Manila: Problems concerning the main navigational system used in guiding inbound commercial flights during landing had forced the Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) to cancel part of its evening operations.
Reports said that Naia has been compelled to call off certain inbound and outbound local flights scheduled during the evening on Saturday after the airport's the Very High Frequency Omni-Directional Radio Range Finder (VOR) and distance measuring equipment (DME) experienced certain power supply problems.
Lito Casaul of the Civil Aciation Authority of the Philippines said starting on Saturday evening, four terminals of the Naia will be closed to traffic until the technical problem has been sorted out.
The breakdown will affect operations of Cebu Pacific, which is using the facility.
Candice Iyog, Cebu Pacific spokesperson, said that the equipment would likely be fixed on Sunday morning. "As a result, no landings will be allowed from sunset (6:27pm) until 8am tomorrow when they are expected to be fixed," Iyog said.
Iyog added that international flights due to arrive on Sunday will also be delayed "until runway operations resume after sunrise or if the equipment is fixed sooner than expected."
The breakdown will affect 15 outbound flights and a similar number of arrivals.
The cancelled domestic flights include 5J 645/646, 5J 349/350, 5J 657/658, 5J 903/904, 5J 457/458, 5J 459/460, 5J 479/480, 5J 481/482, 5J 579/582, 5J 576/575, 5J 569/570, 5J 657/658, 5J 971/970, 5J 973/974, and 5J 969/972.
The navigational equipment affected allows the airport to operate even during the evening when visibility is limited. Daytime flight is not expected to suffer.
Cebu Pacific flights to regional destinations in Southeast Asia are also expected to be affected.
Casaul said they have noted that something was wrong with the navigational system at around 7:30am on Saturday.
He added Casaul that if equipment is not fixed on Sunday, they will be forced to shut down the main airport and this could affect outbound and inbound international flights.
Casaul said it is up to the airlines to decide whether to cancel more flights or divert them to other nearby airports such as the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in Pampanga, less than a hundred kilometres north of Manila.
UAE flights uninterrupted
Dubai International Airport has not reported any delays in arrivals or departures to Manila. Saturday's Emirates flight has been on schedule.
Currently there are also no delays reported from Etihad and Philippine Airlines flights to and from Abu Dhabi.
With input from agencies
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