PHILIPPINE Airlines (PAL) is now feeling the negative effects of the tragic hostage-taking incident that took place on August 23.
PAL over the weekend said more than 500 tourists from Hong Kong and mainland China cancelled their bookings with the airline and the number is expected to increase further in the next few days.
“PAL is beginning to feel the initial impact of a Hong Kong government advisory warning its residents to refrain from all travel to the Philippines,” PAL chief operating officer Jaime Bautista said.
The advisory follows the death of eight Hong Kong residents in the 11-hour tour bus hijacking by dismissed Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza.
PAL said it has yet to fully determine the financial impact of the cancellations.
“Our Hong Kong station reported at least 558 Manila-bound bookings were cancelled. The bookings consisted of tourists from Hong Kong, Beijing, Xiamen and other points in China,” Bautista added.
In the Philippines, Bautista said two Hong Kong- and Macau-bound Filipino tourists opted to change their destination in view of the current situation.
PAL is currently maintaining five daily flights to and from the Hong Kong and will decide soon whether changes in flight frequencies are necessary.
Meanwhile, at the airline’s annual stockholders’ meeting last week, Alberto Lina joined the 15-man PAL board as independent director.
Lina, 62, is a graduate of the Philippine School of Business Administration, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration (with honors) in 1968. He is head of the Lina Group of Companies, which includes Airfreight 2100 Inc, U-Freight, Cargohaus, LGC Logistics, and Mail & More, etc.
Lina was also formerly a commissioner of the Bureau of Customs.
During the board’s organizational meeting that followed the shareholders’ meeting, Lucio Tan was reelected chairman and chief executive officer while Harry Tan remained vice chairman and treasurer. Jaime Bautista was also reappointed PAL president and chief operating officer.
The other members of the PAL board include Antonio Alindogan, Jr., Charles Chante, Enrique Cheng, Joseph Chua, Gloria Tan-Climaco, Estelito Mendoza, Cesar Santos, Henry So Uy, Washington SyCip, Lucio Tan, Jr and Michael Tan.
