Lawmaker wants CAAP probed over no-fly zone policy

CLARK FREEPORT, Philippines – Pampanga Rep. Joseller Guiao finalized yesterday a congressional resolution questioning the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and other government agencies for failing to allow airlines to fly through Clark International Airport following the cancellation of 300 international and domestic flights due to the government-imposed no-fly zone over Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) when Pope Francis arrived last Thursday.

In an interview with The STAR, Guiao said Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) president and chief executive officer Dino Tanjuatco seemed unaware of whether the airport was capable of accommodating all the 300 cancelled flights.

“Apparently, there was no government attempt at all to provide the affected NAIA passengers an alternative at Clark,” he said.

Clark absorbed in the past flights from NAIA for various reasons like typhoons or the New Year’s Day smog that affected Metro Manila, he added.

Guiao said some of the affected passengers could have chosen to spare themselves from inconvenience.

“You can just imagine the negative consequences of having your flights cancelled and being pooled in a waiting list,” he said.

Last Jan. 15, CAAP said NAIA was closed to arriving aircraft from 2 to 7 p.m. for the arrival of Francis. Departure operations, however, continued.

On Jan. 17, NAIA operations will be suspended from 7:45 to 8:45 a.m. for the expected departure of Francis for Tacloban City, where the airport will be closed from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.