PHILIPPINE Airlines on Friday announced the cancellation of at least 100 domestic flights affected by the scheduled maintenance and upgrading of one of the radars used by the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
The cancellation, according to PAL spokesperson Ma. Cielo Villanuna, was made in pursuant to the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines last week in connection with the repair of Tagaytay Radar beginning March 6 until March 11.
Villaluna said 16 domestic flight schedules were canceled on March 6 while 18 others on March 7 and another 18 on March 8. She added 48 flights were also canceled from March 9 to 11.
Most of those canceled are flights to and from Manila, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo, Tacloban and Masbate.
The PAL management stated that affected passengers may avail of the following options without penalties: rebook their tickets within 30 days from original date of departure without penalty provided within ticket validity; or refund their ticket in full; or reroute to the next alternative nearest point within PAL’s network.
CAAP Deputy Director General for Operations Capt. Manuel Antonio Tamayo said that coordination with Manila International Airport Authority and airlines operating at the Naia have been put in place and advisory on the revise flight schedules during the duration of the repair period will be coordinated with passengers through their respective airline carriers.
The radar repair will cover the overhauling of antenna and replacement of its drive motor and rotary joint that is long overdue and will be integrated with the soon to launch satellite-based Communications, Navigation, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management technology.
The CNS/ATM facility will be turn over by main contractor Sumitomo-Thales JV to CAAP management by July this year.
When fully operational, the facility can monitor 80 percent of the Manila Flight Information Region as assigned to the Philippines by the International Civil Aviation Organization. The project was partly funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency.