A Summit Is About to Ground Hundreds of Manila Flights

If you are flying in or out of Manila next week, check your booking now. The Philippines is hosting the 49th ASEAN Summit and related meetings in Metro Manila, centered on the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay, and the Daily Tribune reports that more than 300 flights are expected to be cancelled or rescheduled between November 14 and 18. Most of the disruption is at Ninoy Aquino International Airport, where leaders and delegations will arrive. The U.S. Embassy gives the summit dates as November 16 to 18.

Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said passengers on affected flights can choose free rebooking, a full refund or a travel fund, and that date changes will carry no penalty. He spoke alongside aviation regulators and representatives of Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and AirAsia. Cebu Pacific’s affected international routes include Manila to Bangkok, Brunei, Dubai, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Sapporo, plus about 19 domestic routes including Davao, Iloilo, Puerto Princesa, Laoag and Caticlan, the gateway to Boracay.

Philippine Airlines’ affected international routes include Manila to and from Bali, Hong Kong, Jinjiang, Melbourne, Riyadh, Singapore, Sydney and Xiamen, along with domestic services to Cebu, Davao, Iloilo and others. The Civil Aeronautics Board has told airlines to notify passengers early, so an email or text from your carrier is the first thing to look for. If you booked through a travel agent or online agency, contact them as well, since notifications do not always pass through.

The disruption extends beyond the airport. A U.S. Embassy security alert says November 16 to 18 are special non-working days in the National Capital Region, with full road closures around the PICC and CCP complex and Roxas Boulevard running from November 9 to 20. The Embassy advises arriving at NAIA early because security screening will be slower, expecting sudden road closures and motorcade stops anywhere in Metro Manila, and steering clear of announced protests.

Sources: Daily Tribune, U.S. Embassy Manila