Flights on bigger aircraft to be mounted from Tacloban starting Thursday noon

Starting Thursday noon, two flights on bigger aircraft will be mounted from the Tacloban airport, allowing more passengers to be carried out of the disaster-stricken city.

Commercial carriers PAL Express and Cebu Pacific Airlines will be allowed to mount flights on Airbus A320 or Boeing B373 planes which can accommodate more passengers per flight, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said on Wednesday.

Earlier, the CAAP placed priority on military planes and aircraft that carry relief supplies and equipment, and commercial flights using turboprop aircraft to hasten take-offs and landing.

source: interaksyon.com

Except for Tacloban, Roxas, Busuanga, domestic airports shut down by Yolanda now open

MANILA, Philippines - The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) on Sunday lifted the notice to airman (NOTAM) shutting down 10 domestic airports in anticipation of Yolanda’s landfall Friday.

As of 4:34 p.m. today, Kalibo airport has resumed normal operations leaving only three domestic airports - Tacloban, Roxas, and Busuanga - still closed for operations but military and humanitarian flights are allowed to land.

CAAP Director General William K. Hotchkiss lll and his team who flew in Busuanga early this morning brought emergency communication equipment to hasten the immediate normalization of airport operations there.

Hotchkiss ordered CAAP personnel at the three airports to render 24/7 duties in order to expedite normalization.

Meanwhile CAAP Operations and Rescue Coordinating Center released domestic flights cancelled for Sunday;

Cebu Pacific cancelled; eight Manila/Busuanga/Manila flights (5J 529/530, 531/532, 539/540, and 527/528), two Manila/Roxas/Manila flights (5J 373/374), eight Manila/Kalibo/Manila flights (5J 339/340, 343/344, 345/346, and 334/335), and eight Manila/Tacloban/Manila flights (5J 651/652, 659/660, 653/654, and 657/658).

PalExpress cancelled: eight Manila/Tacloban/Manila flights (2P 971/972, 969/970, 977/978, and 985/986), two Manila/Busuanga/Manila flights (2P 033/034), two Manila/Kalibo/Manila flights (2P 081/082), and two Manila/Roxas/Manila flights (2P 201/202).

source: interaksyon.com