Flights at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) have resumed normal operations Tuesday, Jan. 3, two days after the New Year’s Day technical glitch at the Air Traffic Management Center (ATMC) of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) disabled flights to and from the country.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) issued the statement Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 3.
The DOTr, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and various airlines operating at NAIA assisted thousands of passengers of some 300 affected flights.
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They provided free meals, snacks, lodging, accommodation, phone calls and shuttle service.
In a separate statement, flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) announced it is "transitioning to normal flight operations by tomorrow, January 4, after fully completing its recovery flights and extra sector flights."
Although the radar system has been fully restored, the return to the Manila hub of PAL's stranded aircraft the day after the incident led to flight delays covering the January 2 to 3 period, according to spokesperson Cielo Villaluna.
In all, PAL operated 30 recovery flights.
As far as rebooking process is concerned, affected passengers were accommodated on replacement flights, extra sector flights and regular flights, Villaluna noted.
Passengers were given the option to rebook, refund or to convert their unused tickets into travel vouchers for use within one year from date of issuance.
"We have gradually calibrated our operations as we transition into normal flight operations," according to Villaluna.
"We remain optimistic that the aviation authorities of the country are addressing the CNS - ATM issue to ensure the long-term reliability and integrity of the air traffic management system," she concluded.