MANILA, Philippines — The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) has suspended the operation of all domestic flights previously scheduled for the first week of June.

The agency made it clear in a memorandum that it has not approved any domestic air flights set for the first week of the relaxed restrictions under the general community quarantine 

The Civil Aeronautics Board ordered all airline companies to cancel all of their scheduled flights for this week and temporarily stop selling plane tickets. 

Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque announced that flight schedules are being reviewed.

He also assured that the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines will issue guidelines on the matter soon. 

“Theoretically po, ang lahat ng flights ng GCQ to GCQ ay papayagan na, [Theoretically, GCQ to GCQ flights are already allowed],” Roque said.

“Pero aantayin po natin ang CAAP na sila po ang mag-provide ng guidelines at kinakailangan din ng panahon ng ating mga airline companies para maghanda po sa resumption ng kanilang operations, [However, we need to wait for CAAP to provide the guidelines and airline companies also need time to prepare for the resumption of their operations],” he added.

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) has yet to identify which terminals will reopen. 

Meanwhile, several airline companies have already submitted their respective flight schedules to MIAA and CAAP for review. 

The Philippine Airlines (PAL) has previously announced the resumption of operations for both international and local flights though the company also advised its clients of possible changes depending on the situation relative to the existing quarantine restrictions. 

Cebu Pacific was supposed to resume domestic flights on June 2 and Air Asia on June 3.

International flights are now operating at NAIA Terminal 1 limited to only 400 passengers daily capacity based on the IATF order.

Meanwhile, Terminal 2 only caters to repatriation, sweeper flights and commercial flights by PAL. 

Terminal 3, on the other hand, will serve as a flight station for Cebu Pacific and Air Asia. 

Terminal 4, still remains closed. MNP (with reports from Joan Nano)

Cebu Pacific and the Philippine Airlines (PAL) will implement new protocols in preparation for the resumption of operations.

Commercial flight operations will remain suspended until May 15 due to the extension of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

Vice President for Marketing and Customer Experience at Cebu Pacific Candice Iyog announced they will intensify their sanitary protocols through “contactless flights”.

“We are implementing additional procedures to assure our passengers and give them the confidence to travel again. Rolling out ‘contactless flights’ will minimize face-to-face contact between our ground staff and our passengers and observe physical distancing,” she said in a statement.

Cebu Pacific encourages its passengers to check in online and will be required to wear face masks upon entry at the airport terminal and for the duration of the flight.

All pilots, cabin crews, ground employees will also wear personal protective equipment (PPE) while on duty. Pilots and cabin crew will undergo  rapid antibody tests before they are assigned to operate flights.

Meanwhile, PAL will also require face masks for all visitors as well as its passengers. Thermal scans will be conducted at ticket offices and online check-in is encouraged. AAC

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Tourism (DOT), together with several government agencies and various domestic airlines, have joined forces to ferry more than 10,000 foreign tourists from different parts of the country to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and Clark International Airport.

This measure is aimed at assisting these foreign tourists who were stranded in the country due to the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine to be able to go back to their respective countries.

DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said this will help lessen the stranded tourists in the various islands in the country.

“The Department of Tourism has been doing everything within its resources to ease the congestion in the different regions by facilitating the movement of foreign tourists stranded in the different islands of the country,” Puyat said in a statement.

Over the weekend, 7,915 tourists were brought to the two airports through the sweeper flights of different domestic airlines, such as Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Air Asia, and Air Swift, as well as chartered flights.

DOT regional offices also assisted the stranded tourists in Luzon via land transport.

The Philippine Coast Guard, on the other hand, helped ferry those in Bohol, Siquijor, Negros, and Cebu through inter-island vessels.

Shuttle services and hotel accommodations were arranged for several stranded tourists who were also given free foods and hygienic items while waiting for their flights at the NAIA.

Other sweeper flights were also used for those in Iloilo, Tacloban, and Cagayan de Oro.

Three more sweeper flights are also being prepared for the others in Davao and Puerto Princesa to be transported on Thursday (March 26).

Two sweeper flights are also scheduled for tourists on Boracay island for transportation on Thursday, and four more over the weekend. — (from the report of Asher Cadapan, Jr.) /mbmf