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CONFIDENCE-damaging power outages struck the Manila
Domestic Airport Tuesday, the second in four days,
forcing airport authorities to manually process
passengers and cargoes using only emergency lighting.
The
Aviation Security Group fielded several K-9 unit dogs to
sniff pieces of luggage in the absence of x-ray
machines, resulting in long delays and much-frayed
nerves having occurred in the midst of the peak travel
season.
Airline
personnel also had to use flashlights and other
emergency lighting in processing passengers, who had
become quite outspoken, especially seeing they must
suffer similar inconvenience in checking in their
baggage.
Lights
came back toward
noon, but manual check-in continued under the sweltering heat,
both from lack of air conditioning and the body heat of
thousands of passengers packed in the cramped terminal.
The
power went off Saturday night due to a busted
20-year-old 2,000-watt circuit breaker, according to
Terminal two manager Robert Uy. That power was restored
on 80 percent capacity only Tuesday with the
installation of a new 2.500-watt replacement, which also
broke down Tuesday.
To give
passengers some relief, two big air hoses sucking in
cool air from air conditioning of parked aircraft were
directed to the crowd.
Regular
scheduled flights suffered most of the delays, according
to Uy, and these include Cebu Pacific, Asian Spirit and
Sea Air.
Cebu
Pacific vice president Candice Iyog said the Manila
International Airport Authority (Miaa) promised to do
its best to fix the problem. She said they can only hope
that the outages today and last Saturday would be the
last.
“CEB
will spend its own money to help MIAA to improve the
terminal and has given up its cargo space to give room
to arriving and departing passengers,” said Iyog.
“Hopefully, both the outage and cramped conditions at
the terminal, among others, will be addressed soonest
for the convenience of the public.”
She
expects the project to be done by the middle of the year
and this should make flying a more pleasant experience.
The Miaa
management appealed to the public to bear with them as
they try to rehabilitate the old and decrepit domestic
airport. Meantime, they advised passengers who have
flights today (Wednesday), to get in touch with the
airlines for any instruction.
They may
call Cebu Pacific at 702-0888, Asian Spirit
853-3333/851-8888 and Sea Air 851-9876/8515555 or call
the domestic flight operations 877-109 ext. 4226 or
3427. |
