THE Cebu Pacific Air (CEB) international flight Hong Kong-Iloilo will temporarily be suspended from February 4 to March 29, according to Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) Iloilo Terminal Supervisor Art Parreño.
Parreño, in an interview by SunStar Philippines following series of letters, first from Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor, Jr., and the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) Iloilo Chapter, calling for a temporary suspension of international flights, said the Cebu Pacific decided to suspend the Hong Kong flight from February 4 to March 29 due to the 2019 novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (2019-nCoV ARD).
“Just this 2:30 p.m., January 31, 2020, instead of February 7, they moved the suspension to February 4. The last flight from Hong Kong will be arriving on Monday, February 3, while the last flight will leave on Sunday night,” Parreño said.
Parreño clarified that it is only the Iloilo-Hong Kong flight and vice versa will be suspended and not other international flights like to and from Singapore of Cebu Pacific.
“During our meeting this morning at the Caap, we are made aware by Kirk Patricio, Airport Manager of Cebu Pacific he has indeed received the letter (of the Governor),” Parreño said.
Before the suspension of flights this February, Parreño said just the same what the airport officials are doing is preventive measures like thermal scanners right at the end of the jet bridge at Gate 3 where all passengers from international flight pass.
“We have two thermal scanners from the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ). We have sanitizing gels the corners where the BOQ provides and foot bath to help contain other viruses,” Parreño said.
The flight to and from Iloilo is one of the affected reduced flights of Cebu Pacific Air. Aside from Hong Kong other reduced flights are among Philippines, mainland China and Macau. (SunStar Philippines)