A reminder was sent out by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to all concerned international flights coming into the country regarding the request for exemption from the CAAP Operations Center at least 36 hours prior to their scheduled departure (from their place of origin). The same requirement is true for outbound international flights.
However, sweeper flights, aimed at foreign nationals repatriating back to their respective countries, will continue. Domestic air travel at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) will remain suspended according to the country’s aviation authority.
In a press statement released by the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19, the decision of suspending commercial/passenger flights throughout the country is meant to decongest quarantine facilities and to protect people by preventing COVID-19 from further spreading. The move also will ensure that Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) are well taken care of when they arrive on Philippine shores.
The NTF said that there are approximately 20,000 OFWs undergoing mandatory quarantine in Metro Manila since the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) has been imposed.