Iloilo International Airport resumes operations

Passengers of Cebu Pacific Flight 5J 461 slide down through an emergency exit on a chute after the plane overshoots the runway of the Iloilo International Airport on Friday night, Oct. 13, 2017. (Photo from the Facebook page of LOUI LATOZA)

Published: 3:20 p.m., Oct. 16, 2017 | 12:43 a.m., Oct. 17, 2017

Almost three days after it was closed to all aircraft, Iloilo International Airport finally reopened at 2 p.m. on Monday.
Cebu Pacific’s Airbus A320 jet that had been stuck in mud after veering off the runway had been removed.

The emergency closure of the airport’s single runway had forced the cancelation of close to 80 flights.

Transport authorities finally towed away the Cebu Pacific jet around noon on Monday from the field where it had been stuck since 11:10 p.m. on Friday.

READ: Iloilo airport temporarily closed to enable removal of stalled aircraft

Jim Sydiongco, director general of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap), ordered the reopening at 2 p.m. of the airport situated in Cabatuan town, about 20 kilometers from Iloilo City.
Safely evacuated

Cebu Pacific Flight 5J 461 from Manila “veered to the side of the runway” after landing in heavy rains on Friday evening.

Personnel work to remove the Cebu Pacific plane out of the runway of the Iloilo International Airport. PHOTO from Facebook page of the Department of Transportation

No one was hurt in the incident and all 180 passengers and six crew members aboard the plane were safely evacuated.

Charo Logarta-Lagamon, Cebu Pacific corporate communications director, said that the inclement weather in Iloilo initially made it difficult for authorities to remove the aircraft. The plane’s front wheel was still stuck in 20 inches of mud early yesterday morning, she added.

Eric Apolonio, Caap spokesperson, said the extraction operation had been hampered by rains that softened the shoulder of the runway.

The damaged Airbus A320 plane of Cebu Pacific is being towed to clear the runway of the Iloilo International Airport. PHOTO from Facebook page of the Department of Transportation

Canceled flights

Thousands of passengers were affected by canceled or diverted flights after Caap reset the resumption of airport operations at least three times.

The incident forced the budget airline to cancel 47 of its flights to and from Iloilo. The airline, however, mounted several alternate flights to and from Roxas City for affected passengers.

Passengers were also given the option to rebook their flights within 30 days or get a full refund.

Philippine Airlines also canceled 32 flights to and from Iloilo and said passengers could either refund or rebook their flights without charge. /kga /pdi