Tacloban flights canceled for Pope Francis visit

MANILA, Philippines - All commercial flights to and from Tacloban scheduled on January 17, 2015 will be suspended for Pope Francis's visit in the city.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines released a notice to all airlines to suspend all operations on the said date for security reasons.

Philippine Airlines (PAL) advised affected passengers to contact PAL Reservations for rebooking or refund, according to an advisory.

The official papal carrier, PAL, will fly Pope Francis to Tacloban to visit typhoons Yolanda and Ruby victims. 

The carrier will fly non-stop directly to Rome at the end of the Popes's four-day visit to the country.

PAL was the official papal carrier of Saint John Paul II when he visited the Philippines in 1981 and 1985.