Partial operations at Mactan Cebu airport may resume by Tuesday

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Partial operations at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) may resume by Tuesday, Oct. 25, airport officials said.

In a press briefing on Monday, Oct. 24, authorities from the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) said they are doing their best to remove Korean Air flight KE631 from the runway by midnight on Tuesday so they can reopen the airport to accommodate smaller aircrafts.

Flight KE631, a widebody jet, overshot at the runway while trying to land safely at the Mactan airport amid inclement weather late night on Sunday, Oct. 23. 

Lawyer Glenn Napuli, assistant general manager of MCIAA, said airport personnel and authorities are currently removing all fuel stored in the aircraft.

Napuli said they need to follow protocols to ensure the safe removal of the Airbus 330 jet. 

“In order to clear the aircraft, we need to remove all luggage, and cargo and make sure all passengers are out. Removing the fuel took a lot of time,” Napuli told reporters. 

 

He added that they advised airline companies to divert Cebu-bound flights to the nearby Panglao International Airport in Bohol province. 

After fuel has been siphoned out, airport authorities may then proceed in carrying the jet out of the runway.

If everything goes according to plan, Napuli said, they may even be able to resume partial operations at MCIA within Monday. 

MCIAA officials are hoping that the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation and Inquiry Board will allow them to open the runway to small aircrafts starting Monday. 

“We’re hoping matapos today… But we’re still waiting for advice from the authorities. Rest assured, we’re doing our best to partially resume operations as early as possible,” Napuli said in a mix of Tagalog, Cebuano, and English. 

If permitted, airport officials will be using only 2.6 kilometers of its 3.3 kilometer-runway to facilitate both salvage operations of flight KE631 and partial operations at the airport. 

Korean Air flight KE631 overran the runway at 11:11 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 23. Fortunately, all 173 passengers and crew onboard were safe.

According to airport officials, an investigation to determine the real cause why the plane overshot the runway might take some time. 

“We understand hindi siya madali. We have to undergo all the necessary protocols and investigation… And once investigation will commence, no one will be allowed near the aircraft,” explained Napuli. 

Representatives from CAAP, also present during Monday’s press conference, told the media that they will be sending the aircraft’s Blackbox to investigators in Japan or Singapore. 

Edilyth Maribojoc of GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC) said the airline has placed all passengers and crew in a hotel.

Korean Air flight KE631 departed Seoul’s Incheon Airport at 7:20 p.m. on Sunday and was scheduled to land at MCIA around 10 p.m.

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