Commercial flight operations resumed at the Iloilo Airport on Monday afternoon following the extraction of a Cebu Pacific aircraft stuck in a mud after it overshot the end of the runway late Friday evening.
Inclement weather in the area made it difficult for authorities to remove the damaged plane
(CEB flight 5J641), with the wheels of the aircraft stuck in at least 20-inch thick mud.
Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines officials said the facility resumed its services at around 2 p.m. yesterday after the runway was declared usable and safe for aircraft flight operations.
“Yes, it is already operational,” said Caap spokesman Eric Apolonio. “We thank the riding public and the affected passengers for their kind understanding.”
The resumption came three days after the Airbus A320 type series’ nose gear landed on a soft spot at the end of the runway at 11:10 pm Friday as it veered off upon landing.
No one among the 182 passengers and six flight crew members on board from Manila was hurt.
The incident, however, resulted in the cancellation of at least 50 commercial flights of the airline and two other carriers—Philippine Airlines and Air Asia. Among those affected are flights to and from Davao, Cebu, Manila and Hong Kong.
The Cebu Pacific Air management apologized for the incident.
“Again, CEB apologizes for the inconvenience this incident has caused. We would like to express our thanks to Capp, MIAA (Manila International Airport Authority), the local government of Iloilo and other partners for their assistance. We also thank our passengers for their patience and understanding, and the public for their support,” the airline said in a statement.
