88 flights cancelled, 5 others diverted to Clark; NAIA 3, 4 operations stalled

A total of 88 domestic and international flights had to be cancelled Tuesday and five others diverted to Clark International Airport in Pampanga due to the torrential monsoon rains strengthened by tropical storm Maring (international codename: Trami). The rains and floods also prevented booked passengers from leaving for the airports.

Ramp operations at terminals 3 and 4 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport also had to be suspended at 10:30 a.m., although operations remained normal at terminals 1 and 2. Terminal 1 handles international flights of most foreign carriers.



According to NAIA’s Media Affairs Division, cancelled flights as of 3 p.m. Tuesday were:

Philippine Airlines (PAL)

    PR 209 Manila-Melbourne (Original ETD: 9 p.m.)
    PR 300/301 Manila-Hong Kong-Manila
    PR 306/307 Manila-Hong Kong-Manila
    PR 318/319 Manila-Hong Kong-Manila
    PR 330/331 Manila -Xiamen-Manila
    PR 336/337 Manila-Shanghai-Manila
    PR 358/359 Manila-Beijing-Manila
    PR 408 Manila-Kansai
    PR 416/417 Manila-Pusan-Manila
    PR 432 Manila-Narita
    PR 438 Manila-Nagoya
    PR 468/469 Manila-Incheon-Manila
    PR 501/512 Manila-Singapore-Manila
    PR 503/504 Manila-Singapore-Manila
    PR 507/508 Manila-Singapore-Manila
    PR 517/518 Manila-Kuala Lumpur-Manila
    PR 537 Manila-Denpasar (Original ETD: 8:40 p.m.)
    PR 730/731 Manila-Bangkok-Manila
    PR 736/737 Manila-Bangkok-Manila
    PR 8488/8489 Manila-Incheon-Manila
    PR 894/895 Manila-Taipei-Manila

    PR 813/814 Manila-Davao-Manila
    PR 849/850 Manila-Cebu-Manila
    PR 853/854 Manila-Cebu-Manila
    PR 855/856 Manila-Cebu-Manila

PAL Express

    2P 014/015 Manila-Tuguegarao-Manila
    2P 033/034 Manila-Busuanga-Manila
    2P 039/040 Manila-Caticlan-Manila
    2P 047/048 Manila-Caticlan-Manila
    2P 051 052 Manila-Caticlan-Manila
    2P 065/066 Manila-Surigao-Manila
    2P 263/264 Manila-Naga-Manila
    2P 525/526 Manila-Cagayan-Manila
    2P 527/528 Manila-Cagayan de Oro-Manila
    2P 543/544 Manila-Dumaguete-Manila
    2P 581/582 Manila-Legaspi-Manila
    2P 587/588 Manila-Dipolog-Manila
    2P 773/774 Manila-Tagbilaran-Manila
    2P 907/908 Manila-Bacolod-Manila
    2P 918/919 Manila-Laoag-Manila
    2P 943/944 Manila-Puerto Prinsesa-Manila
    2P 965/966 Manila-Cagayan-Manila
    2P 967/968 Manila-Butuan-Manila
    2P 985/986 Manila-Tacloban-Manila

TigerAir

    DG 7002/7003 Manila-Cebu-Manila
    DG 7004/7005 Manila-Cebu-Manila
    DG 7014/7015 Manila-Cebu-Manila
    DG 7044/7045 Manila-Tacloban-Manila
    DG 7062/7063 Manila-Puerto Princesa-Manila
    DG 7072/7073 Manila-Iloilo-Manila
    DG 7082/7083 Manila-Bacolod-Manila

Cebu Pacific

    5J 327/328 Manila-Legazpi-Manila
    5J 339/340 Manila-Kalibo-Manila
    5J 373/374 Manila-Roxas-Manila
    5J 385/386 Manila-Cagayan de Oro-Manila
    5J 506/507 Manila-Tuguegarao-Manila
    5J 523/524 Manila-Naga-Manila
    5J 563/564 Manila-Caticlan-Manila
    5J 659/660 Manila-Tacloban-Manila
    5J 787/788 Manila-Butuan-Manila
    5J 791/792 Manila-Butuan-Manila
    5J 857/858 Manila-Zamboanga-Manila
    5J 899/900 Manila-Caticlan-Manila
    5J 901/902 Manila-Caticlan-Manila
    5J 965/968 Manila-Davao-Manila
    5J 975/966 Manila-Davao-Manila
    5J 995/996 Manila-General Santos-Manila

To rebook

For rebooking of PAL and PAL Express flights, passengers are asked to log on to www.philippineairlinescom and www.flypalexpress.com or call PAL hotline 855-8888 or PALex reservations at 855 9000.


At the same time, PAL said six flights, which were diverted to Clark, have returned to Manila. These are: PR 808 Davao Manila, PR 810 Davao-Manila, 2P 022 Masbate-Manila, 2P 202 Roxas-Manila, 2P 268 Naga-Manila, and 2P 092 Calbayog-Manila.

TigerAir Philippines also issued a statement saying all its Tuesday flights to and from Manila have been cancelled until further notice, although the airline has yet to give details of how many flights are affected and the outbound destinations.

"We will waive charges and issue refunds to affected passengers," TigerAir said.

TigerAir passengers may call its hotline 798-4488.

‘Normal at Clark’

Two PAL Airbus A319 aircraft from Davao, two Airphil Express A-8s from Masbate and Calbayog, and a Cebu Pacific Airbus A-320 from Thailand were diverted to Clark at 9:05 a.m. because of poor visibility caused by heavy rains.

Since Saturday, the southwest monsoon has been causing massive floods in many parts of Metro Manila, as well as Central and Northern Luzon.

On Sunday, a Qantas Airbus A-380 aircraft from Hong Kong was diverted to Clark Airport due to traffic congestion and lack of parking space at the NAIA.

Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) President and CEO Victor Jose I. Luciano said that Clark Airport is ready anytime to accommodate diverted flights as a result of poor visibility and traffic congestions at the NAIA.

“Clark Airport had been accommodating diverted flights, and the airport is always ready of such emergency,” Luciano added.

He said that flight operations at Clark Airport have remained normal since Saturday despite several diverted flights from NAIA, adding that emergency hotlines at Clark Airport are open 24 hours a day.

source: interaksyon.com

British pop-rock band Lawson arrive in Manila for Eastwood concert

British pop rock band Lawson arrived at the NAIA on Sunday at 1:10PM via Singapore on board Singapore Airlines flight SQ910.

Band members Andy Brown (acoustic guitar and lead vocals), Ryan Fletcher (bass guitar and backing vocals), Joel Peat (lead guitar and backing vocals) and Adam Pitts (drums) gamely posed for souvenir photos with fans and airport employees after they cleared their immigration and customs formalities.



The scene was repeated outside the terminal, where throng of fans had waited for the band to pass at the curb side area of the airport. Security personnel were surprised when the group alighted from their vehicle and greeted fans and posed for more souvenir photos.

The group — known for their hit singles “When She Was Mine”, “Taking Over Me”, “Standing in the Dark” and “Learn to Love Again” from their 2012 debut album “Chapman Square” — is scheduled to perform at Eastwood Mall Open Park in Libis, Quezon City on April 9 at 8PM.

The group’s name is a tribute to a real-life surgeon named Lawson who successfully treated lead vocalist Andy Brown’s brain tumor when Brown was 18 years old.

source: interaksyon.com

Zac Efron arrives in Manila ahead of fashion event

Hollywood actor Zachary “Zac” David Efron arrived at the NAIA terminal 1 at 10:17AM on Wednesday ahead of a promotional event for local clothing line Penshoppe.

The star of the Disney Channel original movie “High School Musical” was accompanied by his father David Efron and two others who arrived on board Cathay Pacific flight CX907 from Hong Kong.




“Nice to be here. I love the Philippines. This is so awesome,” Zac Efron sai told the media at the arrival immigration hall.

Security was tight as six airport policemen escorted the actor to his car waiting curbside at the arrival area.

The office of Sen. Edgardo Angara requested on Tuesday that special treatment be accorded Efron’s party of four and that an officer be assigned to attend to their immigration formalities and allow them to exit through the airport’s backdoor.

However, airport immigration personnel said that only the top five Philippine government officials are allowed such privileges, including ramp access in going in and out of the terminal.

Efron was seen presenting his passport at the immigration counter of the airport arrival area.

Immigration said that, per protocol, the top five government officials are the President of the Republic, Vice President, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Efron was fetched at the NAIA customs area by Joyce Ramirez of Publicity firm PR Asia Worldwide, publicist for Penshoppe, who then led police and security escorts in whisking Efron away to a waiting SUV convoy.




Efron will spend the next two days on a sightseeing tour with his father, who had visited the country several times before.

Sources said the actor will visit Misibis Bay in Albay to experience wildlife interaction with whale sharks. He will also view the famous Mount Mayon in Legaspi.

On Saturday, September 29, he is scheduled to appear at the Penshoppe fan conference at the Mall of Asia Arena.

source: interaksyon.com

NAIA is Philippines' busiest airport - NSCB

MANILA - NAIA is the Philippines' busiest airport, handling more than half of all passenger traffic in the last decade, according to the National Statistical Coordination Board.

In a report, the NSCB said the airports in the National Capital Region accounted for an average share of 19.4 million passengers or 62.2 percent of all passenger traffic in the country from 2001 to 2011.

"Very important therefore to improve the quality of services and decongest or possibly relocate the NAIA to ensure on-time departures. Maybe even making Raymart and Claudine friends again with the Tulfos?" NSCB said, referring to the brawl between actor Raymart Santiago and company on the one hand, and journalist Ramon Tulfo on the other at the NAIA last month.

The NSCB said a little over half of passenger traffic in Manila airports in 2010 was on domestic flights, with 45.32 percent on international flights, and 0.75 percent using general aviation.

Besides the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, other busy gateways are in Central Visayas, Western Visayas and Davao, with average shares of 11.5 percent, 9.1 percent and 5.1 percent, respectively, of total passenger movement.

Total passenger movement in the country’s airports increased from 19.9 million in 2001 to 52.1 million last year, increasing at an average rate of 10.1 percent per annum.

Aircraft movement - defined as a takeoff or arrival - increased from 343,039 in 2001 to 501,117 last year, or at an average rate of 3.9 percent per annum.

Again, NCR airports accounted for the biggest share at 41.4 percent of the total aircraft movement, followed by Central Luzon, Central Visayas and Western Visayas, which accounted for 14.9 percent, 11.2 percent, and 10.4 percent, respectively, of the national total.

Out of the 85 national airports in 2010, 38 were in Luzon, 22 in the Visayas, and 25 in Mindanao. Ten of them were international airports, five of which were in Luzon, two in the Visayas, and three in Mindanao.

The Philippines had 131 airports in 1976, peaked to 300 in 1994 before dropping to 203 in 2010 because of the closure of private strips.

"It may be noted that the significant decline happened after the Asian financial crisis in 1997. Private airports accounted for 58.1 percent of the total registered airports in the country in 2010," NSCB said.

Aircraft accidents increased from 15 in 2006 to 18 in 2009 but dropped to 14 cases in 2010.

The NSCB said most common causes of the accidents were engine-related or crash landing, accounting for 19 and 10 cases, respectively, out of a total number of 75 in the last six years.

source: interaksyon.com

SM group yet to commit to NAIA-Entertainment City road project

MANILA, Philippines - Contrary to claims made by the chairman of the state gaming monopoly, the SM group has yet to commit any funding for the planned road linking the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and Pagcor's Entertainment City.

"The project you mentioned is not definite yet. We are equally surprised to hear that the project and the people involved are already committing. I think it is still a work in progress," Harley T. Sy, SM Investments Corp. (SMIC) president, said.

"I'm surprised and as far it is still a work in progress. We encourage it, but the numbers are still moving," he said.

Armin Raquel-Santos, Belle Corp. executive vice president for premium leisure and amusement, said the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. met the four Entertainment City licensees "to see the viability of the expressway."

Other Entertainment City locators are Enrique Razon Jr.'s Bloomberry Investments Holdings Inc., the consortium of Malaysia's Genting Group and Andrew Tan's Alliance Global Group Inc., and Japan’s Universal Entertainment Corp.

"There is no commitment yet because the funding right now is at the design stage," Raquel-Santos said.

On Wednesday, Henry Sy Jr. said the SM group was not directly participating in public-private partnership (PPP) projects since "these projects are much sought after, competition is very intense [and] profit margins might suffer."

His younger brother, Harley, said the SM group' involvement in the PPP projects of the Aquino administration is through banking arm Banco de Oro Unibank, which may provide project financing.

"We have not really looked into the numbers and it is more of we will do what we believe we can do best. We cannot do too many things. We might lose our focus," he said.

Last month, Cristino Naguiat, Pagcor chairman, told members of the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines that the four licensees of the Entertainment City had committed to finance half of the P12-billion road project.

He had said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) approached him, seeking the private firms' commitment to co-finance the project.

"I talked to all the proponents and I told them to invest at least more than a billion pesos each. They would fund the project. They requested that their investment would be part of their investment commitment [in Pagcor City]," Naguiat told reporters during a seminar in Clark.

Because of this commitment from the locators, DPWH is taking out the government subsidy, with the contractor providing half of the funding.

The original plan was revised to accommodate the request for the highway to end up at Entertainment City instead of Roxas Boulevard. By diverting the road, travel time from the airport to the gaming and casino complex would be cut down to 16 minutes.

InterAksyon.com is still awaiting response from Pagcor and the other locators as of this posting.

source: interaksyon.com