ILOILO – Flight operations at the Iloilo International Airport in Cabatuan town have fully normalized after the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon disrupted air travel and stranded more than 2,000 passengers on May 13.
However, with Mt. Kanlaon still under Alert Level 3, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) continues to urge passengers to remain alert for any future flight advisories, especially in regions near the volcano’s airspace.
While CAAP issues aviation advisories such as the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), CAAP-Iloilo terminal supervisor Art Parreño clarified that the responsibility of informing passengers about flight cancellations lies with the airlines, which hold the booking and contact information of passengers.
However, he acknowledged that not all passengers were immediately informed of changes.
The May 13 flight cancellations led to a chaotic evening at Iloilo International Airport, with hundreds of passengers choosing to stay inside the terminal while others opted to return home.
“Not everyone is tech-savvy or knows how to check emails and social media, so some were unaware of the updates,” he noted, urging future travelers to regularly check airline apps and online platforms to stay informed.
Parreño said food (noodles) was provided to stranded passengers in accordance with standard protocol.
All flights — including domestic and international routes — resumed as early as 8 a.m. on May 14, according to Parreño.
“All flights are normal, very normal. We are on time — Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, and AirAsia including our international flights,” Parreño confirmed in an interview.
The disruption began on Tuesday, following the early morning eruption of Mt. Kanlaon in Negros Island, which prompted CAAP-Manila to issue a NOTAM warning aircraft to avoid the volcano’s vicinity due to volcanic ash hazards.
The NOTAM remained in effect until 2:55 a.m. of May 14.
At least 13 flights — including eight Cebu Pacific flights (domestic and international), two Philippine Airlines domestic flights, two from AirAsia, and one international flight by Scoot bound for Singapore — were cancelled at the Iloilo airport on Tuesday evening, affecting thousands of passengers.
Parreño described the incident as “force majeure”, saying airlines made independent decisions to cancel their operations due to safety concerns over ash damage to aircraft engines.
“Of course, the property owner (airline) won’t fly if he knows that in continued operation, the turbines and jet may be damaged,” he explained.
As of three days ago, airport operations have stabilized, but the incident highlighted the importance of clear communication during emergency disruptions and the need for greater passenger awareness in monitoring flight statuses./PN
