Flights from UAE to Manila resume

Dubai - The Philippine flag carrier, Philippine Airlines, will also resume its PR 658/659 flight Manila-Dubai-Manila on December 4.

Flights from the UAE to Manila have resumed seven hours after the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the Philippines' main gateway, was closed because of Typhoon Kammuri.
Emirates flight EK336 bound for Manila left Dubai International Airport (DXB) on Tuesday, December 3 at 5.56pm (UAE time) and is expected to land at NAIA's Terminal 3 at 6.01am (Philippine time) or 2.01am (UAE time) on December 4.
NAIA's main runway was reopened at 6pm (Philippine time) on Tuesday. The international airport was supposed to remain closed until 11pm but Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) general manager Ed Monreal said they decided to reopen the airport ahead of schedule after receiving confirmation about improving weather conditions.
At Press time, the Emirates website showed two more flights - EK 332 departing at 3.50am (UAE time) and EK 334 leaving at 9.25am - will take off on December 4.
An Etihad Airways spokesperson also confirmed to Khaleej Times that two of their flights from Abu Dhabi to Manila - EY424 and EY428 - will take off from Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) at 2.55am. and 10.40am respectively. Return flights EY423 and EY421 from Manila to Abu Dhabi are also on schedule.
The Philippine flag carrier, Philippine Airlines, will also resume its PR 658/659 flight Manila-Dubai-Manila on December 4, while Cebu Pacific's flight 5J015 Dubai-Manila was scheduled to leave at 5.45am.
Monreal said NAIA will be able to accommodate all scheduled flights from 3.30am (Philippine time) onwards. The airport shutdown inconvenienced around 96,000 passengers, he added.
Meanwhile, Filipino expat Lorsan Sollano, who boarded Emirates flight EK336, told Khaleej Times that she is happy she can finally go for home for vacation and will be able to spend Christmas and New Year with her family. "I just hope the typhoon has passed when we land in Manila," she said.
angel@khaleejtimes.com

• Philippines