Bird strike forces PAL to cancel Zambo-Manila flight

A bird strike forced flag carrier Philippine Airlines to cancel an early morning flight from Zamboanga City to Manila Saturday. In a news release, PAL said Flight PR-124, scheduled to depart 6:55 a.m., was canceled after an inspection showed its engine had "indications" of a bird strike.   "The bird strike incident was believed to have occurred during the preceding flight, PR-123, which departed Manila at 4:43 a.m. and arrived Zamboanga at 6:18 a.m. [Saturday]," PAL said. Passengers of the affected flight were transferred to other PAL and Air Philippines flights from Zamboanga to Manila, PAL said. It added the cancelled flight, an Airbus A-319 carrying 101 passengers, will remain grounded until further notice. Last Aug. 29, a bird strike forced the delay of a PAL return flight from Tacloban to Manila. A report on dzBB radio said the PAL flight (PR-191) from Manila to Tacloban was about to land at the Tacloban City Airport when the bird strike occurred. No one among the 94 Tacloban-bound passengers was hurt as the plane landed safely but the plane was grounded in Tacloban while technicians inspected the engines for damage. Initial investigation showed the plane left Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 at 5:45 a.m. and was approaching the Tacloban City Airport's runway when migratory birds flew toward the plane. The pilot managed to land the plane safely at 6:49 a.m. but technicians had to inspect the plane for damage and delay the flight back to Manila. — LBG, GMA News