As more and more airlines suspend their flights, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) has deemed it best to streamline all remaining flights at Terminal 1 starting March 28.
MIAA General Manager Ed Monreal has made the announcement after consulting the Airline Operators Council, following DOTr instructions to keep transportation workers safe amid the COVID-19 threat.
The remaining airlines which continue to offer services are Gulf Air, Korean Airlines, Asiana Airlines, China Airlines, Hong Kong Air, EVA Air, Japan Airlines, Nippon Airways, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Royal Brunei.
Singapore Airlines and Royal Brunei have announced the suspension of their operations on March 29.
Operations have also been suspended for Jeju Air starting Friday, Oman Air since Thursday as well as Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air, Air Asia, Delta Airlines, United Airlines, Turkish Airlines, and others.
The MIAA has earlier announced the temporary closure of Terminals 4,2, and 3 domestic wing since the domestic travel ban was imposed by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
The airport has announced a drop in flight movement from almost 800 to only 50 a day since air carriers suspended their operations in efforts to contain the disease.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said temporary Visitor Visa holders willl be allowed to claim their immigration clearance certificates in international airports.
As a safety measure, biometrics scanning and fingerprinting, as well as issuance of Security Registration Numbers as requirement for the ECC will temporarily be suspended.
“We will still conduct derogatory records checking before giving clearance to ensure that any foreign national who wish to leave the country has no pending obligation with the government,” BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said.
Report from Naomi Tiburcio
