No PAL Tacloban flights on Jan. 17 for Pope’s visit

The Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines —Philippine Airlines (PAL) has advised its passengers flying to or from Tacloban City on January 17, 2015 to rebook their tickets as the Tacloban Airport would be closed to all commercial flights during the visit of Pope Francis.

PAL in a statement said the Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport would be closed down for security purposes after the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) issued notices to all airline companies suspending its operations.

Pope Francis is expected to celebrate the Holy Mass and meet survivors of Super Typhoon “Yolanda” during his visit to the disaster-hit Eastern Visayas.

According to PAL, passengers with tickets to Tacloban on January 17 should call their reservations hotline (02-855-8888) for rebooking or refund.

It assured that passengers would be accommodated on its next available flights.

PAL has been chosen as the official Papal carrier, which would fly Pope Francis from Rome to Manila.

PAL also served as official papal carrier during the two visits to the country of now Saint John Paul II in 1981 and 1995.

Other airlines have yet to issue an advisory.

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