9 NAIA flights affected due to replacement of air traffic management system UPS

Nine flights at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) were affected early Sunday morning as airport personnel replaced a part of the uninterruptible power supply (UPS) that caused a glitch last January 1.

Operations at the NAIA however were back to normal at 6:20 a.m., the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said.

"There were nine affected flights held at NAIA’s taxiway Charlie for departure and 38 flights that waited for clearance delivery during the maintenance activity," the CAAP said in a statement.

Over 3,000 passengers were affected by the delayed flights, a report from “24 Oras Weekend” said.

The CAAP said a temporary shutdown of operations had to be implemented from 4:20 a.m. to 5:23 a.m. on Sunday to give way to the maintenance activity for the Communications, Navigation, and Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS-ATM) system at the Philippine Air Traffic Management Center. The blowing/cooling fan for the second UPS was replaced, it added.

"Ang problema nagkaroon ng parts replacement kaya kinakailangang i-shut down muna natin power dahil doon tumatakbo 'yung kuryente papasok doon sa ATM [air traffic management] facilities," CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.

(The problem was there was parts replacement [activity] so we had to shut down power as that is where the electricity goes through for the ATM facilities.)

Apolonio said the CAAP issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) on Saturday night advising them of the temporary disruption in operations.

"Well in-advise in advance kaya dapat nakapag-adjust na rin 'yung mga concerned airlines dahil na-issuehan na namin ng NOTAM," he said.

(Well we advised them in advance to give concerned areas room to adjust because we already issued a NOTAM.)

In a “24 Oras Weekend” report, Apolonio said the maintenance was important.

“Para ho maging matatag at ‘yung integridad ho nu’ng ating mga gamit dito ‘yung UPS dalawa na silang gumagana… dalawa na ‘yung functional,” he added.

(To ensure the stability and integrity of our equipment here. Two UPS are already functional.)

Apolonio said operations were back to normal at 6:09 a.m. on Sunday with two UPS fully working.

The NOTAM was then canceled at 6:16 a.m.

"The CAAP apologizes for the inconvenience and thanks the affected passengers for their patience during the maintenance activity," the agency said.

'Unannounced'

Senator Francis Tolentino, who was on board a plane going to Iloilo City before dawn on Sunday, said the pilot only announced to the passengers that there was an “unannounced air traffic control maintenance."

“’Yung announcement kasi ng pilot, mayroong unannounced air traffic control maintenance. So, hindi gumagalaw lahat ng eroplano. Ibig sabihin nasa control tower at baka hindi kami ina-allow mag-take off. Lahat po bawal mag-take off, bawal mag-landing,” Tolentino said in an interview with Super Radyo dzBB. 

(The announcement of the pilot was that there was unannounced air traffic control maintenance. So, all airplanes were not moving. That means it's in the control tower and it seems we were not being allowed to take off. Everyone was not allowed to take off and to land.)

“So, parang more or less mga dalawang oras nasa airport ako, 4:30 a.m. pa eh. So ‘yung boarding ay 4:25 a.m. Nakalipad ang eroplano mag-6:30 a.m. na yata ‘yun,” he added.

(So, I was at the airport for more or less two hours since 4:30 a.m. So, the boarding time was at around 4:25 a.m. The plane took off at almost 6:30 a.m.)

The senator also said the airlines did not advise the passengers regarding the delayed flights.

“Walang abiso po sa mga airlines kasi kung may abiso sa mga airlines ‘yun hindi agad papa-board ang mga pasahero sa eroplano. Kasi umaandar na ang eroplano, nag-consume na rin ng fuel ‘yun. Nagsara na rin po ang pinto ng eroplano,” Tolentino said.

(There was no advice to the airlines because if there was advice, the passengers would not have been allowed to board the plane immediately. The plane was already running and has already consumed fuel. The plane door was also already closed.)

“Hindi ho totoong walong flights ang na-delay. Pang-number 11 kami sa take-off,” he added.

(It's not true that eight flights were delayed. We were number 11 for takeoff.)

Apolonio earlier said on Super Radyo dzBB that eight flights were affected, but a later CAAP statement said nine flights at the taxiway were affected.

Tolentino said he was disappointed by what happened and said that he would ask the Senate committee on public services regarding the matter, according to the “24 Oras Weekend” report.

GMA Integrated News is still to get CAAP for its comment on Tolentino’s statements. —with a report from Mel Matthew Doctor/KG/BM, GMA Integrated News