THE Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) said the operation of the country’s premier gateway, Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) has significantly been streamlined as more local and international carriers have suspended operation due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
To date, landing and take-off have dramatically at NAIA dropped from the usual 768 flight movements per day to 50 movements.
In a statement, MIAA said only NAIA terminal 1 will be operational for the duration of the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon, while the three other terminals terminal 2, T3 and T4 will be closed.
The MIAA’s move to streamline airport operations will help reduce the exposure to the virus as there will be fewer personnel that report for work.
This will reduce costs on utilities by closing down. It will also afford ground handling companies with a cheaper way of managing their logistics.
MIAA earlier closed NAIA Terminal 4, Terminal 2 domestic wing and Terminal 3 domestic, after a ban on domestic air travel was issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID). Beginning 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, March 28, the following airlines will be operating to and from NAIA Terminal 1:Gulf Air, Korean Airlines, Asiana Airlines, China Airlines, Hong Kong Air, Eva Air, Japan Airlines, Jeju Air, All Nippon Airways, Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines and Royal Brunei.
Oman Air will cease operations today, March 27, while Singapore Airlines and Royal Brunei have announced the suspension of flights to and from Manila beginning March 29.
PAL also suspended international flight operations starting on Thursday, March 26 and made their last flights out on March 25, Manila-San Francisco (PR104) and Manila-Los Angeles (PR102). Return flights of these two will be today, March 27 at the NAIA Terminal 1.
After these arrivals, PAL will cease to operate for the meantime.
As of press time, the following local and foreign airlines have ceased international flight operations: Cebu Pacific, PAL, Air Asia, Delta Airlines, United Airlines, Qantas Airways, Turkish Airlines, Emirates Airlines, KLM, Air China, Air New Guinea, China Eastern, China Southern, Ethiopian Airlines, Jet Star Asia, Kuwait Airlines, Malaysian Airlines, Saudia Airlines, Royal Brunei Airlines, Thai Airways, Tiger Airways, Xiamen Airlines.
A Notice to Airmen has also been issued informing pilots around the world that only NAIA Terminal 1 remains in operation for the duration of the quarantine.
The MIAA vowed to continue servicing sweeper flights and has designated NAIA Terminal 2 for the purpose. Sweeper flights and repatriation flights designed to help foreign nationals return to their home countries are jointly undertaken by the Department of Tourism and the Department of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the embassies.
Government repatriation efforts to bring home overseas Filipino workers continue.
