Story updated to include latest Cebu Pacific advisory.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 14) — Air transport authorities have temporarily shut down the Iloilo International Airport after a Cebu Pacific plane overshot the runway on Friday night.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) issued a “Notice to Airmen” saying the airport will be closed until around 5 a.m. on October 16.
“CAAP is doing its best to extract the aircraft so that flights will be normalized soon,” it said. “We ask the public for understanding as ensuring passengers safety and security is paramount in maintaining our airports and skies safe for travel.”
Cebu Pacific Spokesperson Charo Logarda Lagamon told CNN Philippines on Sunday that they are hoping to remove the plane by 7 p.m. Sunday.
“Removal efforts are ongoing,” she said. “However, as seen from the video and seen from images posted, weather has not been favorable and this is, of course, causing some delay with regards to removing the aircraft from the runway.”
All passengers safe
Cebu Pacific 5J 461, an Airbus A320 with 180 passengers and six crew members onboard, overshot the runway and veered into a nearby rice field due to heavy rains that brought strong winds.
The CAAP and Cebu Pacific said all the passengers and crew members on the plane were evacuated and are safe.
The flight left the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila at 10 p.m. Friday and landed at in Iloilo around 11:15 p.m.
In a Facebook video, Ilonggo Pastor Henry Senina showed they stayed inside the plane for 20 minutes before exiting through the emergency slide.
Praise the Lord,” he said. “Galing ako nag speak sa Pastor’s conference sa Batangas. Akala ko that was my homegoing with the Lord. I led a thanksgiving prayer inside the plane while waiting for the Rescue.”
[Translation: I came from a speaking engagement at a Pastor’s conference in Batangas. I thought that was my homegoing with Lord. I led a thanksgiving prayer inside the plane while waiting for rescue teams.]
Cebu Pacific said it is working with authorities to clear the runway and to investigate the incident.
Cancelled flights
Cebu Pacific also said it will deploy flights and provide transportation to and from Roxas City, some 110 km away from Iloilo, to accommodate passengers.
The additional flights are as follows:
Oct. 14, 2017
Flight Route ETD ETA
5J 367 Manila-Roxas 8:00 p.m. 9:10 p.m.
5J 368 Roxas-Manila 9:40 p.m. 10:50 p.m.
Oct. 15, 2017
Flight Route ETD ETA
5J 212 Cebu-Roxas 5:35 p.m. 6:20 p.m.
5J 357 Manila-Roxas 4:35 p.m. 5:45 p.m.
5J 358 Roxas-Manila 6:15 p.m. 7:25 p.m.
5J 359 Manila-Roxas 7:15 p.m. 8:25 p.m.
5J 360 Roxas-Manila 8:55 p.m. 10:05 p.m.
5J 368 Roxas-Manila 8:00 p.m. 9:10 p.m.
Oct. 16, 2017
Flight Route ETD ETA
5J 367 Manila-Roxas 7:00 a.m. 8:10 a.m.
5J 366 Manila-Roxas 8:40 a.m. 9:50 a.m.
Philippine Airlines said it will also deploy replacement flights.
“Affected passengers may also rebook/refund within 30 days from original flight date with rebook/refund charges waived,” the airline said on Saturday.
Meanwhile, here are the canceled flights at Iloilo International Airport:
Oct. 14, 2017
Flight Route
Cebu Pacific 5J 468 Iloilo-Manila
Cebu Pacific 5J 449/450 Manila-Iloilo-Manila
Cebu Pacific 5J 451/452 Manila-Iloilo-Manila
Cebu Pacific 5J 453/454 Manila-Iloilo-Manila
Cebu Pacific 5J 721/720 Iloilo-Davao-Iloilo
Cebu Pacific 5J 255/256 Iloilo-Singapore-Iloilo
CebGo DG 6408/6409 Cebu-Iloilo-Cebu
Cebu Pacific 5J 447/448 Manila-Iloilo-Manila
Cebu Pacific 5J 467/468 Manila-Iloilo-Manila
Cebu Pacific 5J 457/458 Manila-Iloilo-Manila
Cebu Pacific 5J 247/248 Iloilo-General Santos-Iloilo
Cebu Pacific 5J 165 Iloilo-Cebu
Philippine Airlines PR 2139/2140 Manila-Iloilo-Manila
Philippine Airlines PR 2141/2142 Manila-Iloilo-Manila
Philippine Airlines PR 2143/2144 Manila-Iloilo-Manila
Philippine Airlines PR 2380/2381 Cebu-Iloilo-Cebu
Oct. 15, 2017
Flight Route
Cebu Pacific 5J 451/452 Manila-Iloilo-Manila
Cebu Pacific 5J 453/454 Manila-Iloilo-Manila
Cebu Pacific 5J 457/458 Manila-Iloilo-Manila
Cebu Pacific 5J 468 Iloilo-Manila
Cebu Pacific 5J 348/347 Davao-Iloilo-Davao
CebGo DG 6408/6409 Cebu-Iloilo-Cebu
Cebu Pacific 5J 164 Cebu-Iloilo
Cebu Pacific 5J 462 Iloilo-Manila
Cebu Pacific 5J 461 Manila-Iloilo
Oct. 16, 2017
Flight Route
Cebu Pacific 5J 242/243 Iloilo-Hongkong-Iloilo
Cebu Pacific in a statement on Sunday said aside from a free round-trip travel voucher, passengers on cancelled Iloilo flights have the option to:
Rebook their flights for travel within 30 days from original departure date
Reroute to alternate stations — Roxas, Bacolod or Kalibo for domestic flights; Cebu or Manila for the flights to and from Singapore
Opt for full refund or travel fund
The airline added that guests with concerns regarding their flights may call the Cebu Pacific hotline at (+632) 702-0886, or message the official Cebu Pacific pages on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/cebupacificair), or Twitter (@CebuPacificAir).
Iloilo City Stringer Elyrose Naorbe contributed to this report.
