PAL service provider gets help

Manila Bulletin
October 11, 2011
By Anjo Perez

MANILA, Philippines — SkyLogistics Philippines (SLP), the new airline service provider of Philippine Airlines (PAL), is forming a partnership with Jardine Airport Services Limited (JASL), the firm handling passengers, ramp, cargo and operations control at Hong Kong’s Chep Lap Kok International Airport, to train the SLP staff to provide much better services at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 and the Mactan/Cebu International Airport.

SLP president Rory Jon Sepulveda said Monday top executives of JASL flew to Manila over the weekend to assess the current situation at the PAL hub and ultimately come out with proposals on how to improve the services provided by the new SLP employees.

Sepulveda said JASL Managing Director Enoch Lam and two of his key lieutenants toured PAL’s hub at the NAIA Centennial Terminal 2 with the SkyLogistics team. “They observed ramp operations, cargo and passenger handling, and took note of how these can be improved based on their experience in Hong Kong,” Sepulveda said.

“Jardine Airport Services is one of the world’s best airport service providers. We’re honored that it has taken interest in our modest operations. We hope we could reach an agreement soon so that our customer, Philippine Airlines and its millions of passengers, can benefit from their expertise,” Sepulveda said.

He explained that once an agreement has been reached, JASL will send a team of training professionals to the country to teach SLP personnel how to make their operations more efficient and cost-effective.

“We need the professional and technical expertise of JASL to make our operations more efficient. As of now, we need the help of a committed technical and professional company to assist our company get over the hump during this transition period. SkyGroup’s operations are totally different from those of Philippine Airlines as we are now a purely airport services company,” Sepulveda explained.