Whatever Happened To A Sense Of Responsibility?

Tweet

No offense to the Filipino community here, but I am just appalled at this news and of all the place to be actually happening the AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER!! of an airport. The article actually disclosed how FIVE air traffic controllers who were late or absent from work a day after Christmas were suspended after two flights were forced to circle a southern airport because no one was manning the control tower, Philippine civil aviation officials said on Saturday. Yes, 2 flights were affected. Fortunately? 1. A Philippine Airlines jet from Manila with 156 passengers arrived early on Friday morning at Zamboanga city's airport but was forced to circle for nearly 30 minutes before being allowed to land. 2. A smaller, Cebu Pacific airline turbo plane from Cebu city that arrived minutes ahead of the PAL flight had to land on its own!! TWO flights amounting to a possible 3 figure fatal casualty count! Initial findings by the airport manager were: 2 of the controllers were absent without notice on Friday, 2 came in late, and 1 had filed a leave approved by her supervisor, but the notice did not reach the airport administration office. What really had me boiling was this statement in the article: "The tardy air controllers explained they had difficulty getting a ride to work because public transportation was scarce the day after Christmas. But Mr Celso Bayabos (Zamboanga airport manager) said they were apparently still in holiday mode." How could they be so irresponsible and the manager be so casual with his statements? Doesn't all of them have any decent sense of responsibility here? After this, I am really having a very bad after taste for Filipino authorities. Really! This is simply just awful. I felt that the whole chain of command here should be SACKED - starting from the Duty Officers and controllers for both the shift before and actual shifts. What's your take here? Should all of them be charged as well other than a simple pathetic suspension? Ref: http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/SE%2BAsia/Story/STIStory_318967.html