Surigao-bound plane returns to Mactan airport due to bad weather

CEBU CITY—A Cebu Pacific plane bound for Surigao City went back to the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) in Lapu-Lapu City on Friday afternoon because of bad weather.

Gemma Imbang of the MCIA Airport Operations Control Center said flight DG 6901 left the airport in Mactan at 2:10 p.m. for Surigao City but the plane could not land at the airport because of bad weather.

The plane returned to MCIA and arrived at 3:33 pm.

Imbang said the MCIA Airport Operations Control Center learned that the flight was cancelled. There was no information about the number of passengers but the plane could carry a maximum of at least 70 passengers.

Cebu Pacific cancelled six other outgoing and incoming flights due to bad weather in Surigao, Tandag, Surigao del Sur, and Siargao.

These flights include DG 6895 for Surigao at 8:50 a.m. and returning flight DG 6896 which is supposed to arrive at 10:40 am; DG 6951 for Tandag, Surigao del Sur, at 11:10 a.m. and returning fight DG 6952 at 1:50 p.m.; and DG 6853 for Siargao at 11:20 p.m. and returning flight DG 6854 at 1:35 p.m.

Imbang, however, said flights for Cagayan de Oro City, Davao City and Zamboanga City were not affected because these flights used the bigger Airbuses.