Cebu: Expect flight delays on Friday as Mactan airport runway closes for repair

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

CEBU CITY – Expect some flights to be delayed on Friday as the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) runway will be closed for six hours to allow the preliminary works of the second phase of the runway rehabilitation plan.

The closure was scheduled from 2:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. to give way for the 350-meter resurfacing works on each end of the runway known as the Touch Down Zones (TDZ).

Cebu Pacific Air and Philippine Airlines have posted on their respective social media accounts the flights affected by the runway repair works. The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and all commercial airlines have been involved in the planning and coordination to ensure smooth operations.

“The runway repairs are precautionary in nature and are designed to ensure that the best possible level of safety is afforded to the passengers and stakeholders of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport,” said MCIA Authority General Manager Steve Dicdican.

Originally, the runway resurfacing plan was supposed to be done over a six-month period with daily closure of the runway for seven hours each night.

But the plan proved to be too disruptive for the airlines and passengers.

“Alternative measures were established to ensure the work could be done in phases with minimum disruption to airport operations,” said Andre Harrison, Chief Executive Adviser of GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation.