PNA
MANILA – The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said Sunday that it is closely monitoring flight operations following heightened tensions in the Middle East, which have resulted in thousands of disruptions to and from the region.
Since Saturday, CAAP said a total of 23 international flights have been canceled and three international flights have been diverted by various airlines due to safety considerations and airspace restrictions.
The affected flights as of March 1 are:
Canceled – Cebu Pacific (CEB) 2; Philippine Airlines (PAL) 8; Qatar Airways 2; Gulf Air 1; Etihad Airways 4; Emirates 6
Diverted – PAL 2; Qatar Airways 1
In particular, canceled PAL flights are PR684 Manila-Doha (Qatar) and PR685 Doha-Manila on March 1; and PR685 Doha-Manila on March 2.
CEB canceled flights to and from Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) on March 1 to 4 and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on March 1 to 5.
“We are closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East and are in constant coordination with airlines, airport authorities and international aviation partners. The safety and security of passengers and flight operations remain our highest priority,” CAAP Director General Lt. Gen. Raul Del Rosario (ret.) said in a news release.
CAAP advised affected passengers to coordinate directly with their respective airlines for rebooking options, refunds, and updated flight information.
“These cancellations are due to continuing operational restrictions affecting flight operations in the region. Affected passengers may avail of rebooking or refund options in accordance with PAL policies. Passengers are advised to check flight status via the PAL website, mobile app or official social media channels before proceeding to the airport,” PAL said in a statement.
CEB advised passengers to ensure their contact details are updated to receive timely notifications and to monitor updates through its official social media accounts.
On Saturday, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) management said passengers must contact their airlines directly for latest updates, confirm their booking before travel, and ensure their contact details are updated.
“Families and friends meeting arriving passengers are likewise advised to verify arrival times with the airline before heading to the airport, as schedules may change,” the New NAIA Infra Corp. said in an advisory, assuring that it continues to coordinate closely with airlines and aviation authorities to ensure safe and orderly operations.
Closed airspace
Reuters news agency reported on Saturday that after the United States and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran:
— Israel, Iran, Iraq and Jordan closed their airspace
— UAE partially and temporarily closed its airspace
— Russian Ministry of Transport suspended flights to Iran and Israel
— Germany’s Lufthansa suspended flights to and from Dubai for the weekend and halted temporarily the Tel Aviv, Beirut and Oman routes until March 7
— Air France canceled flights to and From Tel Aviv and Beirut
— Iberia canceled flights to Tel Aviv while Wizz Air suspended flights to and from Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Amman
— Kuwait’s aviation authority halted all flights to Iran until further notice
— Oman Air suspended all flights to Baghdad
— Qatar Airways halted air traffic temporarily as a precaution
Disruptions
Major Middle East airlines Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad serve about 90,000 passengers per day.
“We are actively monitoring the situation, engaging with relevant authorities, and adjusting our operations in line with the latest developments. Emirates adheres to all regulatory requirements and follows guidance issued by aviation authorities,” Dubai carrier Emirates said in a statement.
The Dubai government posted on X that passengers must not travel to the airport “at this time.”
The Dubai international airport was damaged by an Iranian attack, which injured four people. The media office said Sunday morning that the damage was “minor” and the incident was “quickly contained.”
Abu Dhabi International Airport was also struck, but one died and seven were injured, the management confirmed on social media.
“Guests scheduled to travel on Virgin Australia services between Australia and Doha in the coming days are advised to closely monitor their flight information,” the airline said in a statement.
London’s The Guardian said aviation analytics company Cirium reported that of 4,218 flights scheduled to land in Middle Eastern countries on Saturday, 966 were canceled. For Sunday, 716 flights out of 4,329 scheduled were canceled.
Flight tracking website FlightAware said more than 18,000 flights were delayed globally and more than 2,350 canceled as of Saturday night.
Aircraft were forced to divert around Larnaca in Cyprus, Cairo in Egypt, and Jeddah and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. (PNA)
