Failure to launch: behind the scenes of NAIA’s New Year’s Day fiasco

In the Philippines, people often usher in the new year with loud noises and grand fireworks displays.

However, on January 1, 2023, the silence on the runway of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport was deafening.

As domestic and international flights to and from NAIA were either cancelled or rerouted, nothing was making sense to stranded passengers— other than the reality that their holiday plans were quickly going up in smoke.

Ground Zero

Around 300 flights were affected, and approximately 65,000 passengers were inconvenienced as a result of NAIA’s shutdown on New Year’s Day. Continue Reading