TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Air travel on New Year’s Day was unexpectedly interrupted by power failure at an air traffic management center at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, Philippines.
The disruption led southbound aircraft leaving Taoyuan International Airport for Penang, Malaysia, or Jakarta, Indonesia, to be detoured or forced to return, according to a report by UDN.
Taiwan’s Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) said it received notification from Manila flight information region (FIR) warning about an abnormality in its air traffic control system. Manila airport officials recommend flights entering their air space return to the airports they departed from or be diverted via coordination and guidance of adjacent FIRs.
Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific both issued statements that domestic and international flights could expect disruption on Sunday, Jan.1.
It is unclear when air traffic will return to normal. Flight delays and cancelations are likely to continue through Jan. 2. with lingering disruptions probable as airlines work to clear passenger backlogs. Taiwan’s CAA says it continues to coordinate with neighboring Fukuoka, Hong Kong, and other nearby FIRs to seek guidance for southbound flights.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) apologized to all affected passengers saying it is working to diligently solve the problem. In a press release, it said passenger safety is its top priority as technical problems led it to decide to temporarily suspend take off and landings to avoid potential accidents.