Technical issues leave thousands stranded as flights to and from Manila are cancelled or delayed
Due to an issue with air traffic control, Philippine officials grounded all aircraft into and out of Manila on January 1st, resulting in turmoil for tens of thousands of travelers.
About 56,000 passengers at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) were affected by a total of 282 flights that were either delayed, canceled, or diverted to other regional airports, the airport operator said on Sunday, January 1.
Limited flight operations were made possible when the system was “partially restored” as of 4 p.m. local time, according to a statement from the Manila International Airport Authority.
Long lines at the airport and airline personnel giving out food and drinks to stranded customers were depicted in social media videos and images.
Early on New Year’s Day, travelers started to experience delays. At 12.15 am, the airport authority posted on Facebook that various aircraft schedules may change at any given time.
The Philippine Air Traffic Management Center experienced a power outage and a communication breakdown, according to low-cost airline Cebu Pacific. It gave customers who had flights on Sunday the choice of free rebooking or the option to exchange their tickets for vouchers.
According to Philippine Airlines, a number of flights have been delayed, cancelled, or diverted. Travelers are advised to check the status of their trip before leaving for the airport.
Following a partial restoration of its air traffic control system, the airport authority said that the Civil Aviation Authority was starting to allow planes into NAIA.
The airport authority provided a breakdown of the impacted flights on Sunday afternoon, stating that a total of 268 flights had been canceled as of 4pm local time. Flights on airlines including Cebu Pacific, Japan Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Philippines AirAsia, AirSwift, Cebgo, and PAL Express were included, as well as flights both domestically and internationally.
Netizens immediately called for answers and accountability for the air traffic control mess.
