ASEAN summit to cause minimal flight disruptions at NAIA – govt

October 24, 2017 - 7:06 AM
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MANILA, Philippines — The Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit in November will cause only minimal flight disruptions at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the organizers of the event assured.

In a statement released by the Department of Interior and Local Government, Ambassador Marciano A. Paynor Jr., director general for operations of the National Organizing Council, said flight activities will be concentrated at Clark International Airport in Pampanga instead of NAIA.

This should prevent a recurrence of the 450 flight cancellations during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation in 2015.

Paynor explained that the 10-minute arrival or departure of a single ASEAN aircraft can lead to at least three cancelled flights.

At the same time, DILG officer-in-charge Catalino Cuy, who also chairs the 21-agency Committee on Security, Peace and Order, Emergency Preparedness and Response, advised against taking the North Luzon Expressway and EDSA during the summit because of the “stop and go scheme” that will be implemented for ASEAN convoys.

Cuy also asked local executives in Metro Manila and Region 3 to extend assistance to ASEAN delegates, help clear the streets, and mount displays in support of ASEAN.