COVID19 Travel Update: No international Flights from Luzon Starting March 20
COVID19 Travel Update: all Airports in Luzon island will stop all outbound international flights starting Friday after the government gave a 72-hour window to all people who want to leave the country after measures have been implemented to tide the spread of COVID-19.
Under the guidelines created by the Inter-Agency Task Force and approved by President Rodrigo Duterte, outbound passengers intending to depart the Philippines from any one of the international airfields in Luzon shall be permitted to travel for three days from the effectivity of the improved community quarantine.
The enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) over the whole island of Luzon took effect midnight and is set to finish on April 13.
The COVID19 travel update stipulated that the air travel constraints take effect at midnight on Friday. International travelers on their way to the Philippines have already been in transit after the effectiveness of the order is going to be permitted entry into the nation.
Immediately after this announcement was released, the country’s flag carrier Philippine Airlines said its international flight would operate only until midnight of March 20. AirAsia said it was canceling international flights from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and Clark International Airport from March 20 before April 14.
Budget airline Cebu Pacific also announced that each of its domestic and international flights would be canceled to April 14, in support of government regulations on COVID-19. The Gokongwei led carrier added that it might nevertheless function flights from Manila to Bangkok, Osaka, Tokyo, and Nagoya in Japan, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, Singapore, Taipei, Taiwan, and Bali, Indonesia before Wednesday.
The NAIA terminals, the country’s main airport hub, Clark International Airport in Pampanga, Subic Bay International Airport in Zambales, and Bicol International Airport, are all affected as they are located in Luzon. The Philippine authorities imposed strict home quarantine and tightened travel constraints on the largest island in the nation as the number of all cases of coronavirus disease or COVID-19 climbs to 142, with the bulk of the cases registered in Luzon.
Who’s permitted to travel? Under the recommendation, all Filipino citizens, including their overseas spouse and kids, holders of Permanent Resident Visas, and holders of Diplomat visas, will be permitted to go into the nation regardless of the travel restrictions. On the other hand, the Office for Transportation Security said they couldn’t be fetched by their family members from the airport like this isn’t considered traveling. OTS Administrator Usec. Raul del Rosario said the Department of Transport is working to help deliver them to their homes.
“Meron pang P2P buses sa NAIA. Mayroon ring maghatid sa mga darating na OFW Papunta Sa kanilang mga bahay ang Accredited transportation providers, but will need acceptance from the IATF,” he said at a media briefing on Tuesday. Prior to the Duterte administration expanded the community quarantine, domestic flights were prohibited from flying in and out of NAIA.
For more news on Philippine Airports click here. Or visit the official website of the Manila International Airport Authority.
