GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 13 January) — At least four flights from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to this city were cancelled Monday morning due to the eruption of Taal Volcano in the main island of Luzon Sunday afternoon, an official said.
Edgardo Cueto, manager of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines here, said the flight cancellations affected some 600 passengers flying to Manila from here.
“We provided the stranded passengers with water and crackers,” he said.
Despite announcements that flights were cancelled Monday morning, many passengers going to Manila still proceeded at the airport here hoping they could fly out, Cueto added.
“In the end, the stranded passengers decided to go home and re-booked their flights,” he said.
Cueto said that Cebu Pacific Air cancelled three flights and one by Philippine Airlines.
Located in Batangas province, Taal Volcano erupted Sunday afternoon, sending plumes a kilometer above the crater.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology classified Taal Volcano’s activity as a phreatic eruption.
The eruption brought ashfall to nearby areas, including Metro Manila.
NAIA cancelled airport operations following Sunday afternoon’s volcanic eruption.
It resumed partial operations at noontime Monday.
As of 12 p.m. Monday, Cueto said they were still waiting for advise from their office in Manila if the scheduled flights to and from here would resume later in the afternoon.
He said the flights between GenSan and the cities of Iloilo and Cebu were not affected.
