Aklan Governor Florencio Miraflores has called for better
airport crisis management following an airport incident last week
involving Cebu Pacific pilots and Chinese tourists.
It should not be allowed to happen again under any
circumstances, he said.
The governor raised the concerns in a meeting with Civil
Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Kalibo airport manager Cynthia
Aspera.
“If the local officials were informed early of the
incident, we could have resolved or managed the crisis,” the governor stressed
in an interview by Barangay 92.9 Super Radyo Kalibo.
Over 170 passengers were stranded as the weather forced
the pilots to land the Shanghai-bound Cebu Pacific plane in Manila on March
28.
Aspera said the plane left for Shanghai, China from
Kalibo International Airport at 4:45 p.m. but due to bad weather the flight was
diverted to Manila at 7:48 p.m.
Hours after, the Cebu Pacific plane returned to its point
of origin in Kalibo International Airport at 11:58 p.m. of Friday.
“May standard operating procedures ang mga airlines,
basta cancellation of flights kailangan makabalik sila sa point of origin, sa
Kalibo airport,” Aspera said in radio interviews.
Tired and frustrated passengers stayed at the departure
area of airport terminal building and had expressed disbelief of the cancelled
flight to Shanghai, China.
At around 3 a.m. of March 29, several passengers gathered around the
airline pilots, who were supposed to board another plane, and ventilated their
frustrations to them.
“Gina explain sa mga passengers pero indi sila maka
intiende. Nagkuha pa interpreter kaso hindi sila magpamati kay gusto nila
mapuli na sa Shanghai, China,” Aspera, who hails from Roxas City.
Police were called to calm the passengers amidst rising
tempers after their Shanghai flight was cancelled.
“Next time indi na tani matabu liwat (It will never
happen again),” the CAAP Kalibo airport manager said.
Aspera said some Chinese tourists waited for the
rescheduled flight to Shanghai, China on March 31 while others took the Manila
flights earlier.
On April 14, the Aklan Sangguniang Panlalawigan
committees on tourism, laws, oversight and transportation will hold a joint
committee hearing in the afternoon on pertinent issues about the airport
incident.
WHAT YOU EXPECT WITH THE CORRUPT LEADERS OF PROVINCE OF AKLAN THEY TALKING RUBBISH
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