Pilots suspended and Airline to review practices
You surely remember the runway excursion that happened on June 2 in Davao. 3 weeks later the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has suspended the pilot and co-pilot of Cebu Pacific Air and has asked the budget carrier to reassess practices that had allegedly compromised safety.
The pilot and co-pilot are suspended six respectively 3 months for violating regulations and failing to evacuate the 165 passengers within the required 90 seconds.
After the lapse of the six-month suspension and compliance with the requirements for the reinstatement of the Airline Transport Pilot License, the captain will act only as Second-In-Command for a period of one year. No information was given about the future of the co-pilot.
No sanctions were declared against the flight attendants despite their lack of action after the missed landing. The given reason is that the cabin crew did not get commands from the pilots.
The airline is asked the budget carrier to reassess practices that had allegedly compromised safety. CAAP recommended Cebu Pacific to increase its fuel allowance from three minutes to 15 minutes worth of flying time and to adjust its turnaround time policy from 30 minutes to 45 minutes.
[Editor’s comment:] Talking to relatives and friends, I feel that the fear of flying is coming back. Two runway excursions in less than 2 weeks were too much. Also the CAAP recommendation to increase fuel allowance from 3 minutes to 15 is not reassuring. A balked landing and taking off again needs very much fuel. But flying in the Philippines is still safer than sailing on a rusty ferry.
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