Arriving flights with Pinoy repatriates allowed at NAIA starting May 11, but on select days

Arriving international charter and commercial flights carrying Filipino repatriates can once again land at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport but only on specific dates starting May 11, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines announced on Saturday.

These inbound international chartered flights will only be allowed to land on Mondays and Thursdays, provided they secure a clearance from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and CAAP for slotting purposes, according to a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) released by the CAAP.

Meanwhile, inbound international commercial flights with repatriates will be allowed on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. However they need to secure approval from the CAAP 48 hours before the scheduled departure from the airport of origin for the necessary slotting and rescheduling of flights in order to subscribe to the 400 passengers per day capacity of NAIA.

“Enroute flights experiencing emergency, ferry flights/cargo flights, air ambulance and medical supplies flights, government/military flights, weather mitigation flights, maintenance flights, and outbound ferry flights/cargo flights with passengers, as authorized, are unrestricted and are not covered by the NOTAM,” the CAAP said.

“The restrictions, which will last a month, from May 11 to June 10, is going to be implemented in NAIA only, with other international airports in the country having their separate restrictions,” it said.

"Entry restriction on foreign tourists and non-residents will continue to be enforced, until further notice," said the CAAP in a second statement sent to media Saturday night. CAAP sent the second statement after its first statement, sent earlier in the day, made no mention of Filipino repatriates being the only ones covered by the latest NOTAM. 

CAAP recently issued a NOTAM suspending commercial flights in NAIA and eight other airports starting May 3 and lasting for a week. —Ted Cordero/KG/MDM, GMA News