Cebu Pac to cancel 260 flights during Apec

CEBU Pacific Air (CEB) will cancel at least 260 flights, 26 of them to and from international destinations, during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Summit in November, the airline announced on Tuesday.

Also to be cancelled during the Apec summit are 42 flights of Cebu Pacific-Tiger Air (CEBGO).

According to CEB, the grounding of flights during the Apec Summit which will be held from Nov. 16 to Nov. 20 is in anticipation of periodic temporary runway closures at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia).

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) previously announced periods of temporary runway closures for the duration of the summit.

Leaders of Apec-member countries are expected to take part in the summit on Nov. 18 and 19 and the closure of the runway is part of airport protocol for the arrival and departure of the heads of state.

In a statement, CEB apologized to passengers who will be affected by the flight cancellations, saying, “We hope for our guests’ understanding as there may be flight schedule changes throughout the duration of the Apec Meeting in Manila. CEB will provide updates as soon as they are available.”

The airline also said that affected flyers have the option to rebook their flights within 30 days from the original departure schedule with no penalty or get a full refund.