Cebu Pacific (PSE: CEB), the Philippines’ leading carrier, partners with the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) in installing mobile lightning shelters at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3, strengthening its operational resiliency and ensuring the safety of passengers and airport ground personnel in the event of a Red Lightning Alert (RLA).
CEB is set to install five (5) units of lightning shelters, of which two (2) have been deployed at the terminal’s remote parking bay and one (1) at Ramp 2. The airline expects to complete the installation of all lightning shelter units by the end of April.
Further, the shelters were installed in strategic locations to provide ramp workers with quicker access to their assigned aircraft, speeding up flight recoveries and resumptions after RLAs are cleared.
To supplement this initiative, CEB has also provided wireless headsets for its ramp workers, ensuring their safety from potential lightning strikes and granting them easier mobility while an RLA is in place.
“Consistently ensuring safety and expressing care for our stakeholders has always been Cebu Pacific’s top priority. Our lightning shelters and wireless headsets don’t only mitigate the impact of lightning alerts on our operations, but they also help safeguard the welfare of NAIA ground personnel during the monsoon season,” said Lei Apostol, CEB Vice President for Customer Service Operations.
“This will ultimately allow us to recover from flight delays and cancellations at a much faster rate, ensuring least disruptions to our passengers affected by Red Lightning Alerts,” she adds.
MIAA General Manager Eric Ines lauded CEB’s initiative to uphold the safety of its stakeholders ahead of the lightning season.
“These initiatives are aligned with our objective to promote ramp safety at all times. We look forward to more partnerships with Cebu Pacific,” said Ines.
RLAs are advisories issued by local airport authorities which halt all ground operations and aircraft movements at the airport. An RLA is raised when there is an expected thunderstorm five (5) kilometers and below from the aerodrome.