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Thousands affected after Manila airport power outage disrupts travel plans, forces flight cancellations

Communication and radar equipment at Ninoy Aquino International Airport were knocked out by a power outage.

Thousands affected after Manila airport power outage disrupts travel plans, forces flight cancellations

Passengers wait for information about their flights at Terminal 3 of Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay, Metro Manila on Jan 1, 2023. (Photo: AFP/Kevin Tristan Espiritu)

MANILA: Philippine authorities halted flights in and out of Manila for several hours on New Year's Day after a power outage knocked out communication and radar equipment at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

The malfunction in air traffic control also prevented airlines bound for other destinations from using the country's airspace on Sunday (Jan 1). 

More than 360 flights in and out of Manila were cancelled, diverted or delayed, affecting about 56,000 passengers, according to the AFP news agency. It was unclear how many overflights were impacted.

Philippine Transportation Secretary Jaime J Bautista said that the Civil Aviation Authority at the airport resumed normal operations at about 5.50pm. 

A total of 16 flights have since arrived and departed from NAIA as of 9pm.

At a media briefing, he apologised for the inconvenience to passengers as he blamed a power outage for the breakdown of the central air traffic control system that also affected operations at other airports in the country.

He said the outdated existing facility should be upgraded immediately and that a backup system was also needed.

"This is air traffic management system issue," Bautista said. "If you will compare us with Singapore, for one, there is a big difference, they are at least 10 years ahead of us."

Equipment restoration is still ongoing, the country's Department of Transportation said in a Facebook post on Sunday night. The airport's system had earlier been "partially restored" at 4pm. 

Passengers wait for information about their flights at Terminal 3 of Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay, Metro Manila on Jan 1, 2023. (Photo: AFP/Kevin Tristan Espiritu)
Passengers look at a screen showing flight information at Terminal 3 of Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay, Metro Manila on Jan 1, 2023. (Photo: AFP/Kevin Tristan Espiritu)

Bautista added that Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr is "very much aware of the situation" and has ordered authorities to extend assistance to affected passengers.

He added that the Department of Transportation has also liaised with its airline partners for the provision of food, refreshments, transportation, lodging, and accommodation for all the cancelled flights "which are to be provided by the airlines free of charge to all affected passengers".

Video clips and photos posted on social media showed long queues at the airport on Sunday afternoon with airline employees distributing food packs and drinks to stranded passengers.

Budget carrier Cebu Pacific earlier said there was a power outage and loss of communication at the Philippine Air Traffic Management Center. It offered passengers due to fly on Sunday free rebooking or the option to convert tickets to vouchers.

Philippine Airlines also announced on Sunday afternoon that a number of flights were diverted, cancelled and delayed, and that travellers should check the status of their journey before proceeding to the airport. 

HOURS-LONG WAIT, INCONVENIENCE

An affected traveller flying out of Japan told CNA that he and other passengers waited about four hours in their plane at Narita International Airport.

They had boarded at about 3.40pm local time for a ZIPAIR flight that was originally scheduled to depart at 4.05pm. 

The airline said the delay was caused by the disruptions in Manila, said the traveller who wanted to be known only as Kelvin. Take-off was eventually rescheduled to 8.30pm. 

Other passengers appeared to remain calm throughout the incident and no one was "requesting or making a fuss", he said, adding that the airline did not provide any other form of assistance apart from giving passengers packets of crackers and water. 

Other stranded travellers expressed outrage and annoyance over the malfunction and lack of information given by airport staff.

Passengers wait for information about their flights at Terminal 3 of Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay, Metro Manila on Jan 1, 2023. (Photo: AFP/Kevin Tristan Espiritu)
Passengers wait for information about their flights at Terminal 3 of Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay, Metro Manila on Jan 1, 2023. (Photo: AFP/Kevin Tristan Espiritu)

A woman who was supposed to fly to Singapore said she spent several hours sitting in the plane on the tarmac.

She and her fellow passengers were eventually deplaned and offered hotel rooms.

"We were told it was a complete failure of radio comms at air traffic control," she told AFP.

Tycoon Manny Pangilinan tweeted that he had been flying from Tokyo to Manila when the plane was diverted to Haneda due to "radar and navigation facilities" going down.

"6 hours of useless flying but inconvenience to travelers and losses to tourism and business are horrendous. Only in the PH. Sigh," Pangilinan wrote.

Manila passenger Daryll Delgado told AFP she had managed to rebook her flight for a later date after a "frustrating" experience.

An AFP reporter in the southern city of Davao said travellers were advised "not to head to the airport" - but many only found out their flight had been cancelled after they arrived to check-in.

Passengers waiting at the Manila international airport amid flight cancellations and delays on Jan 1, 2023. (Photo: Facebook/Ninoy Aquino International Airport MIAA)
Korea Air staff members preparing food and beverages for passengers at the Manila international airport on Jan 1, 2023. (Photo: Facebook/Ninoy Aquino International Airport MIAA)
Source: Agencies/CNA/fh(zl)

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