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Volcanic ash from Mt. Kanlaon eruption disrupts flights

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(Photo: Xeltran at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Dozens of domestic flights were cancelled Tuesday after the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon in Negros Island sent volcanic ash into the surrounding airspace, with Bacolod-Silay Airport being shut down completely during the morning hours.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), all morning inbound and outbound flights at Bacolod-Silay Airport were cancelled due to the phreatic explosion of Mt. Kanlaon. A total of 66 flights were grounded as of 9:45 AM across the region, impacting an initial 5,057 passengers.

Major airlines like Cebu Pacific, Cebgo, AirAsia, and PAL Express were forced to cancel flights to and from airports in Iloilo, Bacolod, Cebu, and other areas affected by the ash cloud. Cebu Pacific alone had to cancel 14 flights on routes like Manila-Iloilo, Manila-Bacolod, and Davao-Bacolod.

PAL Express, the budget carrier of Philippine Airlines, scrapped 13 flights including Manila-Cebu, Manila-Iloilo, and Cebu-Iloilo services. Other regional routes by Cebgo and AirAsia were also affected.

However, CAAP reported that flag carrier Philippine Airlines did not cancel any flights as of the situational report. The agency is continuing to monitor the situation and will provide updates on further operational adjustments.

In its media advisory, CAAP stated that airlines informed their respective passengers about the status of their flights. The agency was told by airline station managers at Bacolod-Silay that afternoon flights may potentially resume, depending on updates regarding Mt. Kanlaon’s volcanic activity.

The unexpected eruption of Mt. Kanlaon, one of the active volcanoes in the central Philippines, caught many air travelers by surprise. Authorities are working to accommodate those stranded by the cancellations and minimize the disruption caused by the volcanic event.

List of cancelled flights on Tuesday, June 4, 2024

Cebu Pacific Air

  • 5J 461/462: Manila – Iloilo – Manila
  • 5J 463/464: Manila – Iloilo – Manila
  • 5J 465/466: Manila – Iloilo – Manila
  • 5J 475/476: Manila – Bacolod – Manila
  • 5J 2590: Davao – Bacolod
  • 5J 480: Bacolod – Manila
  • 5J 473/474: Manila – Bacolod – Manila
  • 5J 451/452: Manila – Iloilo – Manila
  • 5J 453/454: Manila – Iloilo – Manila
  • 5J 164/165: Cebu – Iloilo – Cebu
  • 5J 247/248: Gensan – Iloilo – Gensan
  • 5J 696/695: Iloilo – Laguindingan – Iloilo

Cebgo

  • DG 6460/6461: Cebu – Bacolod – Cebu
  • DG6641/6642: Cebu – Pagadian – Cebu
  • DG6793/6794: Cebu – Ozamiz – Cebu
  • DG6569/6570: Cebu – Tacloban – Cebu
  • DG6579/6580: Cebu – Tacloban – Cebu

Air Asia Philippines

  • Z2 761/762: Manila – Cebu – Manila
  • Z2 603/604: Manila – Bacolod – Manila
  • Z2 306/307: Manila – Iloilo – Manila

PAL Express

  • GAP2841/2842: Manila – Cebu – Manila
  • GAP2139/2140: Manila – Iloilo – Manila
  • GAP2835: Manila – Cebu
  • GAP2129/2130: Manila – Bacolod – Manila
  • GAP2380/2381: Cebu – Iloilo – Cebu
  • GAP2285/2286: Cebu – Bacolod – Cebu
  • GAP 2891/2892: Iloilo – Gensan -Iloilo
  • GAP 2384/2385: Cebu – Iloilo – Cebu
  • GAP 2141/2142: Manila – Iloilo – Manila
  • GAP 2131/2132: Manila – Bacolod – Manila
  • GAP 2905/2906: Manila – San Jose, Antique – Manila
  • GAP 2836: Cebu – Manila

AirSWIFT

  • ATX 336/337 El Nido – Cebu – El Nido
Written by
Dirk Andrei Salcedo

Dirk is the founder and editor-in-chief of Aviation Updates Philippines (AUP), a platform dedicated to providing the latest news and insights on the aviation industry in the Philippines. With a strong passion for aviation and a background in computer engineering, he manages all aspects of AUP, from website development to content curation.

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