Gear problem, bird strike ground 2 flights

MANILA, Philippines – Two flights were affected by landing gear problems and bird strikes yesterday.

A PAL Express flight, an Airbus 320, bound for Davao was forced to return to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport after it developed a problem with its nose landing gear at past 7 a.m.

The pilots and 180 passengers boarded another aircraft, which took off just before 9 a.m., according to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).

Meanwhile, a Cebu Pacific flight landed safely at the Pagadian airport in Zamboanga del Sur after maya birds were sucked into its engine at around 8:30 a.m. The Airbus 319, which had 121 passengers on board, was grounded at the airport.

The CAAP said the incident occurred since the airport is surrounded by rice fields and it is harvest time.