CEBU became among the first airports to feel the impact of a nationwide wave of cancellations on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, as carriers grounded Airbus aircraft for a mandated software upgrade.
At least 10 flights were canceled as of 10 a.m. Saturday at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) as airlines began implementing a mandatory software upgrade on Airbus aircraft — a safety-required procedure that has caused flight disruptions nationwide.
In a public advisory, MCIA alerted travelers that flights operated by Airbus aircraft may face delays or cancellations due to the required software upgrade, which is being carried out to ensure safety and operational reliability.
The cancellations include several domestic arrivals and departures to and from Manila, Davao and Zamboanga.
The Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority, in a separate advisory, said that while overall airport operations remain normal, airlines have begun adjusting their schedules based on fleet availability and maintenance requirements.
Airport authorities said these adjustments have led to flight cancellations and could cause further delays in transport operations.
CAB directives to airlines
The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) has directed airlines to act swiftly to reduce passenger disruptions following an Airbus technical advisory. Airlines are instructed to:
Crisis Management: Activate their Crisis Management Plans and designate a single point of contact for coordination.
Alternative Transport: Have pre-arranged agreements with partner airlines, alternative transport providers and hotels, and deploy temporary staff to assist affected passengers.
Communication: Provide clear and timely updates on flight changes, rebooking, refunds and entitlements through SMS, email, mobile apps and airport announcements.
Under the directive, passengers should be offered options to reroute on unaffected flights, through partner airlines, or via non-air transport, with clear information on schedules and capacities.
Airlines must coordinate with airport authorities, air traffic control, and regulators to prevent misinformation, issuing unified advisories updated at least every four hours or as developments occur.
Immediate on-site support must be provided to passengers near airports, with priority given to families, the elderly and those with medical needs.
The CAB urged passengers to monitor official airline channels and avoid going to the airport if their flights are canceled unless instructed otherwise.
Meanwhile, Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez assured the public on Saturday that passenger safety remains the government’s top priority as the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and local airlines rush to complete system upgrades for Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft by Sunday noon, Nov. 30.
The upgrades follow a directive from the European Aviation Safety Agency (Easa), which recommended an immediate software update to address a global technical issue affecting more than 6,000 Airbus aircraft worldwide.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the Department of Transportation and CAAP to ensure passenger safety and extend immediate assistance to travelers affected by widespread flight cancellations.
Lopez said the Easa advisory is a precautionary measure to ensure the safe deployment of Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft for both passengers and flight crew. He added that the advisory reached Philippine aviation authorities at 1 a.m. on Saturday, prompting airlines to begin installing the software updates without delay. Each upgrade takes roughly two hours per aircraft.
As of Saturday, system upgrades have been completed on 19 Cebu Pacific aircraft and 11 PAL aircraft, while AirAsia has finished updating its entire affected fleet.
A total of 93 flights have been affected, with 82 cancelled and 11 delayed, impacting at least 14,000 passengers. / DPC