40 AirAsia Zest flights delayed

Almost 40 AirAsia Zest domestic flights were delayed until early Friday after the airline experienced technical problems with its aircraft.

Carlo Caguiwa, aviation operations assistant at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) Terminal 4, said the delay in the departure of two planes, which had to undergo engine fixes, caused a “chain reaction” of more delayed flights.

Caguiwa said the plane that first experienced “engine problems” ended up leaving for Tagbilaran, Bohol, at 8:50 a.m. instead of the scheduled 7:30 a.m. on Thursday.

He said the second plane scheduled to leave for Puerto Princesa, Palawan, at 7:25 a.m. on Thursday took off at 4:06 a.m. on Friday.

“Passengers of the 7:25 a.m. flight (Thursday) had to change aircraft, and left for Puerto Prinsesa at 2:13 p.m. on the same day,” Caguiwa said, quoting official records.

He counted 38 flight delays—19 departure flights from Naia 4 and 19 arrival flights at Naia 4.

He said the shortest flight time delay was 40 to 50 minutes, while the longest, around nine hours.

Apart from Tagbilaran and Puerto Princesa, the other affected flights had Cebu, Davao and Kalibo, Aklan as destinations or points of origin, he said.