inflight entertainment, comforts such as in business and first class with fully reclining seats, meals etc. Although, that would only PAL with North America, Australia and if ever they get back in the middleast. Too bad, but, what can we do???

majaba98

December 9th, 2010, 06:56 AM

[QUOTE=mwg12a;68594719]As if the next superpower would not be a bad one, take for instance how Chinese officials supressed their citizens. You want these to happen to you as well? I'm not giving justice to what is said to be wrong even in the US but come on!!! This report is really outrageous. They wanted safety yet they question and refuse all kinds of safety measures needed to be done. They don't want pat down, they don't want to walk through x-rays at the airport what can officials do to protect their citizens??? It's not like the xrays shows a clear view of your private part, it works like an xray. Yes, radiation may be an issue but heck, we expose ourselves in radiation almost on a daily basis using cell phones, watching TV and other appliances that was said to emit a small form of radiation.

You are right mwg12a, we don´t want all that, not from the USA nor from China, nor from any other government or institution. It´s always the point of power. Human beings believe they live a better, safer life as long as they can control. What a perverted approach.

But never mind, it´s only my opinion. I guess nothing will ever change to the better of mankind.

But now back to forum issues, this is out of topics here....

suri_maw2020

December 9th, 2010, 08:04 AM

Doon sa mga natatanong kung nasaan na si RP-C8168

Post message by Clarkent from PEX

Update:

RP-C8168 will return to service tomorrow 8th December (PR847 to Cebu) and is now reconfigured to biclass.. 44/383 seating configuration, iirc.. [ex-50/383]... no recaros.. and will be assigned mostly, but not exclusive, to MNL-RUH route and other domestic/regional route..

ianers_ianized

December 9th, 2010, 08:26 AM

^ I'm not defending PAL pero ang baduy naman kung puro LCC ang mga airlines ng Philippines.

I agree, nawala na ang luxury ng travel....

http://photos-p.friendster.com/photos/92/19/4539129/2_809880784l.jpg
This is good, may PTV ba ang B767 ng CO? 'Hope to planespot it!

Mother of all budget carriers

Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:29:00 12/07/2010

Filed Under: Economy and Business and Finance, Travel & Commuting, Air Transport, Investments, Philippines - Regions, Benigno Aquino III, People, Personalities
Most Read
MEGA BUDGET carrier Air Asia will set up a Philippine subsidiary in partnership with businessman Tonyboy Cojuangco in a bid to capture a bigger slice of the growing China travel market.

According to sources familiar with the deal, the local unit of the airline owned by Malaysian magnate Tony Fernandes, may commence operations as early as the first quarter of 2011.

Apart from Cojuangco, it will also have as partners Michael Romero of Manila North Harbor fame and former media personality Maan Hontiveros.

Hontiveros—who shares Cojuangco’s passion for classical guitar music—will be the airline’s CEO, we hear.

The new budget carrier has reportedly already gotten the nod of regulators (at least, in principle) and is now in the process of deciding whether it would operate from the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Angeles, Pampanga, or the Subic Bay International Airport in Olongapo, Zambales.

Clark has the edge by virtue of its longer runways (two of them, in fact), large aircraft handling facilities and proximity to Metro Manila via the North Luzon Expressway. Subic, on the other hand, is a very interesting location for potential tourists. Expect a flurry of lobbying in the coming weeks as decision time for the airline nears.

Incidentally, Air Asia (named the world’s best budget carrier by Skytrax for 2009 and 2010) is a longtime user of the slogan “Now everyone can fly.” It should be interesting how this plays out against Cebu Pacific’s “It’s time everyone flies.” Daxim L. Lucas

I can see the Air Asia Philippines brand in the trail.

kyril

December 9th, 2010, 08:39 AM

NTprime

December 9th, 2010, 11:54 AM

NTprime

December 9th, 2010, 12:08 PM

PAL do really needed to downsize and cater to all long haul flights only. Leave all domestic and regional services to AirPhilExpress, this is how LCCs profits because they can opt to lower the airfare by reducing the service package they offer to clients/passengers. I don't think LCC would work for long haul services because they would really have to offer onboard services such as inflight entertainment, comforts such as in business and first class with fully reclining seats, meals etc. Although, that would only PAL with North America, Australia and if ever they get back in the middleast. Too bad, but, what can we do???

Air Asia X already did that successfully and they already ordered up to 15 A350-900's to be delivered starting 2016. In addition, Japan's low cost carrier Skymark Airlines unbelievably makes a letter of intent for ordering up to 6 A380's (they even want to order up to 15 of them as well) with a 394 seating of only business and premium economy seats (and the ticket price will be only half the price from their Japanese rivals) to be delivered and use them for longhaul routes like Europe, SEA and USA starting 2014. If 5J will also jump on board the low-cost long haul boat, that will be a huge problem for PAL.

You're right about downsizing PAL btw.

Yup, I'm with you guys on this one. In order for PAL to be unburdened by their legacy problems (which obviously include their oversized labor component), their plan is to move the A320s to the sister company, Airphilexpress. In the future, if the PAL-Airbus A350 negotiation rumors become true, then PAL could focus on medium to longhaul sectors where it is still profitable (unless Cebu Pacific comes up with an AirAsia X type operation). Or, if AirAsia Philippines provides good connections to the rest of AirAsia and AirAsia X flights. Right now the connectivity is lousy, but that might change in the future.

hybridace101

December 9th, 2010, 01:02 PM

Sky Harbor

December 9th, 2010, 03:14 PM

^^ It does not, and it will mostly be assigned to MNL-RUH as it is now.

hybridace101

December 9th, 2010, 04:05 PM

The problem will be on days when RUH does not have a flight. PR does not fly to RUH daily. And why did they reconfigure it if they reduced the number of C seats and keep the Y seats unchanged? Doesn't that lower their yields further?

seven13

December 9th, 2010, 04:58 PM

Philippine Airlines to increase Australia service in S11 and aircraft changes

As per GDS timetable display on 09DEC10, Philippine Airlines starting 27MAR11 is adjusting service to Australia, where overall service increases from 5 weekly to 6 weekly. Selected flights will also see Airbus A340-300 replacing Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. PR is to operate 1 weekly each of Manila – Sydney vv and Manila – Sydney – Melbourne – Manila on board Boeing 777-300ER, as well as 4 weekly Manila – Sydney – Melbourne – Manila with Airbus A340-300, replace 777.

Schedule:

PR211 MNL2235 – 0900+1SYD 77W 5
PR212 SYD1030 – 1155MEL1315 – 1755MNL 77W 6

PR211 MNL2235 – 0900+1SYD 77W 6
PR212 SYD1150 – 1630MNL 77W 7

PR210 MNL1110 – 1720SYD 343 x147
PR209 SYD2100 – 0650+1MEL0820+1 – 0940+1SYD 343 x147

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Philippine Airlines to launch 777-300ER service to Vancouver in S11

As per 09DEC10 GDS timetable display, Philippine Airlines is to introduce 370-seater Boeing 777-300ER aircraft on Trans-Pacific service in Summer 2011. From 27MAR11, Boeing 777-300ER aircraft replaces 264-seater Airbus A340-300 on Manila – Vancouver PR116/117 service, 3 times a week. The remaining 4 weekly service, PR106/107, with onward service to Las Vegas, remains A340 service. With the aircraft change, Vancouver gets additional 318 seats per week per direction.

Summer 2011 Schedule for PR116/117:

PR116 MNL1920 – 1600YVR 77W 135
PR117 YVR2340 – 0350+2MNL 77W 135

NTprime

December 9th, 2010, 05:33 PM

But howabout doing MNL-YVR and vice-versa alone? Why can't PR use a 77W from MNL going to its sole Canadian destination and immediately returning to MNL on days it is scheduled? If you read my question correctly, I said no LAS.

Yup, PAL probably has sufficient premium passengers to stuff their 77Ws full from Oz and Japan.

The 77W carries 360+ passengers. The A343 in PR config only has 260+! That's a difference of about 100 pax! If the numbers don't support 77W ops, then it is just a waste of resources, considering it makes money elsewhere.:cheers:

It appears to me that YVR is a relatively thin destination which is why they are using the 343s with 264 seats. And probably a large chunk of those on the plane continue to LAS, I'm not sure what percentage of the passengers do indeed. CX via HKG coupled with AC is a more logical choice for those heading to/coming from Canadian destinations (not just YVR). I have lots of friends in YYZ and they almost always take AC and CX.

What I think you're trying to get at is whether the 77Ws would be better off going to Canada or Australia or Japan. Not sure which have higher yields, but assuming they get 80% load factor on both, that means they would keep the 77W on the denser route.

OK, here's the answer to your queries from last month:

Philippine Airlines to increase Australia service in S11 and aircraft changes

As per GDS timetable display on 09DEC10, Philippine Airlines starting 27MAR11 is adjusting service to Australia, where overall service increases from 5 weekly to 6 weekly. Selected flights will also see Airbus A340-300 replacing Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. PR is to operate 1 weekly each of Manila – Sydney vv and Manila – Sydney – Melbourne – Manila on board Boeing 777-300ER, as well as 4 weekly Manila – Sydney – Melbourne – Manila with Airbus A340-300, replace 777.

Schedule:

PR211 MNL2235 – 0900+1SYD 77W 5
PR212 SYD1030 – 1155MEL1315 – 1755MNL 77W 6

PR211 MNL2235 – 0900+1SYD 77W 6
PR212 SYD1150 – 1630MNL 77W 7

PR210 MNL1110 – 1720SYD 343 x147
PR209 SYD2100 – 0650+1MEL0820+1 – 0940+1SYD 343 x147

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Philippine Airlines to launch 777-300ER service to Vancouver in S11

As per 09DEC10 GDS timetable display, Philippine Airlines is to introduce 370-seater Boeing 777-300ER aircraft on Trans-Pacific service in Summer 2011. From 27MAR11, Boeing 777-300ER aircraft replaces 264-seater Airbus A340-300 on Manila – Vancouver PR116/117 service, 3 times a week. The remaining 4 weekly service, PR106/107, with onward service to Las Vegas, remains A340 service. With the aircraft change, Vancouver gets additional 318 seats per week per direction.

Summer 2011 Schedule for PR116/117:

PR116 MNL1920 – 1600YVR 77W 135
PR117 YVR2340 – 0350+2MNL 77W 135

hybridace101

December 9th, 2010, 10:59 PM

That's great news both for SYD and YVR. Though if the A343 will serve SYD daily except MThSu, then some days will get twice/day service. Now those headed to Australia can see a fully flat bed, especially if they will fly on the C (or in some cases the D) fare. I did see it when doing a "mock" booking. The only other bone to pick is that CX has on some days around the same time of the year a cheaper alternative.

If by an act of God Cat1 gets restored, then it would be interesting to see how they would re-shuffle the 77W because PR said it was intended for SFO and LAX in the first place.

Linguine

December 10th, 2010, 11:09 AM

PAL says no disruption of flights

LUCIO C. Tan-led Philippine Airlines (PAL) on Friday assured passengers PAL flights will continue to operate based on published schedules.

In a statement, PAL said “pronouncements made by [officials of the] PAL Employees Association (PALEA) that they will stage a strike during the holidays reveal their intention to sow panic and anxiety [among] thousands of PAL passengers who have firmed up travel plans to spend Christmas with their loved ones.”

As part of contingency measures PAL said it will:

• engage professional service providers, including inflight catering companies, to augment workers not joining the strike;

• deploy all available manpower, including supervisors and managers who are more than capable of manning critical frontline posts; and

• endorse affected passengers to sister airline AirPhilexpress as well as 134 international airline partners.

PAL said employees who participated in a recent PALEA strike vote are ground workers mostly assigned to the ground-handling, catering and call center offices.

“While their jobs are important, these workers play support to flight operations. They are not directly engaged in flying or maintaining the aircraft. The pilots, cabin crew and mechanics/maintenance workers of Lufthansa Technik Philippines are not part of the planned work stoppage,” the flag carrier said.

PALEA is claiming that PAL has been engaging in “individual bargaining” and union-busting amid plans to outsource ground-handling, catering, and call center services. In April, PALEA was prevented from going on strike in protest of the outsourcing plan as the Labor secretary assumed jurisdiction over the labor dispute on the ground of national interest.

PAL is questioning this week’s recent strike vote, saying PALEA’s complaints have been consolidated into the case assumed by the Labor department.

http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=22703

NTprime

December 11th, 2010, 02:52 AM

^^Oh PAL management is just waiting for PALEA to make the first wrong move, then KA-BLAM! That Gerry Rivera will be the first to be axed if he leads his union into calling a strike during the holiday season. I'm quite certain he will end up as the most hated person during the holidays for the hundreds of thousands who will be flying on PAL. He will even end up more hated than LT.

To put it plain and simple, going on strike when the objective is to inconvenience the general public and shame the image of the national carrier in the foreign press reeks of ABSOLUTE GREED, nothing less. Why question the mediation and decisions of government, first the labor secretary, and now even Malacanang? Malacanang said they will do everything possible to prevent a strike, now if they (PALEA) lose the support of Malacanang, they will expose themselves to the formidable resources of the country's shrewdest businessman, and in the end, lose far more than if they had acquiesced peacefully. And seeing how LT shut down PAL back in 1998, I am convinced he will not hesitate to do so again if a strike cripples airline operations.

Until this issue is settled with finality, my family is holding off travel on PAL especially internationally. Just being practical, nothing more.

hikouki

December 11th, 2010, 05:45 PM

the glimpser

December 11th, 2010, 06:03 PM

Jetstar launches Darwin-Manila* low fares flying in northern Australia hub expansion

Jetstar launches Darwin-Manila* low fares flying in northern Australia hub expansion Special launch web fares from $99# one way at Jetstar.com

Low fares leader Jetstar has launched sales on its direct Darwin- Manila* tri-weekly A320 service from its expanding international flying hub in Darwin, representing the next growth phase in Jetstar’s increasingly integrated pan Asian network.
The service, to commence from 9 February 2011*, will also conveniently link into Jetstar’s Darwin hub from key southern interstate markets, including Sydney and Melbourne.
As a new Qantas Group international route and latest Jetstar international flight into Asia, now the world’s largest aviation market, Jetstar will offer a unique value flight offering for travellers directly linking northern Australia via Darwin to the Philippines capital.
Jetstar currently offers direct connections twice a day to Manila from its Singapore hub, and this new service from Australia complements the existing Qantas international services to the Philippines from Sydney.
Jetstar will launch the new route with one-way sale fares from Darwin to Manila* from $99 (JetSaver Light**). The sale will also offer through fares Sydney – Darwin – Manila* and Melbourne – Darwin – Manila* from $199 (JetSaver Light**) at Jetstar.com as part of their Friday Fare Frenzy today from 16:00 – 20:00pm (AEDT). (#Terms and Conditions apply)
Jetstar’s everyday fares start from $169 for Darwin – Manila* (JetSaver Light) are up to 30 per cent lower then current competitors’ fares between Australia and the Philippines.
For 2011 the Philippines is ranked by Lonely Planet as a ‘Top 10 Best Value’ destination, renowned for its affordable beaches, distinctive food and low cost island hopping opportunities.
Jetstar Group Chief Executive Officer Bruce Buchanan said the airline’s commitment to increasing choice and accessibility to international low fare flights to Asian destinations marks a further expansion and reinforces Jetstar’s commitment to its innovative international flying hub in Darwin.
Jetstar Head of Government and Commercial Partnerships Unni Menon today said in Darwin: “Jetstar’s new low fare international offering will be an attractive link for both Filipino visitors and the Filipino-Australian community in Darwin, amongst the largest in the country.”
“Filipino Australians now represent the third largest overseas born population base in Darwin. This alone will drive personal, holiday and commercial related travel between Darwin and Manila* and underpin this service to set a sound platform to attract larger Asian visitation to Australia,” he said.
Jetstar fares are combined with award-winning customer service, strengthened by the launch of the Jetstar Customer Guarantee earlier this year in a first for the aviation industry in this region.

http://www.thaipr.net/nc/readnews.aspx?newsid=8C98860070F34CBE0AE99DABF23A86C0