PH to airlines: Provide food for flight crew

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – The aviation industry regulator has ordered local airlines to provide and shoulder the cost of food that their pilots, co-pilots, and other flight crew members need while on duty.

In a memorandum issued Thursday, July 25, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) cited “safety” reasons for directing the local airlines to provide “adequate and separate kind of meals” to cockpit and cabin crew members.

“This Authority is alarmed of the on-going practice of air carrier operators of merely allowing their cockpit crew to procure/buy their individual meals instead of providing separate airline prepared meals during their flight duties/periods,” the CAAP wrote.

It said that the flight crew members are exposed to “uncertain sanitation in food preparation” when they have to secure and buy their own meals.”

“Flight crews are unreasonably exposed to food contamination/poisoning which may adversely affect their job performance or possibly result to incapacitation during their flight duties,” it added.

The directive is effective immediately.

‘Proper’ meal

CAAP Deputy Director General John Andrews, who signed the order, said this decision was reached after after interviewing some of the pilots of budget airlines.

In an interview with reporters, Andrews said added that the pilot should be served a meal different from what is given the co-pilot.

Citing safety reasons and industry practice, the former Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific pilot-turned-regulator said that, in case of contamination of the prepared food, “one of them would not be affected and could continue to fly until reaching their destination where medical help is available.”

When asked what is a “proper” meal that should be served the flight crew members, he defined it as “similar to the 3 square meals consumed by Filipinos.” Sandwiches are included. – Rappler.com