The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said that there will just be minimal flight disruptions on 17 May 2023, this is in relation with the planned continuation of the Air Traffic Management Center (ATMC) corrective maintenance activity from 0200H to 0400H (GMT+8), which will result in a temporary airspace closure.
GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC) confirms that no flights will be affected at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA/CEB); while Clark International Airport (RPLC/CRK) will see only four regional flights disrupted, according to Luzon International Premiere Airport Development Corporation (LIPAD Corporation), the operator of the airport.
The ATMC will be temporarily closed due to critical corrective maintenance activity to replace the defective Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) and reconfigure the Air Traffic Management System (ATMS) A/B power supply. The maintenance activities will ensure that the CNS/ATM system can provide safe and efficient air traffic control operations.
The ATMC’s power supply upgrade will involve installing a bypass panel to ensure seamless ATM operations and reconfiguring the existing power distribution panel to separate ATM system A (Voice) and ATM system B (Data). This will enable the two UPS systems to serve as independent backups for each other in case of a power supply problem.
The CAAP has already notified and coordinated with relevant stakeholders, including air carriers, airport operators, Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), Luzon International Premiere Airport Development Corp. (LIPAD), and GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC). Additionally, Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) have been issued to inform all stakeholders.
The ATMC houses the Communications, Navigations, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) system, which manages air traffic in the Philippine Flight Information Region (FIR).
AirAsia Reschedules Some Flights
Anticipating the upcoming airspace closure, the following AirAsia Philippines flights will be rescheduled:
“The slight adjustments in flight retiming will pave the way for safer, more reliable, and improved Philippine airspace management. Through collaboration with the authorities, we are committed to ensuring the seamless operation of our flights and the safety of our guests,” according to Steve Dailisan, Communications and Public Affairs Country Head of AirAsia Philippines.
Guests affected by flight disruptions may opt to avail of the Standard Recovery Options (SROs) such as move flight, rebooking, credit account, or refund via AskBo on the airasia Superapp.