Several Filipino expats from UAE await new bookings from Manila after January 1 flight cancellations

Several Filipino expats from UAE await new bookings from Manila after January 1 flight cancellations

Dubai: Several UAE-based Filipino expats are still trying to find alternate travel plans after getting stuck in the Philippines over the New Year period. This followed the power outage at the Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport led to flight cancellations and forced those with confirmed bookings to the UAE scrambling to get seats. Many are still trying after all flights into and out of the airport scheduled for January 1 were cancelled. (An estimated 1,000 passengers fly from the Philippines to Dubai and vice-versa daily.) “Several Dubai-bound passengers from Manila have chosen to rebook their tickets January 2-4 as they need to return to work,” said a source at the Dubai operations of Cebu Air. “Some opted to postpone their travel plans altogether. The stranded passengers are a mix of tourists and UAE-based Filipino expatriates.” According to official figures from the Manila International Airport Authority, a total of 282 flights were either delayed, cancelled or diverted to other regional airports on Sunday (January 1), affecting at least 60,000 passengers. The system was partially restored, allowing limited flight operations by late evening that day and leading to eight flight arrivals and eight departures. “For CEB, PH domestic and international on January