MCIA operations resume 24/7 as runway safety restored

• Full operations resumed at Mactan-Cebu International Airport on October 27, four days after a Korean Air jet overshot the runway, forcing the suspension of flights to and from the Visayas hub

• Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) said the airport is back to 24/7 operations after resuming daytime flights on October 25

• The resumption of full operations came earlier than the two weeks estimated previously by MCIAA

• Passengers are advised to coordinate with their airlines for the status of their flights

Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) resumed full operations on October 27, four days after a Korean Air jet overshot the runway upon landing in bad weather and forced the suspension of flights to and from the Visayas hub.

The airport is now back to 24/7 operations after resuming daytime flights on October 25, Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) announced on Thursday (Oct 27).

The resumption of full operations came earlier than the two weeks estimated previously by MCIAA to move the damaged aircraft and make the runway safe for other flights to take off or land.

Passengers are advised to coordinate with their airlines for the status of their flights.

The Korean Air Airbus A330-300 plane arriving from Incheon, South Korea, overshot the runway after touching down during heavy rain on the night of October 23.

The aircraft attempted to land twice in bad weather before touching down on the third try, but it overshot Runway 22 for about 300 meters. Media photos and videos showed the plane resting on its heavily damaged belly on the turf.

All 162 passengers and 11 crew on board flight KE631 were immediately evacuated and attended by airport emergency personnel. No injuries were reported and the passengers were allowed to go home.

There was no damage to the runway and its lights, but the approach lights and localizer at the side of Runway 04 were hit and required repairs.

MCIAA had said earlier the cause of the incident is yet to be determined pending the investigation of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines’ Aircraft Accident Investigation and Inquiry Board.

Korean Air president Woo Keehong issued a statement on October 24 apologizing for the incident and said a thorough investigation will be performed together with local and Korean aviation authorities to determine the cause.

Almost 200 flights for October 23 and 24 were affected by the incident. Help desks were set up to accommodate passengers affected by flight cancellations, while airlines and concerned government agencies also provided assistance to affected passengers.

The runway was opened temporarily on October 24 to allow the departure of a Jeju Air flight at 5:00pm.