Power outage forces Philippines to suspend flights, shut airspace

FILE PHOTO: A foreign passenger wearing a face mask as a protection against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) arrives at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines, February 10, 2022. REUTERS/Lisa Marie David

MANILA (Reuters) -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.