Philippine Air
suspends isle flights
Its 600 striking pilots
From staff and wire reports
defy a government order to
return to the airPhilippine Airlines said today its flights between Honolulu and Manila have been canceled through June 22 because of the strike by its pilots.
Yesterday's flight from Honolulu, scheduled to leave in the morning, did not go until 11 p.m. There was no flight scheduled today but one scheduled tomorrow won't fly, nor will any others for nearly two weeks, according to the airline's Honolulu office.
The office is helping passengers find seats on other airlines and is giving refunds if they are requested, a spokeswoman said.
Other airlines flying between Hawaii and the Philippines include Continental, Northwest and China airlines but none has a direct route, said Geoff Ross of International Travel Service Inc. They require stops in places such as Guam, Tokyo, Seoul and Taipei.
PAL flies the Honolulu-Manila route three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
About 600 pilots who went out on strike Friday defied a government deadline today to return to work, despite a warning that replacements would be hired for their jobs.
The pilots' union said it would continue its walkout. The strike has forced the cancelation of most international and domestic flights, affecting thousands of passengers.
Philippine Airlines president Jose Antonio Garcia said the cash-strapped airline agreed to take the strikers back if they complied with today's deadline. On Sunday, it had fired all the striking pilots, calling their action illegal.
Garcia said the strike caused several potential foreign buyers, including Northwest Airlines Corp., to break off talks and could force PAL to shut down.
In an emotion-charged statement yesterday, PAL said the strike is "bleeding the airline dry," causing it to lose revenues of $3.8 million to $5.1 million a day.
The breakdown of talks with foreign investors may leave PAL with "no other recourse but to shut down operations," the airline said.
After an emergency board meeting today, Garcia said, "Closing PAL is an option. If there are no pilots and operations, what work can we do?"
The union is protesting a management decision requiring pilots to retire once they have reached 20 years of service or flown 20,000 hours, regardless of age.
The policy puts about 200 pilots in danger of forced retirement, the union said.
PAL, however, said the policy is permitted in the labor contract.
