CEB Cancels Flight to Mactan Tomorrow

23 December 2021

Low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific (CEB) will cancel almost all of its flights between Manila and Cebu from December 24 to 31, citing the operational limitations at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport which suffered the wrath of typhoon Odette (Rai) .

The cancellation will affect 41,000 passengers of Cebu Pacific, alone. Affected passengers already tops 25,000 when the airline began flight suspension prior, during, and after the typhoon hit the island.

The canceled flights are:

-5J 559 / 5J 560 Manila – Cebu - Manila
-5J 561 / 5J 562 Manila – Cebu – Manila
-5J 563 / 5J 564 Manila – Cebu – Manila
-5J 565 / 5J 566 Manila – Cebu – Manila
-5J 567 / 5J 568 Manila – Cebu – Manila
-5J 575 / 5J 576 Manila – Cebu – Manila
-5J 581 / 5J 582 Manila – Cebu – Manila
-5J 583 Manila – Cebu (except Dec. 31, 2021)
-5J 584 Cebu – Manila (except Dec. 24, 2021)

CEB said affected passengers "are being informed". They can choose to rebook or refund, or put the ticket value in a travel fund.

Airport operator MCIA said domestic terminal has been badly damaged by the typhoon extensively limiting its capacity to handle passengers at the terminal. It is scheduled to do repair and remedial works during this period.

MCIA said international arrivals will also be subject to a daily passenger cap beginning Dec. 23 due to the shortage of hotel rooms for the mandated quarantine requirement.

Moreover, the Cebu government said entry to the province would be limited to Cebuano overseas Filipino workers and Cebu residents.

Michael Ivan Shau, chief corporate affairs officer at Cebu Pacific, said normal operations were also affected because hundreds of employees were victims of Odette, too.

“Our employees are very much affected and we ask for patience,” Shau said during a briefing on Monday.

“They themselves are in need of cash, clothing, roofing materials—we cannot send that but we send them tarpaulins—water and food,” he added.

While other CEB domestic flights via Cebu will operate as scheduled, the carrier is providing options to passengers who want to voluntarily postpone their flights until December 31.

Passengers may cancel their trips up to two hours before the flight schedule. They can rebook the ticket for travel within 60 days.

They can also put the ticket value in a travel fund, CEB said.