By Eric B. Apolonio
Manila Standard
October 8, 2012
A Cebu Pacific (CEB) Airbus 320 flight from Cotabato to Manila was cancelled before the weekend when the plane’s nose wheel got stuck while the aircraft was making a 360 degree turn on the runway prior to takeoff, officials said on Sunday.
CEB Vice President for Marketing and Distribution Candice Iyog said the flight was called off and the Cotabato Awang Airport, which serves Maguindanao province and neigboring areas, was immediatley closed down.
Iyog said the passengers were accommodated in the next flight, and she appealed for public understanding because the incident “was beyond our control.”
Manila Standard
October 8, 2012
A Cebu Pacific (CEB) Airbus 320 flight from Cotabato to Manila was cancelled before the weekend when the plane’s nose wheel got stuck while the aircraft was making a 360 degree turn on the runway prior to takeoff, officials said on Sunday.
CEB Vice President for Marketing and Distribution Candice Iyog said the flight was called off and the Cotabato Awang Airport, which serves Maguindanao province and neigboring areas, was immediatley closed down.
Iyog said the passengers were accommodated in the next flight, and she appealed for public understanding because the incident “was beyond our control.”
Amina Rasul
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The Cebu Pacific flight I took for Manila last Saturday narrowly missed falling into the ravine as it tried to take off. It seems that the pilot overshot the turning point. When he finally turned, the left nose wheel went off the runway. All of us passengers felt the plane sort of tilt and slide to the left. After a few seconds, it stopped. Ramon Fernan, who was with me in Cotabato to conduct a workshop, said with alarm, “May bangin dito!”
When we finally disembarked, we saw that the plane was a few feet away from the ravine. I could feel my heart pounding at our narrow escape from harm.
Back at the terminal, over a hundred anxious passengers were in turmoil. The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) did not have equipment to safely tow the airplane so it would not obstruct the runway. Thus, no plane could take off or land, causing tremendous problems for most of the passengers. Many had to fly to Manila to catch flights for abroad. A good number had business to attend to. Lawyer Benny Bacani had to fly to Manila to celebrate his birthday with his family. These passengers decided to go to Davao City and fly to Manila, even if it meant travelling overland for six hours. Since I had to come back to Cotabato on Monday for a meeting with Regional Legislative Assembly Speaker Rasol Mitmog and the ARMM assemblymen and women, I decided to stay in Cotabato. Lucky I did; the airport was closed until Monday.
I don't understand how the "incident was beyond our [CEB] control". Was there a strong gust of wind when the plane veered off the runway?
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