Iloilo Airport to cease operations on March 18

By Emme Rose Santiagudo

All air travels going to and from Iloilo International Airport in Cabatuan, Iloilo will be temporarily suspended from March 18 to April 14, 2020 as part of efforts to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus disease, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Iloilo Terminal Supervisor Art Parreño confirmed on Wednesday.

Acting Airport Manager Manuela Luisa F. Palma issued a memorandum suspending airport operations in compliance with the travel restrictions order of Iloilo province, according to Parreño.

“The memorandum ordered for the suspension of all landings of take off of all crafts beginning on March 18. This means that all local and international travels are also cancelled,” he added.

Under the memorandum, all aircraft operations shall be suspended except for:

-health workers responding to emergency;

-members of the Philippine National Police (PNP);

-persons travelling for urgent medical humanitarian reasons; and

-persons travelling for the conduct of trade, delivery, of essential purposes other than carriage of passengers.

“Everybody has to comply. We all have to do our share. This is temporary hopefully as we are facing an extraordinary situation,” Parreño said.

The move is in compliance with Executive Order No. 028-C issued by Iloilo Governor Arthur R. Defensor Jr. imposing travel restriction to all persons entering the province starting on March 17 until April 14, 2020 amid the threats of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

According to Parreño, the suspension will affect around 60 employees of CAAP including other personnel from the three servicing airlines in the airport, Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines, and Air Asia.

On the average, Iloilo airport caters to 56 inbound and outbound domestic and international flights, he added.