Power outage forces Philippines to suspend flights, shut airspace

Philippine authorities halted flights in and out of Manila on New Year's Day due to a malfunction of air traffic control, which also prevented airlines bound to other destinations from using the country's airspace.

A total of 282 flights were either delayed, cancelled or diverted to other regional airports, affecting around 56,000 passengers at Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the airport operator said on Sunday.

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista apologized for the inconvenience to passengers as he blamed a power outage for the breakdown of the central air traffic control system that also affected operations at other airports in the country.

He said the outdated existing facility should be upgraded immediately and that a back-up system was also needed.