Philippine Airlines cancels or reschedules Singapore-Manila flights on Nov. 17 for ASEAN summit

Philippine Airlines has cancelled or rescheduled several flights to and from Manila between Nov. 14 and 18 for the 49th ASEAN Summit, including PR 501/502 between Manila and Singapore on Nov. 17. Affected passengers can rebook, get a full refund or convert to a travel fund free of charge.

Philippine Airlines (PAL) has cancelled or rescheduled several domestic and international flights to and from Manila between Nov. 14 and 18, including its Singapore service on Tuesday, Nov. 17, as delegates arrive for the 49th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits. Filipinos in Singapore with plans to fly home that week should check their bookings now.

In an advisory dated Oct. 30, PAL listed flights PR 501/502 Manila-Singapore-Manila among the international services affected on Nov. 17. The Straits Times reported that Singapore Airlines (SIA) said no SIA flights had been cancelled so far.

What affected passengers can do

PAL said affected passengers will be notified directly through email and SMS, and that passengers may also check the latest status of their flights through its Flight Status page. The airline listed these free options for everyone on an affected flight:

• Rebook to another flight
• Get a full refund
• Convert the booking to a travel fund

The options are available free of charge via Manage my Booking on PAL's website. PAL Vice President for Corporate Affairs Salvador "Bud" Britanico told BusinessMirror the options are consistent with the Air Passenger Bill of Rights, and that passengers were notified of the flight adjustments via email and SMS on Oct. 30.

Other routes on the same day

BusinessMirror said the wider PAL adjustments also cover international flights such as Manila to Xiamen, Sydney and Denpasar (Bali), as well as major domestic routes including Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo and Davao. Britanico said most, if not all, affected domestic flights have other frequencies on the same day.

Travel reminders

PAL advised passengers travelling during the period to allow extra travel time to the airport, given possible road closures and heavier security screening, and to check in online before their flight. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr had earlier declared Nov. 16 to 18 as special (non-working) days in the National Capital Region, The Straits Times reported.

PAL said it is working with the Civil Aeronautics Board, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, airport operators and other agencies to keep the adjustments to a minimum, and that further updates, if any, will be posted on its website and official social media accounts. A New NAIA Infrastructure Corp. source told BusinessMirror that flight slots during the summit have not yet been finalized.

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