Mindanao Daily Gazette
September 26, 1997
The Philippine Airlines has deployed an Airbus 340 with a 225-seat capacity to serve this city following a maiden "probing flight" direct from Manila last week.
The probing flight was welcomed at the General Santos International-Standard Airport by Mayor Rosalita T. Nuñez, representative of travel agencies, some government officials, the drum corps of the Dadiangas South Elementary School, and was covered by local media here.
Senior vice-president Avelino Zapanta, accompanied by Operation vice-president Capt. Rogelio Narciso and staff graced the maiden flight here.@
Saturday, September 27, 1997
Tuesday, September 23, 1997
PAL bids to delay US entry
Cargonews Asia
September 22, 1997
E.P. Patanne
Philippine Airlines (PAL) executives have petitioned the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) to withhold Northwest Airlines application to operate a new all-cargo service to the Philippines (RP).
In addition, PAL is opposing the entry of Polar Air Cargo, which has also applied to fly unlimited cargo flights to the country.
Northwest, which operates 14 weekly passenger services between the US and the Philippines, wants to add two additional cargo frequencies as of October 1 in accordance with the 1995 RP-US Memorandum of Consultation.
PAL's objection stems from what it sees as unfair competitive practices against Philippine carriers by the US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA), which has ruled that PAL is a Category 2 airline.
The FAA rating has forced PAL to freeze all existing operations in North America. The airline has recently had to cancel its Vancouver-Newark and Seoul-Los Angeles flights due to mounting losses incurred under the Category 2 ruling.
PAL is only allowed to service these and other North American destinations if it wet leases aircraft from Category 1 countries.
According to the wet-lease arrangement, PAL must pay for the aircraft and its foreign crew in US dollars, in addition to absorbing maintenance and insurance costs.
“The CAB must not abet such a glaringly lopsided situation where, on the one hand, US carriers are allowed in the Philippine government to fully mount new services, while Philippine carriers are denied the same opportunity based solely on a unilateral declaration by the US government," PAL stated in its petition to the CAB.
PAL and other local airlines have pointed out that in imposing a Category 2 rating on Philippine aviation, it has – unilaterally, maliciously and capriciously -- branded the Philippines as lacking in aviation management skills and that its commercial aviation sector lacked the expertise, qualifications or manpower to supervise Philippine airlines.
In 1993, the FAA declared the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) unsafe, requiring all airlines serving Manila to advise their passengers about the risks of flying to the Philippines. This FAA directive, however, was eventually withdrawn.
The government's Air Transportation Office has begun dialogue with the FAA in a bid to discern how the Philippine aviation system rating could be elevated from Category 2 to Category 1, according to Transportation and Communications Ministry secretary Arturo Enrile.
Enrile expressed the view that the issues ruling Philippine-US aviation relations could he threshed out soon.
US airlines promoting the idea of open skies to the Philippines are motivated by their desire to better access the Philippine cargo market without reciprocating, PAL sources say.
PAL does not operate a dedicated freighter but is considering doing so after 1998, when its fleet expansion and modernization programme has been completed.@
September 22, 1997
E.P. Patanne
Philippine Airlines (PAL) executives have petitioned the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) to withhold Northwest Airlines application to operate a new all-cargo service to the Philippines (RP).
In addition, PAL is opposing the entry of Polar Air Cargo, which has also applied to fly unlimited cargo flights to the country.
Northwest, which operates 14 weekly passenger services between the US and the Philippines, wants to add two additional cargo frequencies as of October 1 in accordance with the 1995 RP-US Memorandum of Consultation.
PAL's objection stems from what it sees as unfair competitive practices against Philippine carriers by the US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA), which has ruled that PAL is a Category 2 airline.
The FAA rating has forced PAL to freeze all existing operations in North America. The airline has recently had to cancel its Vancouver-Newark and Seoul-Los Angeles flights due to mounting losses incurred under the Category 2 ruling.
PAL is only allowed to service these and other North American destinations if it wet leases aircraft from Category 1 countries.
According to the wet-lease arrangement, PAL must pay for the aircraft and its foreign crew in US dollars, in addition to absorbing maintenance and insurance costs.
“The CAB must not abet such a glaringly lopsided situation where, on the one hand, US carriers are allowed in the Philippine government to fully mount new services, while Philippine carriers are denied the same opportunity based solely on a unilateral declaration by the US government," PAL stated in its petition to the CAB.
PAL and other local airlines have pointed out that in imposing a Category 2 rating on Philippine aviation, it has – unilaterally, maliciously and capriciously -- branded the Philippines as lacking in aviation management skills and that its commercial aviation sector lacked the expertise, qualifications or manpower to supervise Philippine airlines.
In 1993, the FAA declared the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) unsafe, requiring all airlines serving Manila to advise their passengers about the risks of flying to the Philippines. This FAA directive, however, was eventually withdrawn.
The government's Air Transportation Office has begun dialogue with the FAA in a bid to discern how the Philippine aviation system rating could be elevated from Category 2 to Category 1, according to Transportation and Communications Ministry secretary Arturo Enrile.
Enrile expressed the view that the issues ruling Philippine-US aviation relations could he threshed out soon.
US airlines promoting the idea of open skies to the Philippines are motivated by their desire to better access the Philippine cargo market without reciprocating, PAL sources say.
PAL does not operate a dedicated freighter but is considering doing so after 1998, when its fleet expansion and modernization programme has been completed.@
Tuesday, September 9, 1997
NEWSBRIEFS
Travel News Asia
September 8 – September 21,1997
PHILIPPINE Airlines (PR) has extended the coverage of its “PALSmiles” frequent mileage programme for international travelers. The move to include domestic flight is part of the PR’s efforts to give its customers better products and services. As of July, all PR passengers can enjoy privileges of PAL Smiles. – Bing Jaleco, Manila
September 8 – September 21,1997
PHILIPPINE Airlines (PR) has extended the coverage of its “PALSmiles” frequent mileage programme for international travelers. The move to include domestic flight is part of the PR’s efforts to give its customers better products and services. As of July, all PR passengers can enjoy privileges of PAL Smiles. – Bing Jaleco, Manila
PAL Out of US
Travel News Asia
September 8 – September 21,1997
PHILIPPINE Airlines (PR) has suspended its flight to Los Angeles via Seoul to New York.
PR said it had fallen foul of a United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ruling barring the Philippines from expanding to other destinations in America.
PR has been losing on the expanded routes. It was not clear whether the losses were due to the FAA ruling or spiraling costs.
Under the FAA ruling, any Philippine carrier is prohibited from increasing its flights as well as introducing new services in the US unless it uses aircraft-leased from Category 1 countries, such as the US. – Sol Villa, Manila
September 8 – September 21,1997
PHILIPPINE Airlines (PR) has suspended its flight to Los Angeles via Seoul to New York.
PR said it had fallen foul of a United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ruling barring the Philippines from expanding to other destinations in America.
PR has been losing on the expanded routes. It was not clear whether the losses were due to the FAA ruling or spiraling costs.
Under the FAA ruling, any Philippine carrier is prohibited from increasing its flights as well as introducing new services in the US unless it uses aircraft-leased from Category 1 countries, such as the US. – Sol Villa, Manila
Sunday, September 7, 1997
PAL, Rotary Honor Honest Employee
Kapwa News
September 6-12, 1997
Philippine Airlines management has honored Armando Obo, the PAL station attendant who found and returned a lost wallet containing $4,400, by rewarding him with a free vacation to any domestic point of his choice plus P10,000 pocket money.
The Rotary Club of Makati, during their last regular meeting, also rewarded Obo with another P10,000 cash incentive for his honest deed.
The PAL management Chairman Lucio Tan, congratulated Obo for his extraordinary display of honesty. PAL President Jose Antonio Garcia, Mr. Manolo E. Aquino, Executive Vice-President for Administration and Services, and Mr. Henry So Uy, Vice-President and Executive assistant of the PAL Chairman, presented him a travel certificate, entitling him and his whole family to a vacation of three days/two nights (free accommodation) to any domestic destination of his choice.
He also received P10,000 as pocket money.
“He has acted as a model worthy of emulation by his fellow workers,” Mr. So Uy said.
Obo found a clutch bag at the baggage carousel of the NAIA last September 2 and immediately turned it over to his superiors. The bag/wallet belonged to Gordon Boyce, a British national, who thanked Obo profusely for returning the wallet intact with its $4,400.
“I never thought of keeping the wallet. Actually, I felt scared when I found out it contained a lot of dollars. It would have weighed heavily on my conscience if I kept it to myself,” Obo said.
The NAIA management as well as airport customs officials commended Obo on the spot.
Starting out as a contractual janitor for PAL in 1978, Obo had been described by his superiors at the Central Baggage Services Office as a conscientious, diligent, humble and unassuming worker.
Even if he only finished first year college, he has been allowed to take on heavier responsibilities such as the role of baggage master during the peak season. He could even operate the computerized baggage locator system after diligent self-study.
Although he was regularized in PAL in 1989, he has not done much traveling. The farthest he has gone with his wife and two daughters is his home town in Virac, Catanduanes.
September 6-12, 1997
Philippine Airlines management has honored Armando Obo, the PAL station attendant who found and returned a lost wallet containing $4,400, by rewarding him with a free vacation to any domestic point of his choice plus P10,000 pocket money.
The Rotary Club of Makati, during their last regular meeting, also rewarded Obo with another P10,000 cash incentive for his honest deed.
The PAL management Chairman Lucio Tan, congratulated Obo for his extraordinary display of honesty. PAL President Jose Antonio Garcia, Mr. Manolo E. Aquino, Executive Vice-President for Administration and Services, and Mr. Henry So Uy, Vice-President and Executive assistant of the PAL Chairman, presented him a travel certificate, entitling him and his whole family to a vacation of three days/two nights (free accommodation) to any domestic destination of his choice.
He also received P10,000 as pocket money.
“He has acted as a model worthy of emulation by his fellow workers,” Mr. So Uy said.
Obo found a clutch bag at the baggage carousel of the NAIA last September 2 and immediately turned it over to his superiors. The bag/wallet belonged to Gordon Boyce, a British national, who thanked Obo profusely for returning the wallet intact with its $4,400.
“I never thought of keeping the wallet. Actually, I felt scared when I found out it contained a lot of dollars. It would have weighed heavily on my conscience if I kept it to myself,” Obo said.
The NAIA management as well as airport customs officials commended Obo on the spot.
Starting out as a contractual janitor for PAL in 1978, Obo had been described by his superiors at the Central Baggage Services Office as a conscientious, diligent, humble and unassuming worker.
Even if he only finished first year college, he has been allowed to take on heavier responsibilities such as the role of baggage master during the peak season. He could even operate the computerized baggage locator system after diligent self-study.
Although he was regularized in PAL in 1989, he has not done much traveling. The farthest he has gone with his wife and two daughters is his home town in Virac, Catanduanes.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)