All inbound charter and international commercial flights to Manila will only be able to land at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on their assigned days for a month beginning tomorrow.
Chartered international inbound flights operate only on Mondays and Thursdays. Meanwhile, international (scheduled) inbound commercial flights operate only permitted on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Both chartered and commercial flights must first obtain a slotting clearance. It comes from the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAAP).
The CAAP said in its Notice to Airman (NOTAM), the restrictions will begin on May 11. And then, last until June 10 this year.
CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio also pointed out that only returning residents, Philippine passport holders, foreign dignitaries and diplomats are permitted to access the boarded international flights.
In addition, no tourists can enter the country as yet.
The inbound international commercial flights would need to secure CAAP approval for slotting purposes 48 hours. In other words, it should be before the scheduled departure from the airport of origin. In addition, it goes to ensure that they subscribe to the 400 passenger daily limit to flatter the spread of coronavirus.
The NOTAM does not cover emergency stuff. For instance, en route flights, ferry / cargo flights, medical and air ambulance flights, government / military flights, weather mitigation flights, repair flights and passenger outbound ferry / cargo flights as permitted. These will remain unregulated flights. CAAP also said the restrictions would only apply in NAIA. And then, other international airports in the country will have different restrictions of their own.