BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Aklan will conduct a
legislative inquiry to shed light on an incident in Kalibo International
Airport involving airline pilots and Chinese passengers.
The legislative council presided by Aklan Vice Governor
Gabrielle Calizo-Quimpo will invite the Civil Aviation Authority of the
Philippines (CAAP) Kalibo airport manager, the Philippine National
Police-Aviation Security Command (PNP-AVSECOM), immigration and customs
officers and the Cebu Pacific management.
“There should be a better handling of passengers (involved in the
incident) and better management of flights especially during the peak season.
We are calling the agencies concerned to take the necessary actions,” the vice
governor said.
The legislative inquiry will mainly focus on the confrontation
between two Cebu Pacific pilots and some Chinese passengers after CEB charter
flight 5-J074 bound to Shanghai, China returned to Kalibo International Airport
due to the weather condition last March 28.
The chartered flight with 179 passengers left Kalibo airport
at 4:45 pm on Friday but was diverted to Manila at 7:48 pm. The Cebu Pacific plane
was forced to return at 11:12 p.m. to Kalibo
airport – its point of origin – and arrived shortly before midnight.
At around 3 a.m. of March 29, the stranded Chinese passengers staying
at Kalibo International Airport terminal building allegedly confronted the
pilots and asked to provide free hotel accommodation and food.
An irate Chinese passenger was brought to the
PNP/Avsecom Group office near the Kalibo airport terminal building for questioning for being arrogant and disrespectful to
the pilot.
Cebu Pacific statement cited low visibility in Shanghai
for the cancellation of Kalibo-Shanghai flight The passengers
were re-accommodated on the chartered CEB flight 5J074 Kalibo-Shanghai at 6:55
p.m. on March 30, it further said.
The budget airline
also denied that their pilots of the Shanghai-bound aircraft were "mauled and
hostaged".
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