Busuanga Airport resumed normal operations at 3:20 p.m. on Friday, September 5, after a PAL Express aircraft that suffered a technical problem in the morning blocked its runway for several hours.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said in a statement that the runway was cleared with the help of the Philippine Air Force. The Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued earlier was lifted at 3:19 p.m.
The PAL Express flight GAP2961 from Manila landed at 7:47 a.m. but failed to vacate the runway due to a technical issue.
The incident affected nine flights, including one Cebu Pacific aircraft that was forced to return to Manila.
Jon Ong, a resident of Busuanga, was at the airport to meet his sibling who was on the diverted flight.
“Ang arrival kasi dapat ng Cebu Pacific kanina ay 8:30 am at andun na ako ng 8:00 am at pagdating ko, andun na ‘yung PAL,” Ong said.
“Pero ‘yung mga pasahero ay andun pa sa loob at nakita ko na sinakay sa van at sinundo ng van sa eroplano. Susunduin ko sana ang kapatid ko na nakasakay doon sa Cebu Pac kaso bumalik nalang sa Maynila dahil hindi sila makababa,” he added.
CAAP initially issued the NOTAM from 9:13 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. but the aircraft was not immediately removed from the runway.
A reliable source told Palawan News that a towing team with equipment from Manila left El Nido Airport at 2:22 p.m. to assist in clearing the disabled aircraft.
By mid-afternoon, the operations at the airport were declared back to normal.
