PAL cancels flights during papal visit

MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATED) Legacy carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) is cancelling a total of 71 flights on January 15 and 19 to give way to arrival and departure ceremonies for Pope Francis at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) previously announced limited operations at NAIA on the following dates:

• January 15 – 2 pm to 7 pm (Pope Francis’ arrival in Manila)
• January 17 – 7:45 am to 8:45 pm; 5:45 pm to 6:45 pm (Pope Francis’ arrival at and departure from Tacloban)
• January 19 – 6:00 am to 10:30 am (Pope Francis’ departure for Rome)

As such, PAL is also adjusting the departure and arrival of 120 domestic and international flights on January 15, 17 and 19, 2015 during the papal visit.

A total of 88 domestic and 32 international flights will be affected, in addition to the flights cancelled on Jan. 15 and 19, as announced on January 6.

On Jan. 15, the departure and arrival times of 17 domestic flights going to Davao, Kalibo (2 flights); Iloilo and Naga (2 flights); and selected flights coming from Davao (2 flights); Kalibo (2 flights); Iloilo, Naga (2 flights); Bacolod and one Manila-Cebu-Manila flight will be adjusted.

Meanwhile, 12 international flights on Jan. 15 will have new arrival timings, these are coming from: London, Honolulu, Sydney, Busan, Narita, Beijing, Darwin, Singapore, Bangkok, Fukuoka, Macau, and Hong Kong.

The adjusted international departures on Jan. 15 are those bound for Singapore, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Melbourne, San Francisco, Guam, Sydney, and Hong Kong.

When PAL flies Pope Francis to and from Tacloban on Jan. 17, the departure and arrival of 57 domestic flights will also be adjusted, including those going to and coming from Kalibo, Dipolog, Legazpi, Cagayan de Oro, Tagbilaran, Iloilo, Dumaguete, Bacolod, Calbayog, Catarman, Puerto Princesa, Roxas, Caticlan, Laoag, Masbate, Zamboanga, Ozamiz, and Cebu.

Arriving flights from Fukuoka, Macau, and Singapore will also have new arrival timings on Jan. 17.

During the departure ceremonies for Pope Francis in the morning of Jan. 19, another 14 flight departures and arrivals will be revised. These are flights leaving for Basco, Davao, Dipolog, Tacloban, Cotabato, Dumaguete, Cagayan de Oro and Cebu, as well as those arriving from Davao, Dipolog, Tacloban, Masbate and Cebu (2 flights).

Nine international flights will also be adjusted on Jan. 19. Those arriving from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Guam, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, and Dubai, as well as those departing for Hong Kong and Los Angeles will also have new arrival and departure timings.

The cancelled domestic and international PAL flights on January 15 are:

• Manila-Bacolod-Manila (2P2907/2908)
• Manila-Busuanga-Manila (2P2033/2034)
• Manila-Cagayan de Oro-Manila (2P2527/2528)
• Manila-Cagayan de Oro-Manila (2P2525/2526)
• Manila-Caticlan-Manila (2P2057/2058)
• Manila-Caticlan-Manila (2P2049/2050)
• Manila-Caticlan-Manila (2P2063/2064)
• Manila-Caticlan-Manila (2P2053/2054)
• Manila-Davao-Manila (2P2817/2818)
• Manila-Davao-Manila (2P2819/2820)
• Manila-Davao-Manila (2P2823/2824)
• Manila-Dumaguete-Manila (2P2543/2544)
• Manila-Laoag-Manila (2P2196/2197)
• Manila-Legazpi-Manila (2P2927/2928)
• Manila-Puerto Princesa-Manila (2P2787/2788)
• Manila-Surigao-Manila (2P2095/2096)
• Manila-Tacloban-Manila (2P2985/2986)
• Manila-Tacloban-Manila (2P2987/2988)
• Manila-Tagbilaran-Manila (2P2777/2778)
• Manila-Tuguegarao-Manila (2P2014/2015)
• Manila-Zamboanga-Manila (2P2997/2998)
• Cebu-Manila (PR2860)
• Manila-Cebu-Manila (PR2861/2862)
• Manila-Cebu (PR2863)
• Manila-Singapore-Manila (PR511/502)
• Manila-Hong Kong-Manila (PR318/319)
• Manila-Hong Kong-Manila (PR312/313)
• Manila-Kansai (PR408)
• Manila-Bangkok-Manila (PR736/737)
• Manila-Honolulu-Manila (PR100/101)

January 16:

• Davao-Manila (2P2808) 

January 18:

• Manila-Haneda-Manila (PR424/423)
• Manila-Hong Kong (PR312)
• Manila-Singapore (PR509)

Those cancelled on January 19 are:

• Manila-Bacolod-Manila (2P2903/2914)
• Manila-Basco-Manila (2P2084/2085)
• Manila-Busuanga-Manila (2P2031/2032)
• Manila-Butuan-Manila (2P2967/2968)
• Manila-Cagayan de Oro-Manila (PR1519/1520)
• Manila-Calbayog-Manila (2P2071/2072)
• Manila-Catarman-Manila (2P2079/2080)
• Manila-Caticlan-Manila (2P2039/2040)
• Manila-Caticlan-Manila (2P2045/2046)
• Manila-Caticlan-Manila (2P2043/2044)
• Manila-Caticlan-Manila (2P2051/2052)
• Manila-Caticlan-Manila (2P2059/2060)
• Manila-Caticlan-Manila (2P2041/2042)
• Manila-Davao-Manila (2P2811/2810)
• Manila-Davao-Manila (2P2813/2814)
• Manila-Iloilo-Manila (2P2931/2940)
• Manila-Kalibo-Manila (2P2969/2970)
• Manila-Legazpi-Manila (2P2925/2926)
• Manila-Naga-Manila (2P2265/2266)
• Manila-Ozamiz-Manila (2P2889/2890)
• Manila-Puerto Princesa-Manila (2P2781/2782)
• Manila-Roxas-Manila (2P2201/2202)
• Manila-Surigao-Manila (2P2095/2096)
• Manila-Tacloban-Manila (2P2981/2982)
• Manila-Tagbilaran-Manila (2P2773/2774)
• Manila-Zamboanga-Manila (2P2993/2994)
• Manila-Zamboanga-Manila (2P2991/2992)
• Zamboanga-Jolo-Zamboanga (2P2245/2246)
• Manila-Cebu-Manila (PR2841/2842)
• Cebu-Manila (PR2846)
• Manila-Cebu (PR2849)
• Manila-Hong Kong-Manila (PR300/301)
• Hong Kong-Manila (PR313)
• Singapore-Manila (PR510)
• Manila-Haneda-Manila (PR422/421)
• Manila-Bangkok-Manila (PR730/731)
• Manila-Jakarta-Manila (PR539/540)
• Manila-Fukuoka-Manila (PR426/425)
• Manila-Singapore-Manila (PR507/508)

Passengers booked on these flights are advised to call PAL reservations at +632855 8888 for rebooking or refund assistance.

Tickets may be rebooked for travel within 30 days from the original travel date without penalty, provided tickets are still valid. Tickets may be refunded without penalty. Rerouting will be allowed under certain conditions, PAL advised.

Passengers may also check the PAL website (www.philippineairlines.com) or PAL Facebook page for updates on the status of their flights.

Passengers are also advised to allot more time going to the airport due to road closures and the anticipated traffic from well-wishers who will line up the streets.

Cebu Pacific and Tigerair already announced cancellation of 95 domestic and 8 international flights during the papal visit.

AirAsia and Cathay Pacific also announced flight cancellations and adjustments.

PAL is the official carrier of Pope Francis for his Philippine visit.

PAL will fly the Pope to Tacloban on January 17, leaving Manila at 8:15 am and returning at 5:00 pm.

PAL was also the official carrier of Saint John Paul II in his 1981 and 1995 Philippine visits. – Rappler.com

Join Rappler in a 100-day countdown to Pope Francis’ visit to the Philippines: a journey from the Vatican to Tacloban. Tweet us your thoughts using the hashtag #PopeFrancisPH!