Iloilo airport operations back to normal

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) says Monday (Dec. 23, 2024) that Runway 05 of Iloilo International Airport was temporarily closed on Sunday to repair two potholes. The runway closure affected nine domestic flights, while the airport resumed normal operations on Monday. —Photo courtesy of CAAP

MANILA, Philippines — Operations at Iloilo International Airport returned to normal on Monday, a day after the runway was temporarily closed to give way to urgent safety repairs.

In a statement, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) said the “temporary closure of Iloilo International Airport [was] a necessary measure to facilitate critical runway repairs, ensuring the highest standards of safety for passengers and airline operations.”

READ: Iloilo International Airport shut down for emergency maintenance

The runway was closed from 7:15 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Dec. 22 after two potholes were found on Runway 02. The Caap issued a notice to airmen (Notam) on Dec. 21, a day before the scheduled runway closure, to inform them about it.

Nine flights of Cebu Pacific, AirAsia, and Philippine Airlines were affected as a result. Five were delayed, three were canceled, and one was diverted.

“The airlines have assisted affected passengers to ensure their concerns were addressed. Emergency repairs were completed on schedule, and the Notam was lifted as planned. Regular flight operations resumed immediately thereafter,” the Caap said. —Dexter Cabalza