Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Operations at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 are back to normal after a power outage that lasted nearly six hours on Saturday (April 2).
Airport authorities said operations have normalized since 2p.m. on Sunday, when full power was restored at the terminal.
Authorities stressed the need to provide stable power during emergencies to ensure the safety of passengers.
“Kailangan talaga ang stable power supply para sa air safety, safety of navigation, safety of flight,” said Rodante Joya, director general of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.
“Maraming flight ang nade-delay and naca-cancel but those are done to mitigate concerns of safety.”
[Translation: “A stable power supply is really needed to ensure navigation and flight safety. Many flights are getting delayed and canceled now, but those are done to mitigate concerns of safety.”]
No clear cause
There is no clear answer yet as to what caused the blackout, but airport authorities said it occured when a Meralco substation at the NAIA tripped around 8:45 p.m. on Saturday.
“Naapektuhan rin ang ating genset kaya hindi nakapag-fully operate ang Terminal 3,” said Dave De Castro, Manila International Airport Authority spokesperson.
[Translation: “A generator was affected that’s why Terminal 3 couldn’t operate fully.]
Also read: Full power restored to NAIA Terminal 3, officials say
However, Meralco spokesperson Joe Zaldariagga said it only lasted for a minute and that power flowing from Meralco to the NAIA-3 went back to normal after that.
“Ang assessment namin is ‘yung cause of the problem is the load side of NAIA-3,” he said.
[Translation: “According to Meralco’s assessment, the cause of the problem is the load side of NAIA-3.”]
Passengers frustrated, still stranded
According to De Castro, the Meralco substation was able to relay power the next day at 12:30 a.m. Terminal facilities were fully functional within 1.5 hours, but passengers still had to bear the brunt of the blackout.
The power outage caused long lines, flight delays, and cancellations.
A number of passengers continue to suffer from the impact of the power outage, which prompted them to reschedule flights and become stranded at the terminal.
They said they understand the inconvenience of the blackout, but they are waiting for officials to offer them accommodation, food, and drinks.
Related: Assert your rights: 8 things to keep in mind as an airline passenger
“Hindi nila iniisip na kagaya sa amin OFW, alam mo yung time namin siksikan talaga tapos bawat isang oras namin mahalaga. Pero okay lang kasi minsan may nangyari na wala sa kamay natin pero dapat magsasalita sila nang maayos,” said LV Demonguitan, a real estate manager who works in Bahrain.
[Translation: “They don’t know that for OFWs, every hour of our time is very important. It’s okay, things happen out of control, but the authorities should issue formal statments.”]
The MIAA has apologized for the inconvenience and said measures are now being worked out to make sure a power outage will not happen again.
MIAA General Manager Jose Honrado is expected to further discuss what happened in a press conference scheduled on Tuesday (April 5).
Airlines offer incentives
Philippine Airlines (PAL) announced it is waiving rebooking fees and charges.
PAL passengers may refund or rebook flights within 30 days from the original flight date. They must present a valid ID and a copy of their ticket or booking record when requesting for a refund or rebooking.
Cebu Pacific is also giving passengers an option to rebook, refund, or convert their flights into travel fund without penalties.
CNN Philippines’ Ivy Saunar and Isabella Montano contributed to this report
