More flights canceled due to closed Iloilo airport runway

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Cebu Pacific announced the cancellation of 4 more flights, after the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said it will be extending the runway closure at the Iloilo International Airport until 5 am Monday, October 16. 

In its 6 pm advisory on Sunday, October 15, Cebu Pacific said it has canceled 4 more flights:

• 5J 467 – Manila-Iloilo
• 5J 468 – Iloilo-Manila
• 5J 242 – Iloilo-Hong Kong
• 5J 243 – Hong Kong-Iloilo

Affected passengers have the following options:

1. For Manila-Iloilo or Iloilo-Manila passengers, reroute to the following flights:
   
   

   FLIGHT	ROUTE	ETD	ETA
   5J 360	Roxas-Manila	8:55 pm	10:05 pm
   5J 368	Roxas-Manila	8:00 pm	9:10 pm
   5J 367	Manila-Roxas	7:00 am, Oct 16	8:10 am, Oct 16
   5J 366	Roxas-Manila	8:40 am, Oct 16	9:50 am, Oct 16

   These passengers may also reroute to Bacolod or Kalibo.
   
   
2. For Iloilo-Hong Kong or Hong Kong-Iloilo passengers, reroute to Manila or Cebu, and then take a connecting flight. Rerouting will be arranged by Cebu Pacific. 
3. Rebook their flights for travel within 30 days from original departure date.
4. Get a full refund.

At 1 pm Sunday, Cebu Pacific already announced the cancellation of 3 flights: 

• 5J 164 – Cebu-Iloilo
• 5J 462 – Iloilo-Manila
• 5J 461 – Manila-Iloilo

Passengers on these canceled flights were rerouted on the following flights:

The airline said it will provide free land transfers between Iloilo and Roxas for all affected passengers.

A Cebu Pacific plane carrying 180 passengers veered off the runway while landing in Iloilo on Friday evening, October 13.

Authorities have since begun runway clearing operations, but efforts to remove the damaged Airbus A320 aircraft “are hampered by unfavorable weather conditions in Iloilo,” according to Cebu Pacific. (READ: Iloilo Airport closed until October 15 – CAAP)

“Meanwhile, all 180 passengers aboard Cebu Pacific Flight 5J 461 have been contacted and their baggage is being delivered to them. Cebu Pacific mounted a total of 9 additional flights since [Saturday] morning to help disrupted passengers,” Cebu Pacific said in a statement on Sunday morning.

Below are two other recovery flights earlier announced by the airline:

– Rappler.com