Our Flight to Zamboanga

We were halfway on our 50 minutes - Cebu Pacific flight to Zamboanga City when the pilot announced they could not communicate with Zamboanga airport. He added that should communications be restored, we will still be arriving on time. We left Davao at around 6:00 AM.

The tone of the pilot's voice seem to indicate, at least to me, that this was not an out-of-the ordinary situation so I found it odd that he had to include this in a routine announcement.

And, as announced, we did arrive on time. But by Cebu Pacific standards, this means, we were already late. Cebu Pacific always brags: ladies and gentlemen, we arrived ten minutes ahead of schedule. Not this time.

However, with no communications from Zamboanga Airport, three flights ahead of us were forced to linger in the air for 30 to 40 minutes before landing. The respective pilots had to decide among themselves who would land first. The Cebu Pacific plane from Cebu, which had been circling for 40 minutes and already consuming more than 1,200 kilograms of fuel, was forced to land first. This was a dangerous landing because the pilot had no idea if there were any obstacles on the runway. The PAL flight from Manila came in next and was followed by the Cebu Pacific flight, also, from Manila.

The reason for this forced landings: the five air traffic controllers (supposed to be) on duty were either ABSENT or LATE.

I read somewhere that this is almost unheard of in the airline industry.

The air traffic controllers had received their bonuses the previous day, december 25th, and, probably, spent it celebrating with their families. I read somewhere, too, that the average salaries of the controllers were just P13,500. It's pitiful. They are responsible for so many valuable lives everyday, and, ironically, get paid so little.

Of course, it doesn't excuse them from being absent or tardy on that Dec 26 morning when many lives, including ours, depended on them showing up for work. Now, they are suspended and will, probably, be fired. There are even talks of a possible criminal liability with some jail time.

What a tragedy!

The Phil Star: Three flights unable to land in Zamboanga.
GMA News: Tardy air controllers delay landings.