CAAP: PH flights not affected by North Korea satellite launch

(file photo)

MANILA, Philippines — No flights in the Philippines will be affected by North Korea’s launch of its satellite, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said on Wednesday.

CAAP deputy director-general for operations Capt. Edgardo Diaz said only two routes to Guam will be affected by the satellite launch.

“Hindi naman tayo gaano apektado sapagkat iyong area na kanilang in-identify is almost at the west portion ng Pilipinas, malapit na sa boundary ng another airspace. Ang tatamaan lang po doon ay dalawang ruta – iyon pong papuntang Guam,” Diaz said in a briefing.

(We will not be affected by the satellite launch because the area they identified is almost at the west portion of the Philippines, which is already near the boundary of another airspace. Only two routes are affected — those going to Guam.)

“Otherwise, all the domestic flights in the Philippines will not be affected and most of the flights going to and out of the Philippines hindi rin naman po gaano sapagkat magkakaroon po ng mga rerouting ang mga airline,” Diaz added.

(Most of the flights going to and out of the Philippines are not affected because airlines will implement rerouting schemes.)

North Korea earlier confirmed it will launch a reconnaissance satellite in June, saying it is needed to monitor military movements of the United States and its allies in real-time.

Japan said Monday it had been informed by Pyongyang that a satellite launch could happen as early as this week, but Tokyo warned that North Korea may in fact be planning a sanctions-defying ballistic missile test.

CAAP earlier issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) directing all commercial pilots to avoid the airspace surrounding North Korea, South Korea, and eastern Japan from 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 31, until 7:59 a.m. on June 11.

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