Lack of Pilots forces PAL to cancel flights

[raine]

I haven't tried riding PAL to the US. CX and SQ lang nasakyan ko, hhmmm I think eva air din yata.

kung meron yun double decker airbus 850 yata, ok rin yun, yun pumunta ko OZ nun holy week SQ double decker sinakyan ko. pag doon ka sa taas kahit economy 2 lang sa window seats

thats airbus A380, tagal ka lang maghihintay palabas pag huli kang lalabas dahil sa dami ng tao.

[Monseratto]

Can PAL use this precedent against those that resigned recently?

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/...-suit-vs-pilot

PAL wins P3-M lawsuit vs pilot
abs-cbnNEWS.com
Posted at 10/11/2010 6:05 PM | Updated as of 10/11/2010 6:08 PM


MANILA, Philippines - A former pilot of Philippine Airlines (PAL) was ordered by the Makati Regional Trial Court to pay the flag carrier over P3 million for violating his contractual obligations when he went absent without leave (AWOL) in 2006.

In a decision dated September 15, 2010, Judge Elpidio Calis of the Makati RTC Branch 133 ordered Zenon Lukban to pay PAL P1.5 million plus interest, at the rate of 6% annually, for the cost of his training at the PAL Aviation School.

In addition, the former pilot was ordered to reimburse PAL some P1.87 million, plus interest, for the cost of training his replacement, as well as P50,000 in attorney's fees.

Lukban’s agreement with PAL required him to serve the flag carrier for 5 years in exchange for the cost of his training.

Court records showed, however, that on April 19, 2006, only 2 years after completing his training, Lukban wrote a letter of resignation to PAL chief pilot Capt. Rolly Canlas.

PAL management rejected Lukban's resignation, saying this was in violation of his training contract, but Lukban had already gone AWOL.

PAL's rules require a pilot to file his notice of resignation 120 days before the intended date of resignation. This requirement has been changed to 180 days after the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration declared the job of pilots and aircraft mechanics as "mission critical skills."

The Makati RTC order comes on the heels of PAL’s move to lodge multi-million peso damage suits against 27 pilots and first officers who quit their posts in the Airline last August to take higher-paying jobs in the Middle East and elsewhere in Asia.

So far, 16 pilots and first officers are facing charges of abandonment of duty and breach of contract before a Makati court.

The abrupt resignations forced PAL, which is currently mired in a labor dispute with its cabin crew and ground unions, to cancel some of its domestic flights last July.

[jimnyeatworld]

^ that's good news. sa trabaho yan kasi hindi basta-basta yun resign and grab opportunity, lives are at stake.

[Horsepower]

Ia-appeal pa ng defendant yan. I don't think it'll pass through CA without modifications.

[wowiesy]

Can PAL use this precedent against those that resigned recently?

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/...-suit-vs-pilot

yes i think... and i also think they should... it's all about leverage...

but the court battle is different from the actually implementing it.. especially kung nasa abroad ang alleged na piloto... isama pa dapat sa prayer ng pleading yung pagbatak sa mga ari arian in the event na walang cash na pambayad, etc... eventually, time consuming process...

[wowiesy]

Ia-appeal pa ng defendant yan. I don't think it'll pass through CA without modifications.

but on this case... magbayad na ng filing fee yung defendant sa CA.. gagastos na rin sya...

[Horsepower]

Yeah but recoverable naman yun if ever ma-reverse. Besides, with his salary overseas, it'll be mere pittance. I'm sure he's going to fight it til SC, not because of money. It's a matter of pride.

That judgement, in my opinion, is severely flawed that's why I think it'll be modified if not reversed.

[Monseratto]

Slightly OT, but its sad what even some of ex-PAF officers/pilots are willing to go through just to bring home the bacon...

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/global-fi...rce-vice-chief

Air Force lost 2 ex-pilots in Afghan plane crash
abs-cbnNEWS.com
Posted at 10/14/2010 11:08 PM | Updated as of 10/15/2010 1:24 AM


Co-pilot of crashed plane near Kabul an ex-PAF vice chief

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

MANILA, Philippines - The co-pilot of the cargo plane that crashed near Kabul in Afghanistan on October 13 has been identified as a former vice commander of the Philippine Air Force (PAF).

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed on Thursday that the plane’s co-pilot Rene Badilla was among the 6 Filipinos killed in the plane crash.

ABS-CBN Middle East News Bureau earlier identified the Filipino pilot of the crashed plane as Henry Bulos, who also served in the PAF.

The PAF has acknowledged the loss of its 2 former members.

“The Philippine Air Force regrets the loss of our former service members MGen Rene Badilla (Retired) and Capt. Henry Bulos who have served our country courageously and valiantly. Our hearts condole with their families as they go through this difficult time,” a PAF statement said on Thursday

Badilla retired a major general in 2009 after “a slow but steady climb through the ladder of leadership of the Philippine Air Force,” said the report.

The other Filipino fatalities in the plane crash were identified by the report of the Philippine embassy in Islamabad as crewmembers Nilo Medina and Ibelo Valbuena. There were also two unidentified Filipinos, a certain Mr. Castillo (mechanic) and a certain Mr. Padora (avionics).

6 Pinoys undocumented

DFA spokesperson Ed Malaya said the 6 Filipinos are undocumented, which means they entered Afghanistan through illegal means as there is an existing ban on overseas Filipino workers in Iraq and Afghanistan

The embassy said the fatalities were flying a cargo plane owned by Trans Afrique of Ghana that was contracted by US firm National Air Cargo.

The plane was enroute from Bagram Air Base to Kabul Airport when it crashed near Kabul.

A joint Afghan-international security force is now conducting a search and retrieval mission in the area.

The DFA Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs has directed the embassy to help and coordinate with the victim’s employers for the repatriation of the Filipinos’ remains and ensure the entitlement of their benefits. With reports from Gretchen Malalad and Sheryll Mundo, ABS-CBN News, ABS-CBN Middle East News Bureau and Agence France-Presse

[coiter]

Slightly OT, but its sad what even some of ex-PAF officers/pilots are willing to go through just to bring home the bacon...

wow. a retired major general flying a military cargo plane.... one of the very few generals natin na hindi corrupt? tsk tsk

[Monseratto]

wow. a retired major general flying a military cargo plane.... one of the very few generals natin na hindi corrupt? tsk tsk

More like working as Private Contractors AKA Mercenaries... They were flying a L-100 cargo plane, civilian version of the C-130 Hercules.

The embassy said the fatalities were flying a cargo plane owned by Trans Afrique of Ghana that was contracted by US firm National Air Cargo.