Cebu Pacific says qualified minors allowed to travel with fully vaccinated guardians

Budget carrier Cebu Pacific on Monday clarified that minors who have yet to be vaccinated against COVID-19 will only be allowed to travel if they are returning residents and accompanied by a fully vaccinated adult.

In an advisory, Cebu Pacific reiterated that it will comply with the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) ‘No Vaccination, No Ride’ policy which is in effect while the National Capital Region remains under Alert Level 3 or higher.

"Unvaccinated and partially vaccinated minors (below 18 years old) may be allowed to travel if they are returning residents and accompanied by a fully vaccinated adult. Proof of residency must be presented along with existing LGU requirements, if any," the advisory read.

“CEB will continue to screen and validate passengers prior to acceptance for the flight. Passengers are advised to ensure requirements are complete before proceeding to the airport,” it added.

Cebu Pacific noted that affected passengers unable to travel until January 31, 2022 can cancel up to two hours prior to their scheduled time of departure and choose to either rebook for travel within 60 days with no additional cost, or store the amount in a virtual wallet valid for two years.

Under the DOTr policy, public transportation access is limited only to fully vaccinated individuals, which can be proven by either physical or digital copies of vaccine cards issued by accredited agencies.

Exempted from the policy, however, are persons with medical conditions that prevent their full COVID-19 vaccination as shown by a duly-signed medical certificate, and those who will buy essential goods and services.

Other carriers earlier expressed their support to the new DOTr policy, which they implemented starting Monday, January 17, 2022.

“We will temporarily be unable to accept unvaccinated children for onboarding on our domestic flights to and from Manila, unless they fall under one of the above exceptions,” PAL said in a separate message to reporters, noting the same exemptions.

“We seek your kind understanding, as we are required to comply with government directives for the safety of all travelers and our communities,” it added.

PAL noted, however, that the new directive applies only to domestic flights to and from Manila, and other domestic flights do not fall under the same restrictions.

For its part, AirAsia also said it will abide by the DOTr policy, encouraging passengers to regularly check their flight status ahead of the travel dates.

“AirAsia Philippines considers this initiative from the DOTr as an effective tool to encourage every Filipino to take the shot, and get an added layer of protection against any emerging COVID-19 variant,” Chief Executive Officer Ricky Isla said in a separate statement.

The Alert Level 3 status was raised in Metro Manila starting January 3, and was initially set to last until Saturday, January 15, 2022. This has since been extended until January 31, 2022.

The Philippines on Monday reported 37,070 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the active cases to 290,938. The total caseload stands at 3.242 million, including 2.898 million recoveries and 52,929 deaths.—LDF, GMA News