CAAP halts General Santos Airport operations after quake; 17 flights cancelled
General Santos International Airport (Photo courtesy of CAAP via Ariel Fernandez)
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has temporarily suspended operations at General Santos International Airport after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Sarangani, followed by a tsunami warning issued by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
The suspension was ordered to ensure the safety and integrity of airport facilities and equipment.
A Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) was issued from 8:45 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., halting all flights while assessments are carried out on air navigation systems and operational capabilities.
Seventeen flights have been affected across three airlines.
Cebu Pacific cancelled 11 flights: 5J4843 (Iloilo to General Santos), 5J4844 (General Santos to Iloilo), 5J998 (General Santos to Manila), 5J993 (Manila to General Santos), 5J994 (General Santos to Manila), 5J995 (Manila to General Santos), 5J996 (General Santos to Manila), 5J249 (Cebu to General Santos), 5J250 (General Santos to Cebu), 5J991 (Manila to General Santos), and 5J992 (General Santos to Manila).
PAL Express cancelled four flights: 2P2357 (Cebu to General Santos), 2P2358 (General Santos to Cebu), 2P2455 (Manila to General Santos), and 2P2456 (General Santos to Manila).
Philippine Airlines cancelled two flights: PR453 (Manila to General Santos) and PR454 (General Santos to Manila).
Passengers affected by the cancellations are advised to directly coordinate with their airlines for rebooking, flight status updates, and rescheduling.
Authorities emphasized that operations will only resume once safety checks are completed.