Now that the operations at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) have been fully-restored, what happens to the almost 300 flights that were cancelled and delayed due to the technical glitches on the air traffic management system?
The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) counted the ways to address the problem, particularly to assist thousands of stranded passengers to reach their respective destinations in the soonest possible time.
First, MIAA General Manager Cesar Chiong said they will no close down the runways at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in the next three days in order to accommodate all the flights that were cancelled or delayed due to the technical glitches that occurred at its air traffic management system on Sunday, Jan. 1.
The glitches occurred at 9:49 a.m. on Sunday and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said they were already fixed and became fully-operational by 7:45 p.m.
Normally, the NAIA runways are closed between 1:30 a.m. to 3:30 a.m. to give way to inspections and other safety protocols.
But Chiong said the runway closure protocol will be waived in the next 72 hours for the sake of the thousands of passengers that were stranded.
"We are expecting around 72 hours for the airline companies to fully recover their flights," said Chiong in a press briefing on Sunday night, Jan. 1.
One of the reasons behind the decision not to close the runways, he said, was that the MIAA is aware that all the flights to and from Metro Manila are full.
Second, Chiong said they are also now coordinating with the airline companies to take advantage of the three-day 24/7 operation of the NAIA runways by providing more aircraft with night-landing capability.
In this way, he said more passengers would be accommodated to reach their destinations.
"We requested the airlines to update some of their flights, especially those with flights that can accommodate night landings, to put in more flights. So we are continuously coordinating with them (to address the problem of stranded passengers)," said Chiong.
And third, Chiong said airline companies, particularly the three local firms which have the most domestic flights affected, to use wide-body aircraft also to accomodate more passengers.
"We also requested them to use wide body flights to accommodate more passengers in each of the flights," he added.
The flight delay and cancellations unfortunately happen amid the influx of passengers that are supposed to go back to their schools, homes and workplaces after the Holiday break.
Chiong said coordination with the airline companies is essential in addressing the problem since it is the airline companies which receive the information from the passengers who availed of various options after the flight cancellation.
More than 65,000 domestic and international airline passengers from almost 300 flights were affected by the incident at the NAIA.
"Since it is the passengers who are given the option of the time and the day of their rebooking schedules, we really need to coordinate with the airline companies to efficiently address this," said Chiong.
Passenger assistance
Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista has ordered the CAAP and the MIAA to extend all possible assistance to affected passengers.
These include distribution of personal hygiene kits, food, water and accommodation until such time that they reach their destinations.
"The DOTr likewise liaised with the 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," said Bautista.
"The DOTr and CAAP continue to coordinate with the airlines as well as the other airport and operators such as Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA), Clark International Airport, and Davao International Airport to address the situation," he added.