Downed flight prompts Philippine carriers to reconsider routes

MANILA, Philippines — The Civil Aviation Authority (CAAP) of the Philippines and the Philippine Airlines (PAL) will study flights to and from Europe following the crash of Malaysia Airlines flight 17.

In a radio report on Friday, CAAP said it will soon meet with PAL officials to discuss security measures that may entail avoiding the path of the ill-fated flight.

PAL currently flies daily to London and will soon have flights to Amsterdam, Madrid, Frankfurt, Rome and Paris.

The plane carrying 298 passengers including three Filipinos was believed to have been shot down by militant parties. It crashed in Ukraine Thursday night.

LIVE updates: Malaysia Airlines flight MH17

Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said in an interview with ANC's Headstart on Friday that the department started its review on the flight route.

"[We] will issue the appropriate advisory depending on the outcome of our assessment," he said.

Jose noted that Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has told the international aviation community that the flight route was declared "safe by the International Civil Aviation Organization."

Najib also cited the International Air Transportation Association as saying that the airspace was not restricted amid the Ukraine-Russia crisis.