Philippine Airlines may be forced to ground its fleet permanently if it cannot boost its pilot ranks by October.
Twenty-five pilots resigned abruptly last month, seeking employment elsewhere.
They say bad work conditions and worsening labour disputes led to their en-masse resignation.
International regulations stipulate that pilots cannot fly more than 1,000 hours a year. By October, most Philippine Airlines pilots would have reached their limits.
Marga Ortigas reports from Manila, the Philippine capital, on the 70-year-old company that was deeply affected by the global economic crisis and had to cut costs.