NAIA - Worst Airport in World?

[Cruiser Elite]

Wow - how would you like to cop this?

InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5

MANILA - An Etihad flight from Abu Dhabi was diverted to Clark International Airport Friday afternoon, as its fuel ran low while air traffic congestion at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 prevented it from landing.

Etihad Flight EY424 landed on Clark shortly past 4pm, but the ordeal of its 399 passengers lasted for the next 10 hours, as they were prevented from disembarking at Clark terminal.

Etihad Airways on Saturday issued an apology to passengers of Flight EY424, but noted that the order to divert the plane to Clark owing to airspace congestion at NAIA was a circumstance beyond the airline's control.

The airline likewise expressed regret over the inconvenience experienced by 399 passengers as a result of the ensuing 10-hour delay in disembarking the aircraft. Etihad said the delay in getting them off the plane that sat on the tarmac, as hungry passengers sat inside, was the result in turn of terminal congestion at Clark International Airport, continuing airspace congestion at NAIA, and delays in the arrival of ground transportation.

Throughout the delay, its primary concern was the well-being of its guests, Eithad said. It provided them with whatever food and beverage was still available; and made every effort to expedite their disembarkation.

It was learned that civil aviation authorities gave the plane clearance to land at NAIA at 5:15pm, but apparently the plane had not refueled at Clark, and so failed to fly back to Manila and continued to sit on the tarmac until past 2 am.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), only the Etihad flight was diverted to Clark and all flights on queue for landing touched down at the NAIA Friday afternoon.

Most of the Etihad passengers stranded at Clark were finally bused to Manila early Saturday morning. Others had earlier decided to travel by land to Manila on their own, after finally being allowed to disembark at Clark terminal past 2 a.m.

10-hour ordeal in a plane on tarmac

First-hand accounts by some passengers revealed the horrors of travel to a country that touts "it's more fun!" but seemed ill-prepared to receive travelers when they do come. According to one account, most of the passengers became very anxious after failing to get any explanation as to why their plane was sitting on the tarmac and they were not allowed to disembark at the terminal.

At first, said one passenger, "most of us expected the plane would fly back to NAIA" as soon as the problem - the air congestion over NAIA and the Etihad aircraft's low fuel - was solved.

Impatience grew into anger, especially when the passengers were not allowed to get down at the Clark terminal: neither being able to pick the option of land travel to Manila; or escaping the confines of the aircraft; or at least being able to eat: the Etihad's food stocks had run out, since the plane was supposed to land at NAIA past 3pm. Flight attendants gave out all the remaining stock of cookies, which quickly ran out.

Demanding explanations for the long wait inside the plane, passengers were told they cannot disembark yet because no buses were available to accommodate them. Moreover, another scheduled commercial flight was being processed by Clark immigration.

Reports from ground handler CASS (Clark Aviation Support Services) said only 50 people were cleared to disembark by 2:05am. At 6am, per the Clark terminal marshal, the aircraft was emptied of people.

Continuing assistance from airline

‎The airline said it has provided affected guests with hotel accommodation and their flights have been rebooked to their final destination.

Etihad Airways said it continues to assist guests with any requirements they may have following the delay.

It invited them to call the Etihad Airways Contact Centre on +971 2599 0000 or contact [email protected] for further information and assistance

That would put a dampener on your holidays wouldn't it?

 

[smit0847]

Sounds like a fairly standard airport transfer in the Phillippines

 

[Alanslegal]

I have been through MNL several times over the years and we didn't have a terrible experience even though it is frequently named as one of the worst to go through.

That said, I recently read of a scam going on which is pretty sad

'Great Bullet Scam' triggers Philippine investigation

 

[RooFlyer]

Etihad and Philippines ... what chances the poor pax getting any compensation?

 

[JohnK]

Sounds awful.

Not sure how something like this can be so poorly managed.