Nelson Morales

Grounding of flights a 'distinct possibility' amid fuel scarcity — Marcos

Planes of domestic carriers in Pasay City remain grounded amid the start of the air travel ban for domestic flights to and from Metro Manila and other airports in Luzon under the enhanced community quarantine on March 20, 2020. Outbound international flights for OFWs and foreigners stuck in the country continue. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — There is a “distinct possibility” that several flights from the Philippines may be grounded due to the “scarcity” of fuel supply, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said in an interview released Tuesday, a day after his administration maintained that there is “no crisis” in the country.It has now become more challenging for planes to refuel in several countries, Marcos said, citing his conversations with aviation stakeholders.“When our airlines fly out, several countries have said that, ‘We cannot refuel your aircraft so you will have to carry your fuel and back,’” Marcos told Bloomberg.“That’s around here. Long haul, it’s going to be a much more serious problem,” he said.When asked if this would lead to the grounding of flights in the Philippines, the President said: “We are hoping not but it is a possibility, a distinct possibility.”The country&#x27;s largest airline, Cebu Pacific, earlier said it was suspending several routes and cutting flight frequencies to several destinations amid soaring fuel prices.The Marcos administration however, has maintained that there is still no energy crisis as the Philippines has enough supply of petroleum products.The Philippines is instead experiencing a “price disruption” in fuel products, Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro earlier told reporters.Marcos earlier certified as urgent a bill seeking to allow the executive to either suspend or reduce excise tax on oil to help cushion the impact of rising global prices, but the crucial measure has yet to be signed a week since it was passed in Congress.

It has now become more challenging for planes to refuel in several countries, Marcos said, citing his conversations with aviation stakeholders.

It has now become more challenging for planes to refuel in several countries, Marcos said, citing his conversations with aviation stakeholders.