Flights diverted due to haze at Manila airport

Manila: Air traffic returned to normal yesterday afternoon at Ninoy Aquino International Airport after it was disrupted by thick haze, limiting visibility and forcing air traffic controllers to divert incoming flights to other airports.

At least 32 international and domestic flights were diverted to Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Pampanga, Iloilo International Airport and Mactan Cebu International Airport after haze severely affected visibility. Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines' technical assistant Joselito Casaul said the nearly zero visibility at the airport due to the haze had caused some of the incoming aircraft to miss the runway. "The haze came too close to the ground and visibility was down to one kilometre and this is already too dangerous," he said.