By Tara Yap
ILOILO CITY — Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. of Iloilo province said the looming resumption of commercial flights in and out of Iloilo Airport will be limited to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Passengers for special flights this week flock to Iloilo Airport. Regular commercial flights have not yet resumed. (John Albert Biscas /MANILA BULLETIN)
“There will be limitations because we still have border restrictions,” Defensor said.
The governor met Thursday with Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP-Iloilo) officials and the management of Philippine Airlines (PAL), Cebu Pacific (CebuPac) and Air Asia.
It was agreed that resumption of commercial flights at the Iloilo Airport will still cater to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), locally stranded individuals (LSIs) and those with essential travel to and from Manila only. Passengers traveling for leisure will not be allowed.
Defensor particularly noted that inbound flights will have a maximum of 1,500 passengers per week from the three airlines as a means of giving time to local governments to prepare and be able to monitor the incoming passengers for quarantine protocols.
Iloilo Airport Manager Manuela Luisa Palma said that each of the airlines could have inbound and outbound flights twice a week.
Earlier this week, Iloilo Airport had inbound flights from Manila, and outbound flights to Manila. But Defensor said these could be considered special flights and not regular flights. Defensor said that border restriction has not yet been lifted for non-residents of Western Visayas region.