Airbus technical advisory forces PH flight cancellations

Several airlines, including Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines, and AirAsia, announced delayed or cancelled flights on Friday following an Airbus alert that up to 6,000 operational A320 aircraft may require upgrades.

Airbus instructed its clients to take "immediate precautionary action" after evaluating a technical malfunction on board a JetBlue flight in October.

"Intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls," it said, adding that "a significant number of A320 Family aircraft currently in service" may be affected.

Replacing the software will take "a few hours" on most planes, but for some 1,000 aircraft, the process "will take weeks", a source close to the issue told AFP.

Ninoy Aquino International Airport management said that "operations continue as normal," but it asked passengers to confirm their flight status with their respective airlines to avoid inconveniences or monitor official airline announcements.

It also advised travelers to avoid going to the airport if the airline has already confirmed that the flight is cancelled and plan extra time for travel, particularly during busy periods.

"These checks are part of global aviation safety requirements. Airlines will continue providing updates as new information becomes available," they said.

As per Philippine Airlines, these are the flights that have been cancelled as of Nov. 29, 4 a.m.:

• PR 1781/1782 Manila-Puerto Princesa-Manila
• PR 1845 Manila-Cebu
• PR 1880 Cebu-Manila
• PR 1801/1802 Manila-Davao-Manila
• 2P 2981/2982 Manila-Tacloban-Manila
• 2P 2035/2036 Manila-Caticlan-Manila
• 2P 2141/2142 Manila-Iloilo-Manila
• 2P 2773/2774 Manila-Tagbilaran-Manila
• 2P 2133/2134 Manila-Bacolod-Manila

Cebu Pacific also cancelled the following flights scheduled on Saturday, as of 8 a.m.:

• 5J 899/900 – Manila – Caticlan – Manila
• 5J 2511/2502: Manila – Cebu – Manila
• 5J 261/262: Iloilo – Puerto Princesa – Iloilo
• 5J 4761/4760: Puerto Princesa – Davao – Puerto Princesa
• 5J 4736/4737: Davao – Caticlan – Davao
• 5J 4768/4769: Davao – Tacloban – Davao
• 5J451/452: Manila – Iloilo – Manila
• 5J 633/634: Manila – Puerto Princesa – Manila
• 5J 619/620: Manila – Bohol – Manila
• 5J 623/624: Manila – Dumaguete – Manila
• 5J 659/660: Manila – Tacloban – Manila
• 5J 703/704: Manila – Legazpi – Manila
• 5J 373/374: Manila – Roxas – Manila
• 5J 599/600: Cebu – Davao – Cebu
• 5J 997/998: Manila – General Santos – Manila
• 5J 965/966: Manila – Davao – Manila
• 5J 321/322: Manila – Legazpi – Manila
• 5J 3093/3094: Manila – Butuan – Manila
• 5J 395/396: Manila – Cagayan De Oro – Manila
• 5J 597/598: Cebu – Davao – Cebu
• 5J 993/994: Manila – General Santos – Manila
• 5J 977/978: Manila – Davao – Manila
• 5J 473/474: Manila – Bacolod – Manila
• 5J 504/505: Manila – Tuguegarao – Manila
• 5J 771/772: Manila – Pagadian – Manila
• 5J 643/644: Manila – Puerto Princesa – Manila
• 5J 847/848: Manila – Zamboanga – Manila
• 5J 383/384: Manila – Cagayan De Oro – Manila
• 5J 463/464: Manila – Iloilo – Manila
• 5J 785/786: Manila – Butuan – Manila
• 5J 915/916: Clark – Caticlan – Clark

AirAsia also gave updates on the following flights as of Nov. 29:

• Z2 188
  MNL → KIX
  Original: 8:30 → 12:15
  New: 13:00 → 16:45
  Status: Delayed
• Z2 189
  KIX → MNL
  Original: 13:15 → 17:45
  New: 17:30 → 22:00Status: Delayed
• Z2 285
  MNL → DMK
  Original: 9:00 → 12:40
  New: 9:45 → 13:25
  Status: Delayed
• Z2 286
  DMK → MNL
  Original: 13:10 → 16:45
  New: 14:15 → 17:50
  Status: Delayed
• Z2 7710
  CEB → MFM
  Original: 5:50 → 8:40
  New: 8:30 → 11:20
  Status: Delayed
• Z2 7711
  MFM → CEB
  Original: 9:10 → 12:00
  New: 11:45 → 14:35
  Status: Delayed
• Z2 764
  CEB → MNL
  Original: 8:00 → 9:25
  New: 10:30 → 11:55
  Status: Delayed
• Z2 782
  CEB → MNL
  Original: 10:35 → 12:00
  New: 11:35 → 12:59
  Status: Delayed
• Z2 783
  MNL → CEB
  Original: 12:20 → 13:50
  New: 13:30 → 15:00
  Status: Delayed
• Z2 521
  CEB → DVO
  Original: 13:10 → 14:15
  New: 15:30 → 16:35
  Status: Delayed
• Z2 522
  DVO → CEB
  Original: 14:40 → 15:45
  New: 17:00 → 18:05
  Status: Delayed

AirAsia said that it is "taking all necessary steps to comply swiftly and responsibly. We want to assure our guests that safety is, and will always be, our top priority."

Cebu Pacific has provided its affected passengers with options through the Manage Booking portal on its website, stating that they can rebook without fare difference for travel up to 30 days from the original flight.

Meanwhile, PAL passengers may rebook their flights within 60 days from the original travel date.

Passengers may also add the fare to their Travel Fund or get a full refund.

Produced since 1988, the A320 is the world's best-selling aeroplane. Airbus sold 12,257 of the aircraft by the end of September, compared with the sale of 12,254 Boeing 737s (with reports from AFP)