NAIA passengers welcome 2023 with diverted, canceled, delayed flights
Diverted, canceled, and delayed flights greeted hundreds of passengers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) at the start of 2023, leaving them stranded in the international gateway's terminals.
In a statement, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) said there were "technical issues" at the air navigation facilities of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).
"The CAAP is now putting in place emergency protocols to address the situation to enable flight operations to resume as soon as possible," the agency said.
In its 4 p.m. flight advisory, NAIA said 268 flights were canceled, 7 diverted, and 7 delayed.
Meralco, meanwhile, said that upon initial analysis, there were no trouble or issues affecting its distribution facilities that could've impacted NAIA.
"No power outage or fluctuation was likewise monitored or reported as far as Meralco's power lines and facilities are concerned," it added, noting it's currently on-site and ready to provide assistance when necessary.
Flight departures and arrivals will be rescheduled, the MIAA said, reminding passengers to await further announcements from their respective airlines and stay in NAIA.
Flightradar24, which tracks air traffic worldwide on Twitter, first sounded the alarm on the "technical issue" affecting Manila at 11:57 a.m.
There are no commercial flights in the Philippines as of 12:54 p.m., Flightradar24 wrote in a follow-up tweet.
There are currently no airborne commercial flights in the Philippines (MANILA FIR). pic.twitter.com/xUhyPJarmE
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) January 1, 2023
In the meantime, Gulf Air, Korean Airlines, and Saudia Airlines distributed food packs and drinks to affected passengers. Airport authorities have also attended to the passengers.