PAL may cancel some flights as PH caps international arrivals amid COVID-19 surge

Aviation Updates Philippines – National flag carrier Philippine Airlines, in an advisory on Tuesday, said it may cancel several international flights after the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) released a daily cap for arriving international passengers effective this week.

PAL said airlines, to comply with the restriction, will need to cancel several flights to and from Manila between the March 18 and April 19 period. However, the flag carrier clarified it will operate its full international schedule for March 18, but it will announce any further cancellations in due course.

"Philippine Airlines will operate our full international schedule for March 18 but we will be announcing in due course any flight cancellations on other days for the rest of the period," PAL said in an advisory.

"Airlines will likewise comply with any directives from the Philippine Bureau of Immigration (BI) and concerned authorities on the type of travelers that will be allowed entry into the Philippines within the same March 18 (8 AM) to April 19 (8 AM) period. Please note that certain passenger types will thus need to postpone their Manila-bound travels until after the stated period."

CAB advisory on the international arrivals cap beginning Thursday.

CAB released an advisory on Monday detailing the new restriction, capping the number of international passenger arrivals to only 1,500 per day at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila. The restriction applies beginning March 18 at 8:00 am, until April 19 at 8:00 am.

National Task Force Against COVID-19 memorandum circular on the temporary restriction of foreign arrivals in the country.

Meanwhile, a later version was released by the National Task Force Against COVID-19 in the form of Memorandum Circular No. 5, S. 2021. The memorandum stipulated the barring of foreign and returning overseas Filipinos (non-OFWs) from entering the country starting March 20, until April 19.