24-6-2023 (MANILA) Airlines in the Philippines are left with no instant fix to flight disruptions caused by the grounding of larger aircraft in their fleets due to a shortage of aircraft equipment and parts. As a result, the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) recommends reducing the number of flights as the only viable remedy to alleviate the predicament. CAB executive director Carmelo Arcilla, however, could not say how extensive the flight reductions would be. Arcilla refuted allegations of overbooking against leading airlines, emphasizing that a shortage in aircraft equipment and parts is the root cause of the flight disruptions.
Airlines have been grappling with the scarcity in aircraft equipment and parts, leaving larger commercial planes like the Airbus A321neos parked for necessary inspections and repairs. CAB has investigated the spate of customer complaints, mostly on flight cancellations, filed against domestic carriers. Based on its investigation, CAB found out that some passengers were offloaded from their flights as a result of downgrading, in which a smaller aircraft is used in place of the larger one originally assigned to the flight.
Since such is the case, Arcilla said the actual situation is far from overbooking or when airlines sell seat tickets more than the capacity of the aircraft. At present, the shortage in aviation equipment and parts has adversely affected airlines not just here but also abroad. As such, carriers are forced to park their larger units until their parts are checked and repaired. Consequently, airlines deploy smaller aircraft to complete the flights that had already been booked, offloading passengers in the process since the seating capacity had decreased, Arcilla explained.
CAB has mandated airlines, in incidents like this, to prioritize the vulnerable sectors, such as senior citizens and persons with disabilities. On the other hand, operators pick who takes the remaining seats through the use of a random generator from a computer. Nevertheless, Arcilla vowed that CAB will tighten its oversight against overbooking in response to the mounting complaints on flight cancellations.
Domestic operators Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific are experiencing delays in the repair of jet engines made by aviation supplier Pratt & Whitney, leaving them with no choice but to take some of their aircraft out of service. Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez urged President Marcos to fire all the officials of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and CAB due to the aviation mess.
Sen. Grace Poe demanded reports from both the CAAP and CAB on the incidents to ensure the protection of air passengers’ rights and the enforcement of penalties against airlines during flight disruptions. Poe expressed concern over gaps in CAB regulations that allow airlines to overbook and cancel flights without facing significant consequences.
“It was surprising to hear the gaps in the regulations of CAB that allow for overbooking and cancellations without much consequence on the part of the airlines, so we will also ask them to explain that,” she said. Poe also requested a report from CAAP on their maintenance procedures and contingency plans in light of the ongoing supply chain issues. The results of the inquiry may lead to the revision or revocation of airline franchises.
