THERESE Dela Paz was looking forward to spending time with her relatives in Iloilo on New Year’s Day. With her were her husband and their one-year-old daughter.
From San Mateo, Rizal, the Dela Paz family was at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) two hours prior to their flight. They were excited to see their relatives after a year of just talking over their mobile phones.
However, their excitement turned to horror after learning that their flight had been cancelled. Flight operations at the Naia were temporarily halted on New Year’s Day after the gateway experienced some “technical issue involving the radar frequency” at the Air Traffic Management Center (ATMC) of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) on Sunday.
“When we arrived at the airport, we were shocked that there were a lot of people in the check-in area. We were able to check in for our flight to Iloilo after 30 minutes. However, 45 minutes before our boarding time, we had yet to know our assigned gate. The airline then announced that they are expecting delays due to some system outage problem,” Dela Paz, a 30-year-old freelancer, said.
Their flight bound for Iloilo was supposed to leave Manila at 1:10 p.m. Announcements from the airport’s public address system were made at 1:30 p.m.
“We thought it was just select flights that were cancelled. At around 2 p.m. we were told that our flight was included in the cancellation,” she said.
The Dela Paz family is just one of the tens of thousands of passengers affected by the technical issue at Naia on Sunday.
282 flights affected
As of 4 p.m., a total of 282 flights were “either delayed, cancelled or diverted to other regional airports affecting around 56,000 passengers in Naia,” according to the Manila International Airport Authority (Miaa).
Miaa immediately implemented its crisis management protocols after learning of the radar frequency problem.
Airline operators on the other hand have initiated their respective contingency measures to mitigate the effect of the situation on their passengers.
The rights of passengers under the Air Passenger Bill of Rights (APBR) shall be upheld under the circumstances, according to Miaa.
Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines, and AirAsia Philippines separately announced that they are providing free rebooking for the affected passengers. They also said they are providing passengers with meals, drinks, and, for some, hotel accommodations.
“We started rebooking our flights at 2:09 p.m., and we finished at 4:08 p.m.,” Dela Paz lamented.
Partially restored
At 5 p.m., the Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced that the Miaa and Caap have partially restored the air traffic management system at the Naia.
Naia started accepting inbound flights at 4:30 p.m.
“The glitch which affected the entire Philippines is a developing situation that is continuously being monitored by Miaa and the Airport Operators Council,” the Miaa said.
For Dela Paz, what was supposed to be an enjoyable New Year’s Day turned out to be a disaster that is not one for the books.
“It’s a very tiring experience. It is one thing to have our flight cancelled, it is another thing to have our flight rebooked. The queue was so long that it took us two hours to finish and we have a toddler with us. We were also not offered meals and accommodation, contrary to what the airlines said,” Dela Paz said.
Flight Advisory No. 3
As of 7:30 P.M.
January 1, 2023 (Sunday)
List of affected flights due to technical issue of the Air Traffic Management System of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP)
CANCELLED
INTERNATIONAL
Cebu Pacific (5J)
5J922/5J923 MNL-FUK-MNL
5J828/5J827 MNL-KIX-MNL
5J112/5J113 MNL-HKG-MNL
5J805/5J806 MNL-SIN-MNL
5J745 HAN-MNL
5J814 SIN-MNL
5J 5056/5057 MNL-NRT-MNL
5J930 BKK-MNL
5J5039 NGO-MNL
Japan Airlines (JL)
JL 741/742 NRT-MNL-NRT
Saudia Airlines (SV)
SV 862 RUH-MNL
United Airlines (UA)
*184/183 MNL-GUM-MNL
Air Niugini (PX)
*PX 010/011 MNL-POM-MNL
Philippine Airlines (PR)
PR 507/508 MNL-SIN-MNL
PR 501/512 MNL-SIN-MNL
PR 306/307 – MNL-HKG-MNL
PR 418.419 MNL-PUS-MNL
PR 468/469 MNL-ICN-MNL
PR 730/731 MNL-BKK-MNL
PR 597/598 MNL-SGN-MNL
PR 736/737 MNL-BKK-MNL
PR 654/655 MNL-RUH-MNL
PR 684/685 MNL-DOH-MNL
PR 682/683 MNL-DMM-MNL
PR 658/659 MNL-DXB-MNL
PR 432 MNL-NRT
PR 408 MNL-KIX
PR 894/895 MNL-TPE-MNL
Philippines AirAsia (Z2)
Z2 501/502 MNL-BKI-MNL
DOMESTIC
AirSwift (T6)
*T6 126/127 MNL-ENI-MNL
*T6 142 MNL-ENI
*T6 146 MNL-ENI
*T6 154 MNL-ENI
*T6 149 ENI-MNL
*T6 151 ENI-MNL
*T6 133 ENI-MNL
*T6 529 ENI-MNL
Cebu Pacific (5J)
5J 375/376 MNL-RXS-MNL
5J 887/888 MNL-CBO-MNL
5J 773/774 MNL-PAG-MNL
5J 506/507 MNL-TUG-MNL
5J 905/906 MNL-MPH-MNL
5J 901/902 MNL-MPH-MNL
5J 781/782 MNL-OZC-MNL
5J 659/660 MNL-TAC-MNL
5J 899/900 MNL-MPH-MNL
5J 327/328 MNL-LGP-MNL
5J 909/910 MNL-MPH-MNL
5J 581/582 MNL-CEB-MNL
5J 783/784 MNL-OZC-MNL
5J 903/904 MNL-MPH-MNL
5J 655/656 MNL-TAC-MNL
5J 897/898 MNL-MPH-MNL
5J 487/488 MNL-BCD-MNL
5J 9 11/912 MNL-BCD-MNL
5J 639/640 MNL-PPS-MNL
5J 2001/2002 MNL-MPH-MNL
5J 859/860 MNL-ZAM-MNL
5J 853/854 MNL-ZAM-MNL
5J 855/856 MNL-ZAM-MNL
5J 505 TUG-MNL
5J 896 MPH-MNL
5J 794 BXU-MNL
5J 624 DGT-MNL
5J 565/566 MNL-CEB-MNL
5J 617/618 MNL-TAG-MNL
5J 553/554 MNL-CEB-MNL
5J 391/392 MNL-CGY-MNL
5J 458 ILO-MNL
5J 449/450 MNL-ILO-MNL
5J 483/484 MNL-BCD-MNL
5J 685/686 MNL-TAG-MNL
5J 995/996 MNL-GES-MNL
5J 977/978 MNL-DVO-MNL
5J 993/994 MNL-GES-MNL
5J 384 CGY-MNL
5J 486 BCD-MNL
5J 964 DVO-MNL
5J 952 DVO-MNL
5J 280 DPS-MNL
5J 951 MNL-DVO
5J 653/654 MNL-TAC-MNL
5J 629/630 MNL-DGT-MNL
5J 477/478 MNL-BCD-MNL
5J 389/390 MNL-CGY-MNL
5J 787/788 MNL BXU-MNL
5J 569/570 MNL-CEB-MNL
5J 455/456 MNL-ILO-MNL
5J 638 PPS-MNL
5J 852 ZAM-MNL
*5J 196/197 MNL-CYZ-MNL
*5J 377/378 MNL-CGY-MNL
*5J 886 CBO-MNL
*5J 911 MNL-MPH
*5J 648 PPS-MNL
*5J 460 ILO-MNL
*5J 789/790 MNL-BXU-MNL
*5J 379/380 MNL-CGY-MNL
*5J 651 / 652 MNL- TAC-MNL
*5J 615/616 MNL-TAG-MNL
*5J 970/871 MNL-DVO-MNL
*5J 973/974 MNL-DVO-MNL
*5J 641/642 MNL-PPS-MNL
*5J 953/954 MNL-DVO-MNL
*5J 981/982 MNL-DVO-MNL
*5J 479/480 MNL-BCD-MNL
*5J 647 MNL-PPS
*5J 704 DPL-MNL
*5J 461/462 MNL-ILO-MNL
*5J 573/574 MNL-CEB-MNL
*5J 631/632 MNL-DGT-MNL
*5J 2375/2376 MNL-BCD-MNL
*5J 559/560 MNL-CEB-MNL
*5J 337/338 MNL-KLO-MNL
*5J 556/557 MNL-CEB-MNL
Cebgo (DG)
DG6117/6118 MNL-WNP-MNL
DG 6243/6244 MNL-MPH-MNL
DG 6047/6048 MNL-USU-MNL
DG 6195/6196 MNL-LGP-MNL
DG 6043/6044 MNL-USU-MNL
DG 6051/6052 MNL-USU-MNL
DG 6881/6882 MNL-SUG-MNL
DG 6575/6576 CEB-MNL-CEB
DG 6056 USU-MNL
DG 6839/6840 MNL-IAO-MNL
DG 6245/6246 MNL-MPH-MNL
DG 6247/6248 MNL-MPH-MNL
Philippine Airlines (PR)
PR 454 GES-MNL
PR 1850 CEB-MNL
PR 1814 DVO-MNL
PR 1815/1816 MNL-DVO-MNL
PR 1868 CEB-MNL
PR 1859/1860 MNL-CEB-MNL
PR 1844 CEB-MNL
PR 1819/1820 MNL-DVO-MNL
PR 1867 MNL-CEB
PR 1863 MNL-CEB
PR 1869 MNL-CEB
PAL Express (2P)
2P 2142/2143 ILO-MNL-ILO
2P 2144 ILO-MNL
2145/2146 MNL-ILO-MNL
2P 2147/2148 MNL-ILO-MNL
2P 2853/2854 MNL-CEB-MNL
2P 2861/2862 – MNL-CEB-MNL
2P 2817/2818 MNL-DVO-MNK
2P 2960 CBO-MNL
2P 2919/2920 MNL-DRP-MNL (LGP)
2P 2924 LGP-MNL
2P 2132 BCD-MNL
2P 2133/2134 MNL-BCD-MNL
2P 2135/2136 MNL-BCD-MNL
2P 2041/2042 MNL-MPH-MNL
2P 2043/2044 MNL-MPH-MNL
2P 2045/2046 MNL-MPH-MNL
2P 2047/2048 MNL-MPH-MNL
2P 2985/2986 MNL-TAC-MNL
2P 2987/2988 MNL-TAC-MNL
2P 2938/2939 MNL-BXU-MNL
2P 2543/2544 MNL-DGT-MNL
2P 2546 DGT-MNL
2P 2783/2784 MNL-PAG-MNL
2P 2970 KLO-MNL
2P 2787/2788 MNL-PPS-MNL
2P 2774 TAG-MNL
2P 2777/2778 MNL-TAG-MNL
2P 2997/2998 MNL-ZAM-MNL
2P 2522 CGY-MNL
2P 2525/2526 MNL-CGY-MNL
2P 2529/2530 MNL-CGY-MNL
2P 2196/2197 MNL-LAO-MNL
2P 2198/2199 MNL-LAO-MNL
2P 2079/2080 MNL-CRM-MNL
2P 2971/2972 MNL-IAO-MNL
2P 2973/2974 MNL-IAO-MNL
2P 2963/2964 MNL-USU-MNL
2P 2965/2966 MNL-USU-MNL
*2P 2037 2038 MPH-MNL
*2P 2785/2786 MNL-MPH-MNL
*2P 2138 BCD-MNL
*2P 2825 MNL-DVO
Philippine AirAsia (Z2)
Z2 217/218 MNL-MPH-MNL
Z2 221/222 MNL-MPH-MNL
Z2 220 MPH-MNL
*Z2 604 BCD/MNL
*Z2 652 ZAM/MNL
*Z2 782/783 CEB-MNL-CEB
*Z2 309/310 MNL-ILO-MNL
*Z2 430/431 MNL-PPS-MNL
*Z2 691/692 MNL-CGY-MNL
*Z2 693/694 MNL-CGY-MNL
*Z2 331/332 MNL-TAC-MNL
*Z2 711/712 MNL-KLO-MNL
*Z2 715/716 MNL-KLO-MNL
*Z2 358/359 MNL-TAG-MNL
*Z2 605/606 MNL-BCD-MNL
*Z2 327/328 MNL-TAC-MNL
*Z2 777/778 MNL-CEB-MNL
*Z2 767/768 MNL-CEB-MNL
*Z2 697/698 MNL-CGY-MNL
*Z2 420/421 MNL-PSS-MNL
*Z2 692-693 MNL-CGY-MNL
DIVERTED
INTERNATIONAL:
Cebu Pacific (5J)
*5J 015 DXB-MNL (Diverted to HKG)
Gulf Air (GF)
GF 154/155 BAH-MNL-BAH (Diverted to HKG)
Thai Airways (TG)
TG 620 BKK-MNL (Diverted to BKK)
Malaysia Airlines (MH)
MH 806 KUL-MNL (Diverted to SGN)
Philippine Airlines (PR)
PR 216 POM-MNL 1205H (Diverted to DVO)
*PR 101 HNL-MNL (Diverted to GUM)
Etihad Airways (EY)
*EY 424 AUH/MNL (Diverted to HKG)
AirAsia (AK)
*AK 582 KUL-MNL (Diverted BKI)
Qatar Airways (QR)
*QR 932 DOH-MNL (Diverted to HKG)
DELAYED
DOMESTIC:
CebGo (DG)
DG 6047 MNL-USU
DG 6881 MNL- SUG
DG 6043 MNL-USU
Philippines AirAsia (Z2)
Z2 358 MNL-TAG
Z2 309 MNL-ILO
Z2 359 MNL-TAG
(*) – Recently added
Total affected flights:
Cancelled: 345
Diverted: 10
Delayed: 6
Total: 361
Image credits: Nonie Reyes