LOCAL carriers Philippine Airlines (PAL), Cebu Pacific and Philippines AirAsia in coordination with the Department of Tourism (DOT) will operate sweeper flights for stranded local tourists in the country.
The DOT said the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases has approved its request to undertake necessary measures to charter and fund sweeper flights for qualified stranded local tourists from other regions to the National Capital Region.
A stranded local tourist may be eligible for the assistance if he is registered with the DOT regional office and has a confirmed return land, air, or sea ticket to their home province, city or municipality but was cancelled due to the implementation of the community quarantine.
As of April 28, 2020, the DOT regional offices have listed about 2,392 domestic tourists stranded nationwide.
The DOT will announce the dates of the departure schedules of these sweeper flights. Stranded local tourists are encouraged to communicate with the nearest DOT regional office.
Charo Logarta, Cebu Pacific director for corporate communications, said the airline is working with the DOT on the schedule of sweeper flights.
Philippine AirAsia said it fully supports the government in the mounting of the special flights.
Cielo Villaluna, PAL spokesperson, said the airline continues to carry out domestic sweeper flights and international special flights to transport stranded foreign nationals to their home countries.
Villaluna said PAL also operates international special flights to carry stranded Filipino nationals back to the Philippines from various countries.