PH airlines cancel hundreds of flights

FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Airlines in the Philippines canceled hundreds of domestic and international flights on Thursday, extending through Friday, because of supertyphoon “Yolanda” (international name: “Haiyan”).

Philippine Airlines canceled the following flights for Friday:

Tacloban, Calbayog, Catarman, Cebu, Tagbilaran, Dumaguete, Bacolod, Iloilo, Roxas, Kalibo, Caticlan, Masbate, Legaspi, Naga, Puerto Prinsesa, Busuanga, Butuan, Surigao, Cagayan de Oro, Ozamiz, Dipolog, Davao, General Santos, Zamboanga, Sanga-Sanga, Jolo

The following international flights were also canceled:

— PALEX flight 2P 875/876 Manila-Kuala Lumpur-Manila

— PALEX flight 2P 800 Manila – Singapore

— PAL PR 434/433 Cebu- Narita-Cebu

Likewise canceled was “2P 801 Singapore-Manila slated for Nov. 9,” PAL said in an advisory.

The following flights are pushing through, however:

— All PAL international flights (except PR434/ 433 Cebu- Narita- Cebu)

— PR 2918/2919 Manila-Laoag-Manila

— 2P 084/ 085 Manila-Basco-Manila

— 2P 014/015 Manila-Tuguegarao-Manila

— 2P 658 Manila-Dubai

“PAL/PALex passengers with flights to typhoon-affected areas may rebook their flights within the next 30 days from the original flight date. Rebooking fees and fare difference are waived,” PAL said.

Passengers may call PAL hotline (02) 855-8888 or log on to www.philippineairlines.com or www.flypalexpress.com.

Cebu Pacific, meanwhile, also canceled flights from Thursday to Saturday.

“Due to Typhoon Yolanda, Cebu Pacific has canceled approximately 122 round-trip domestic flights and 4 round-trip international flights from November 7 to 9, 2013,” Cebu Pacific said in a statement.

Affected passengers were offered free rebooking within 30 days. They may also reroute to the nearest alternate airport or opt for full refund or full fund.

“Moreover, Cebu Pacific passengers with domestic and international flights from November 7 to 10, 2013 to or from the Visayas region, Bicol region, Palawan, Mindoro and select Mindanao destinations also have the same option to rebook or reroute their flights, or get full refund or travel fund, even if their flights have not been cancelled” Cebu Pacific said.

This includes flights to or from Cebu, Tacloban, Tagbilaran, Iloilo, Bacolod, Kalibo, Caticlan (Boracay), Roxas, Dumaguete, Legazpi, Naga, Virac, Puerto Princesa, Busuanga (Coron), San Jose, Siargao, Surigao, Pagadian, Butuan, Ozamiz, Cagayan de Oro and Dipolog.

The following international flights were canceled:

Nov. 8, 2013

— Cebu-Hong Kong-Cebu

— Cebu-Incheon-Cebu

— Cebu-Singapore-Cebu

Nov. 9, 2013

— Iloilo-Singapore

— Singapore-Cebu

Passengers may call (02)7020-888 or (032)230-8888 for their preferred option, any time even after their flights.

Tiger Air Philippines also canceled all their domestic flights on Friday due to Yolanda.

Flights to Singapore, Hong Kong and Bangkok via Clark International Airport will push through for Nov. 8, it said in its Twitter account.

“Affected passengers may rebook without penalties for travel within 30 days from original flight.

“Contact (02)7984488 for further information,” it said.

Cebu Pacific said flight operations would be back to normal on Saturday.