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Lightning alert snags flight

draws presidential visit at airport
By Vito Barcelo, intemational flights were afected by a
lightfng alert Sunday nighl S€ven of
J6el E. Zurbano those flights were diverted to Clart lrter-
and MaricelV. Cruz national Airport in Pampanga while more
than 50 scheduled to depart from Manilal
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Mon-
were delaved.
day conducted a surprise inspection at
Duterte discussed the causes of the
the Ninoy Aquino Intemational Airyort-
cancellations and delays with airline and
Terminal 2 in Pasay City afler hearing
NAIA ofrcials. and asked them ifafect-
reports about flight delays and cancella-
ed passengers were given anything n offj
tions, Malacaff ang said.
set their inconvenience. He also discussed
The President was accomPanied bY
how the problem could be minimized and
Manila Intemational Airyort Authority
what actions the govemment, particularly
General Manager Ed Monreal, Civil Avi-
the Department of Transportation, could
alion Authority ol lhe Pbilippines Direc-
take to address such situations in thb long
tor General Capt. Jim Sydiongco, incom-
Nert Pagp
ing Le).te Rep. Martin Romualdez, and
Davao businessman Samrny Uy.
More than 60 do-
me stic an d

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personnelat NA|Aieri,'irdr z riurilrg llls unscheduled lnspection tollowlng complaints
bv oassenqers who experienced congestion, flight delais and cancellation. With him
is Leyte nep.-elect laartin Romualdez who appealed for multi-partisan congressional
supfort in securing additional funding for allvital airports. Presidential Photo

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 Duterte on his insPection, said
Liehtnine
' L'
alert... passengers clapped wben the President
r',r,nvy'.J ipologized,
'
appreciating his humility.
The President apologized to the "PrEsidentDutertetookitupon himsef
passengers and vowed to come up with to apologize personally to passengers
a remedv within a month. who weri affected by the flight delay
Airoort officiats said flights were and the cancellations' The President's
delay6d by almost two hours SundaY gesture was warmly received by the
evening because ofa lightning alert. iassensers." Romualdez said
The alerts are issued when bad ' "Haiinc seen the disruPtion
weather might affect the safety of the myself. i appeal to mY fellow
passengers, airport offi cials added; leeislators to cross partylines atrd
"The Manila lnternational AirPort he'ip gouernment address the problem
Authority jointly with the airlines 8t th; NAIA. Congress must act fast
are exerting every effort to address to seek funding for the rehabilitation
the situation so that normal flight and uoerades of our airPorts.
-
The
operations can resume as soon as Presidi:it cited Sangley, whicb he
'
oossible." the MIAA said. said must be uPgraded the soonest
Philippine Airlines said that several time possible," he added.
flightsbn Juoe 9 experienced delays in To help decongest NAIA, Romualdez
denarture as well as in the deplaning said the government must upgrade
of'oassensets solelv as a result of a all vital airports across the country
-"red alen" issued by' the
liglitning particularly those departing from and
aiiport iuthorities, which susp'en<led arriving in Manila.
all ground movement and operations The airport upgrades, he said, must
from 6:40 p.m. to 9:15 P.m. affecting include the widening of the breath of
ramp personnel, and other operational the runway and the upgrade of terminal
moviments at all the NAIA terminals. facilities for n ight-fl ight capabilities.
The situation was difficult for Airpirt \uthorities noted that
arriving passengers who could not get domeitic flight departing Manila
out oftheir plane. are ctammed during daYtime due
'We didnl know what to do at the to inability of provincial airports to
time. Imagine [being] stranded inside receive flights at night. This conlribute
the aircraft for more than three hours," to heavy iraffic at the NAIA. which
said Maricar Yango, one ofthe affected has only two runways handling botb
travelers. "Some . passengers were inlernational and domestic fl ights.
panicking." PAL, in a statement. said red alerts
Acting oo President Duterte's in the middle of a thunderstorm with
instruction to ease congestion at the lighting stdkes are mandatorY for
NAIA, Romualdez on MondaY aPPealed the safety of airport personnel and
for multi-partisan congressional passengers.
support in securing additional funding "President Duterte appeared to
foi ihe rehabilitation and upgrade ofall be generally satisfied on the actions
vital airDorts. taken by PAL management 1o address
'President
"The saw the chaos at the the concerns of affected travelers.
Ninoy Aquino International Airport Passengers of canceled flights were
Terminal 2 this (Monday) morning rebooked on next available flights
and he was not pleased that passengers and several transit and elderly and
had to endure congestion due to flight PWD passengers were provided hotel '
delays and cancellations. He said this accommodalions," PAL spokesperson
is ao urgent problem fiat need to be Cieto Villaluna said.
solved ASAP," Romualdez said. The MIAA said the red tighting alert
Romualdez, who accomPanied was lowered at 9:15 P.m. SundaY..

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