Flight operations at the Philippines’ premiere gateway Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA / RPLL / MNL), as well as other international and domestic airports in the country, started on the wrong foot this New Year’s Day as the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines’ (CAAP) Air Traffic Management Center (ATMC) is hit with a technical snag bringing down radio communications (and perhaps even radar coverage) within the aerodrome (we later learned that this is actually a power outage issue).
We checked with the CAAP, and they did confirm via Viber that there is an ongoing issue as of 1147H (GMT+8):
"There are technical issues that we are addressing now for safety concern. We will keep you posted, thanks"
No further details were given by the CAAP on the “technical issues” mentioned in their message.
We also noticed that several NOTAMs (Notice to Air Missions) had been issued between 1051H and 1112H (both timings GMT+8) on Sunday, 01 January 2023:
As of 1236H (GMT+8), the CAAP has issued this Media Statement via Viber:
Civil Aviation Authority of The Philippines (CAAP) apologized to all affected airlines passengers flights both domestic and international are delayed due to technical issue of the Air Traffic Management Center (ATMC), we are now addressing the issues for safety concern. CAAP said, the safety of passengers is the priority of the agency and it is better to secure the aircrafts on the ground to avoid any airborne accident.we will keep you posted for the next advisory ASAP.
As of 1328H (GMT+8), this is how the airspace above the Philippines looks like:
The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) also issued this Press Statement as of 1330H:
NAIA FLIGHTS ON HOLD Flights to and from Manila are on hold due to technical issues at the Air Navigation Facilities of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP). The CAAP is now putting in place emergency protocols to address the situation to enable flight operations to resume as soon as possible. The Manila International Airport Authority apologizes for delays that will occur as a result of the situation. The MIAA Crisis Management Team has been activated bringing together key aviation and airport agencies for a multi-discipline approach to cushion the impact of the incident. It is expected that flight departures and arrivals will be retimed to new schedules. In view of this, passengers were advised to await instructions or announcements from the airlines and stay inside the Terminals and approach the nearest airline or airport help desk for updates. The MIAA Emergency Response Teams have been ordered to implement SOPs pursuant to the MIAA Manual on Irregular Operations (MIAA-IROPS). Airline operators on the other hand have initiated their respective contingency measures to mitigate the effect of the situation to their passengers. Rights of passengers under the Air Passenger Bill of Rights (APBR) shall be upheld under the circumstances.
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Another update was released by the CAAP at around 1456H (GMT+8):
Statement on the technical issue at the ATMC The Civil Aviation Authority of The Philippines (CAAP) apologizes to all affected airline passengers flights of delayed domestic and international flights due to a technical issue that was first detected at 9:50AM today, 1 January 2023 at the Philippine Air Traffic Management Center (ATMC). The Authority is now addressing the situation to bring a quick resolution to the techical problem. CAAP would like to ensure that as always, the safety of air transport operations is paramount to the agency. The flight delays and divertions are only precautionary measures to ensure the safety of passengers, crew, and aircraft. CAAP has advised all airlines of the situation, as well as relevant authorities who are now addressing the issue. Updates will be provided once available. "We guarantee the riding public of our continued commitment to their welfare and convenience and above all the safety of our flights," CAAP Director General Captain Manuel Antonio Tamayo said.
And another update from the MIAA as of 1637H (GMT+8):
Press Release January 1, 2023, Pasay City - The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) and the Airline Operators Council (AOC) are working on a recovery schedule of flights that were cancelled due to technical issues facing the air traffic management system of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP). As of 1600H today, the system has been partially restored thereby allowing limited flight operations. The glitch which affected the entire Philippines is a developing situation that is continuously being monitored by MIAA and the AOC. As of 1600H, a total of 282 flights were either delayed, cancelled or diverted to other regional airports affecting around 56 ,000 passengers in NAIA. The MIAA seeks the cooperation of the air riding public at this time.
NOTE: This article was originally posted as “NAIA Radio Communications Breaks Down on New Year’s Day” but since has been updated following clarification from airport authorities that the technical issues are not localized to Manila/NAIA.