Manila, Davao resume domestic flights

Airlines restarted limited domestic operations from Manila Ninoy Aquino Int’l and Davao on August 19, 2020, following the expiration of a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) procedure in two Filipino metro areas. Both metropoles have now reverted to general quarantine protocol, which still imposes multiple restrictions on daily life but does not ban domestic travel, including by air. Following the relaxation of the lockdown regime in the Manila Metro area, all three major carriers (Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air, and Philippines AirAsia) restarted limited domestic flights from the capital, connecting it with General Santos, Zamboanga, Davao, Laoag, Pagadian, Cebu, Roxas City, Cagayan de Oro Laguindingan, Puerto Princesa, and Tacloban. Domestic flights to and from Manila had been suspended since August 4, when the MECQ protocol was activated. The airport continues to serve a very limited number of pre-approved international flights. According to the list published by the Philippines’ Department of Transportation (DOTr), domestic flights are permitted from 33 airports in the country as of August 20, with Iloilo and Bacolod due to reopen on August 21. Scheduled flights to a further 13, mostly smaller, airports remain banned.