GROUNDED: Commercial flights in Iloilo remain suspended until June 10

By Emme Rose Santiagudo

Despite announcements of local airlines on the resumption of their international and domestic flights, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) reiterated that all commercial flights in the Iloilo International Airport in Cabatuan, Iloilo remain suspended until June 10, 2020.

CAAP Iloilo Terminal Supervisor Art Parreño said that the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAP), which regulates all commercial flights, issued an advisory Saturday that all flight schedules previously announced by local airlines have not yet been approved.

“Civil Aeronautics Board issued an advisory on Saturday nga ang tanan nga flights schedules nga ginaforward subong sang Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, and Air Asia, wala pa maaprubahan sang board. They were advised to stop selling tickets for June,” Parreño told Daily Guardian on Sunday.

In an advisory issued on Saturday, CAB executive director Carmelo Arcilla stressed that the national Inter Agency Task Force (IATF) has yet to approve the routes for domestic air services proposed by the airlines for the resumption of domestic operation.

“The IATF has yet to approve the routes for domestic air services proposed by the airlines for the resumption of domestic operation in the first week of June 1, 2020. Consequently, airlines are hereby advised to cancel their flights on June 1, 2020 and stop selling tickets for the said date,” the advisory said.

According to Parreño, commercial flights in Iloilo Airport remain suspended until June 10 based on its Notice to Airman (NOTAM) unless ordered otherwise by national authorities.

Parreño said they are still waiting for another NOTAM and approved schedule on the resumption of the commercial flights before or after June 10.

“We are still waiting for the approved schedule. Another NOTAM will also be used for the reopening of the airport to commercial flights. It will be the call of the national agencies particularly with the IATF, DOTr, and CAAP,” he added.

For now, Parreño said flights in the airport are only limited to locally stranded individuals and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

The airport has long been preparing for the “new normal” scheme in the resumption of its preparations.

“Dugay na kami preparado, with all new normal procedures particularly on social distancing, use of hand sanitizers, and wearing of masks. We have installed markings and handwashing areas. Indi naman pwede ang mga nagasulugat and nagadul-ong diri sa airport,” he said.

All local chief executives in the region agreed that airports and seaports in the region will only be limited to OFWs, locally stranded individuals, and cargos.

Mayor Jerry Treñas has said that they will be requesting to the national government to suspend commercial flights and regular boat trips under the MGCQ.

All provinces and highly urbanized cities (HUCs) in Western Visayas will be transitioning from General Community Quarantine (GCQ) to Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) from June 1 to June 15, 2020.