Naia operations start to normalize; some flights resume

By: Niña P. Calleja - 10 years ago

Naia. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–Airlines at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) began to normalize operations Tuesday noon as Tropical Depression “Ruby” (Hagupit) moved farther away from Metro Manila.

As of Tuesday, only 66 domestic flights to and from the areas affected by Ruby in the Visayas and Bicol regions remained canceled, down from more than 200 flights grounded by airlines due to the inclement weather.

Another four international roundtrip flights of AirAsia to Seoul in South Korea, and Macau on Tuesday were likewise canceled.

The Philippine Airlines (PAL) earlier said in a statement that normal operations would begin by noon Tuesday as several aircraft that were ferried to different provincial stations to escape Ruby’s winds began flying back to Manila at 7 a.m.

PAL’s international flights, including those leaving December 8 for Los Angeles and San Francisco, will operate according to schedule. The early morning arrivals of the two trans-Pacific flights for December 9 are expected to arrive at 8 a.m.

Aircraft positioned at seven domestic stations began returning to Manila carrying stranded passengers as early as 7 a.m. on Tuesday, including those coming from Laoag, Dipolog, Cagayan de Oro, Dumaguete, Tuguegarao, Surigao and Cebu.

Flights to Tacloban are expected to resume December 10, Wednesday.

Tacloban commercial flights for December 9 had been canceled to allow for the unhampered relief operations to the city.

By December 10, PAL will operate four Manila-Tacloban-Manila flights using turboprop aircraft while the airport and the passenger terminal undergoes repair.

Earlier, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) issued a Notice to Airmen (Notam) restricting Tacloban airport to military and general aviation operations. But it was lifted on Monday, allowing commercial airlines to fly to and from the airport.

PAL has canceled more than 110 flights since December 6 due to Ruby, affecting around 13,000 passengers.

Meanwhile, from December 5 to 9, Cebu Pacific canceled 120 roundtrip flights due to the typhoon. AirAsia, on the other hand, grounded 109 flights at the height of the typhoon.