The task force working against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) suspended flights in all of the country’s international airports for a week because of the pandemic.
In a statement, Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr., National Task Force Against Covid-19 chief implementer, said, “The new flight restriction is only temporary and will be implemented for one week to give the government the opportunity to decongest the quarantine facilities in Metro Manila.”
The enhanced community quarantine imposed in Metro Manila and other areas with a high number of Covid-19 cases is scheduled to end on May 15, 2020. Other areas with fewer cases went on downgraded general community quarantine on May 1, 2020.
Galvez added that the suspension would “also ensure that our overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are well taken care of when they arrive from abroad. As of today, there are already approximately 20,000 OFWs undergoing mandatory quarantine in Metro Manila.”
The suspension applies to domestic flights at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
Besides NAIA, the international airports covered by the suspension are the Davao International Airport, Clark International Airport, Iloilo International Airport, Mactan-Cebu International Airport, Zamboanga International Airport, Kalibo International Airport, Laoag International Airport and Puerto Princesa International Airport.
Galvez also said the suspension would apply to all commercial flights, except in cases of emergency, air ambulances and planes carrying medical supplies, aircraft diverted to the country because of bad weather, and maintenance flights.
Sweeper flights to repatriate foreigners in the country would also be allowed under the exceptions, according to the statement.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said international flights that wish to land and depart must request exemption from the CAAP Operations Center “at least 36 hours before the scheduled departure from their place of origin,” the statement added.
PAL cancels flights
Because of the suspension, Philippine Airlines (PAL) canceled its special passenger flights to Manila from the United States from May 4 to May 8.
“If you are previously booked on any of the canceled flights, we will endeavor to rebook you to another special flight operating after the airport closure period” PAL spokesman Cielo Villaluna said. “All such flights are subject to government approvals.”
On Sunday, the last seven foreign airlines that were still flying into NAIA had departed.
Hong Kong Air and Gulf Air were the “last planes out” of the NAIA, according to the Manila International Airport Authority.
The other flights are Eva Air from Taipei, Saudia Airlines (Riyadh), Qatar Airways (Doha, Qatar), Korean Air (Incheon), and Emirates Airlines (Dubai).
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