DILG PR
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said that passengers without confirmed flights should not go to the airports because strict health protocols are being implemented there and they will not be allowed to go in without confirmed tickets.
DILG Undersecretary and Spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said because of the COVID-19 public pandemic, operations of transportation companies, including airlines, are bound by the protocols set by the government. With the limited flights currently allowed to operate, “going to the airport without a confirmed flight or ticket is a waste of energy and time and will just lead to frustration.”
“Patuloy po ang paalala natin sa ating mga kababayan na huwag pong magpunta sa mga airport or seaports kung wala po tayong confirmed na flight. Mangyari lamang po na makipag-ugnayan kayo sa inyong airline kung confirmed ang inyong flight. Mapapagod lang po kayo sa biyahe at masasayang ang pera ninyo at mauuwi lang po ito sa wala,” he said.
Malaya advised all passengers to contact the airlines to ensure that their flights are confirmed to avoid inconvenience. He also reminded all passengers that all tickets purchased prior to the pandemic have already been cancelled by the airlines and will need to be rebooked based on the new schedule of flights approved by airport authorities.
The DILG spokesperson said that walk-in customers will not be able to purchase tickets at the airports as all flights are regulated in coordination with the airline companies. Furthermore, all individuals with cancelled flights will not be allowed by the authorities to enter the airports.
“Even if you were issued a ticket by the airline, you will have to confirm that prior to going to the airport because there may have been some changes in flight schedules. Moreover, all tickets issued prior to the pandemic are cancelled and will not be honored by airport authorities,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Department of Transportation, through the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), released an advisory requiring all airlines to secure accurate information, especially the contact details of all passengers, even those who purchased tickets from travel agencies, to ensure that they will be properly notified by the airlines if flights are cancelled. Moreover, the said information may also be helpful in future contact tracing purposes.
The CAB also directed all airlines “to make appropriate public announcements advising individuals who have purchased tickets prior to the COVID-19 crisis that their flights are cancelled and that they need to rebook accordingly.”
Allowed flights
So far, only 29 airports nationwide are open for operation and even in airports allowed to operate, there are limited flight schedules upon the request of Local Government Units.
As of July 6, 2020, Cebu Pacific and Cebgo confirmed that they will be operating limited domestic flights from July 6 to 31, 2020 “as aligned with regulations issued by the IATF, as well as limitations and restrictions set by the concerned local government agencies/units.”
CebuPacific said that all other previously scheduled domestic flights of Cebu Pacific that are not mentioned in their flight advisories are canceled, and all international flights are canceled from July 7 to 31, 2020. Passengers on canceled flights are urged to manage their bookings online via their website, bit.ly/CEBmanageflight before their scheduled travel dates.
