DOT to assist passengers stranded by Mactan-Cebu airport flight cancellations
MANILA, Philippines — Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco on Monday ordered department personnel stationed at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport to coordinate with airport authorities and assist travelers stranded by flight cancellations.
The order came after Korean Air flight No. KE631 on Sunday evening overshot the runway of MCIA in a landing attempt during a heavy downpour.
The DOT said its Region 7 office reported that there are at least 112 foreign nationals, 32 balikbayans, and 18 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) were affected by the said incident
In view of this, airlines have announced the suspension of flights as the authorities are working to remove the Korean Air aircraft at the MCIA runway.
MCIA is closed until October 25 at midnight.
The DOT said that it remains in close coordination with the relevant agencies such as the MCIA, MCIA, the Department of Transportation, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and the GMR- Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation to address those affected by the incident.
It added that Korean Air officials assured the agency that all tourists involved in the incident have been accounted for and are currently accommodated at a nearby hotel.
At least 530 stranded outbound international passengers were also billeted in hotels, with costs shouldered by the concerned airlines.
The DOT added that it received information that several tourists opted to maximize their extended stay by continuing tours of Cebu including the island of Mactan while waiting for resumption of flights at the MCIA.
It advised stranded tourists in need of assistance to reach out to the DOT-7 personnel.
“For queries or requests for assistance, tourists are advised to proceed to the information counter at the MCIA to be attended by tourism officers, or send an email to [email protected],” the DOT said in a statement.
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