MORE than 100 flights to and from Manila airports may be canceled in November to accommodate the arrival and departure of leaders and delegates attending the 49th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit and Related Summits, according to Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) Executive Director Carmelo Arcilla.
In a radio interview, Arcilla said about 106 flights could be canceled from November 14 to 18, 2026, to give way to the movements of Asean leaders and other delegates.
“So far, Cebu Pacific is the only airline that has filed with us. We have advised all airlines that may be affected to file their requests immediately so we can minimize inconvenience to the public,” he said in Tagalog.
Arcilla said affected airlines had been instructed to notify passengers as soon as possible to allow them to make the necessary adjustments to their travel plans.
He assured passengers that they would be given options, including a full refund, rebooking or a travel fund, without additional penalties.
“Passengers have several options: a travel fund, a refund or rebooking. There will be no additional penalties. If a passenger chooses a full refund, the airline must give it to them,” Arcilla said.
However, Arcilla said airlines would not be held liable for other expenses passengers might incur, such as hotel accommodations and tour packages, because these were not directly attributable to the carriers.
He acknowledged that the situation was painful for affected passengers but said the cancellations would not be classified as attributable to the airlines.
“This is what happened in this event. We will not categorize the cancellation as attributable to the airline, so the liability will not be passed on to the airline,” he said.
Asked what the government could do for passengers with non-refundable hotel bookings and tour packages, Arcilla acknowledged the difficulty of the situation.
“It could be like that. I’m not saying it’s right. It’s really painful,” he added. /TPM