APEC may affect OFW arrival this Christmas

MANILA, Philippines - The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in November may affect the number of overseas Filipino workers (OFW) arriving in the country to celebrate Christmas with their families.

This early, sources from airline companies at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) revealed that thousands have rebooked flights, originally scheduled in November, to next year in anticipation of disruptions to normal airport operations during the summit on Nov. 16 to 20.

The sources also said their companies have stopped selling seats on those dates to avoid causing inconvenience to passengers. Flights on those days, they added, would either be delayed or cancelled. Earlier, local carrier Cebu Pacific announced the cancelations of 242 domestic and 30 international flights to and from the NAIA during the summit week.

In a statement, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) advised airlines and the public of periodic runway closures as heads of state arrive for the summit. The closure is a protocol to airport security.

Although the MIAA said commercial flights would still be available from Nov. 16 to 20, it also advised passengers to avoid booking flights on those days to avoid having delayed or cancelled flights.

After the summit, the airline sources said they might schedule extra flights to Manila to accommodate an expected high volume of passengers arriving for the season. About 75,000 OFW were recorded to have arrived in November last year.

A suggestion was also sent to the MIAA to allow airport shuttle buses to transport passengers to and from the SM-MOA, which has ample parking spaces and could accommodate family members who would send off their loved ones abroad or welcome them home. This way, they argued, the vehicular traffic congestion to and from the airport would be minimized.