‘Better Kalibo airport crisis management’ urged

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

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.