Kanlaon Volcano eruption prompts flight cancellations

BACOLOD, Philippines – The eruption of Kanlaon Volcano on Negros Island on Monday, June 3, disrupted air travel as the ash-laden airspace prompted widespread flight cancellations not only in the Visayas but across the country.

Cebu Pacific Airline, in a Flight Advisory No. 3 issued at 3 am on Tuesday, June 4, announced cancellations affecting flights to and from Iloilo, General Santos, Cagayan de Oro, and Palawan.

Its canceled flights on Tuesday include the following:

• 5J 453/454: Manila-Iloilo-Manila
• 5J 248/247: General Santos-Iloilo-General Santos
• 5J 164/165: Cebu-Iloilo-Cebu
• 5J 696/695: Cagayan-Iloilo-Cagayan
• 5J 473/474: Manila-Bacolod-Manila
• 5J 451/452: Manila-Iloilo-Manila

At 10:30 pm on Monday, Cebu Pacific announced the cancelation of the following flights:

• 5J 461/462: Manila-Iloilo-Manila
• 5J 463/464: Manila-Iloilo-Manila
• 5J 465/466: Manila-Iloilo-Manila
• 5J 475/476: Manila-Bacolod-Manila
• DG 6460/6461: Cebu-Bacolod-Cebu
• 5J 2590: Davao-Bacolod
• 5J 480: Bacolod-Manila

Cebu Pacific has offered several affected passengers free rebooking, travel vouchers, or full refunds on its booking portal.

Philippine Airlines (PAL) also announced flight cancellations on Tuesday. The affected flights are as follows:

• PR2841/2842: Manila-Cebu-Manila
• PR2139/2140: Manila-Iloilo-Manila
• PR2835: Manila-Cebu
• PR2129/2130: Manila-Bacolod-Manila
• PR2380/2381: Cebu-Iloilo-Cebu
• PR2285/2286: Cebu-Bacolod-Cebu
  

PAL advised passengers to check the status of their flights before heading to the airport and offered inconvenienced passengers travel credits, rebooking, rerouting, or refunds without penalties.

Meanwhile, AirAsia Philippines also announced canceled flights as of 7:30 am on Tuesday. The affected flights are as follows:

• Z2 761: Manila to Cebu
• Z2 762: Cebu to Manila
• Z2 603: Manila to Bacolod
• Z2 604: Bacolod to Manila
• Z2 306: Manila to Iloilo
• Z2 307: Iloilo to Manila

AirAsia has also offered passengers similar options for refunds or ticket changes.

On Monday evening, June 3, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) raised the alert level following the six-minute eruption which began shortly before 7 pm. The volcano spewed a plume rising five kilometers and generating pyroclastic density currents traveling two to three kilometers down its slopes.

Ashfall and sulfurous odors were reported in communities on Kanlaon’s western slopes, leading officials to advise residents to use masks and cloths to cover their noses and mouths. 

A four-kilometer-radius danger zone around the volcano remains strictly off-limits, and evacuations were reported in Canlaon City. – Rappler.com