Local airlines keep cancellations despite lifting of ban on outbound flights

Local airline companies’ cancellation of flights is seen to continue even after the government lifted the 72-hour window for outbound flights, which allowed overseas Filipino workers, foreigners and balikbayans to fly out of the country anytime amid the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine due to COVID-19 threat. 

Cebu Pacific spokesperson Charo Logarta-Lagamon said the budget carrier has no plans so far to resume flights.

Cebu Pacific has earlier announced the cancellation of all its flights starting March 19 until April 14.

“While the updates from the IATF on the aviation protocols allow us to mount international flights, we need to prioritize the safety and health of our personnel, support for local and national government restrictions on land travel and quarantine, as well as directives from governments in other jurisdictions," Lagamon said.

For his part, David de Castor, head of communications of Philippines AirAsia said the carrier will stick to its plan to cancel all domestic and international flights to and from Manila, Clark, Cebu, and Kalibo.

AirAsia has earlier announced that all of its flights will be canceled starting March 20 until the end of enhanced community quarantine on April 14.

Philippine Airlines has also announced the cancellation of all its flights beginning March 20.

The flag carrier’s parent PAL Holdings disclosed to the Philippine Stock Exchange that “considering the continuing gravity of the situation, more flights are expected to be cancelled.”

The entire Luzon was placed under enhanced community quarantine at 12 a.m. on Tuesday, March 17, as ordered by President Rodrigo Duterte.

Under this condition, strict home quarantine will be implemented in all households, mass transportation will be suspended, provision for food and essential health services will be regulated and the presence of uniformed personnel to enforce quarantine procedures will be heightened.

In an earlier memorandum released on Monday night, the government suspended all commercial flights to and from airports in Luzon, beginning March 20.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF-EID), however, decided on Wednesday morning to lifted the 72-hour travel period for departing overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), returnees, and foreign nationals.

The previously-imposed travel restrictions for arriving passengers from China, Hong Kong, Macau, North Gyeongsang including Daegu and Cheongdo of South Korea, Iran, and Italy is still in effect, according to the Department of Transportation. —LDF, GMA News