MANILA, Philippines — A false fire alarm disrupted operations at the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines’ (CAAP) Air Traffic Management (ATM) center resulting in commercial and cargo flight delays early Tuesday.
The fire alarm, CAAP said, was triggered around 1:24 a.m., prompting activation of contingency plan and safety protocols and a temporary hold on departures.
Normal operations resumed at 2:50 a.m., followed by the lifting of all restrictions at 3:16 a.m.
Fifty-nine commercial and cargo flights were delayed by an average of 45 minutes before being cleared for departure. Seven arriving flights were also affected.
CAAP Director General Raul del Rosario said all contingency plans ensuring safety were properly observed and swiftly executed.
“We commend our air traffic controllers for their professionalism and quick response, which ensured that flight safety was never compromised and that operations returned to normal immediately. This incident underscores our continued commitment to maintaining the highest standards of aviation safety and readiness,” del Rosario said.
“CAAP will conduct an internal investigation to prevent similar occurrences and remains committed to upholding the highest standards of aviation safety, in accordance with the directives of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez,” the agency said.
