Typhoon Emong, Storm Dante Snarl Philippines Air Travel

Thursday, July 24, 2025

Cebu Pacific jet grounded at Manila airport amid weather-related flight cancellations from Typhoon Emong and Tropical Storm Dante.

Typhoon Emong's landfall over Pangasinan early July 24, coupled with rain-laden Tropical Storm Dante swirling just outside Philippine airspace, upended the country's peak inter-island travel window. Airlines pre-emptively canceled dozens of domestic and regional flights through Ninoy Aquino International Airport and provincial gateways, citing safety protocols for gusty crosswinds and lightning alerts. Carriers are offering no-fee rebooking, refund, or travel-credit options for tickets dated July 24-26, while authorities advise travelers to monitor official channels and avoid unnecessary trips to congested terminals.

Key Points

Why it matters: More than 70 flights scrapped as storms disrupt peak Domestic Travel.
Typhoon Emong packs 75 mph winds after landfall in Pangasinan.
Tropical Storm Dante exits PAR but super-charges the Habagat monsoon.
Manila-Cauayan, Manila-Laoag, and Manila-Osaka among routes canceled.
Rebooking, rerouting, or refund options offered by Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific.
CAAP warns of further cancellations if runway visibility drops below minimums.

Snapshot

Twin tropical systems hammered the Philippines on July 24, triggering widespread flight cancellations and travel waivers. Typhoon Emong (international name Co-May) made landfall near Agno, Pangasinan with sustained winds of 75 mph and gusts to 103 mph before drifting east-southeast. Although Tropical Storm Dante (international name Francisco) had already left the Philippine Area of Responsibility, its outer rainbands continued to juice the southwest monsoon or Habagat, extending storm-force squalls far south of Luzon. By midday, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) tallied at least 70 canceled sectors, most touching Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL). Provincial hubs-from Laoag to Tacloban-also reported ground stops as ramp crews suspended operations during lightning alerts.

Background

The Western North Pacific's sixth and seventh named cyclones of 2025 arrived during the country's busiest inter-island travel window, when families flock to cooler highland provinces for the July holidays. Emong intensified from a severe Tropical Storm overnight, reaching Typhoon status just offshore of Pangasinan, a corridor that funnels air traffic into Metro Manila's crowded terminal airspace. Dante, meanwhile, lingered over open water east-northeast of Batanes before skirting northward out of PAR, but its sprawling circulation kept moisture streaming over Luzon and Visayas. Historically, monsoon-enhanced systems like 2021's Fabian/In-fa have caused more havoc through flooding than direct wind damage, underscoring why local airlines pre-emptively ground flights when multiple storm signals overlap.

Latest Developments

Domestic Gridlock at NAIA

Ninoy Aquino International remained technically open, yet rolling ground holds cascaded across the day's 350-plus departures. Cebu Pacific scrubbed at least 30 legs, including Manila-Cauayan, Manila-Legazpi, and multiple Manila-Cebu rotations. Flag-carrier Philippine Airlines dropped northern-Luzon services such as Manila-Laoag (PR 2196/2197) plus select Manila-Puerto Princesa and Manila-Tacloban flights. AirAsia Philippines told travelers to expect "significant retiming" as slot re-sequencing pushed turnarounds beyond mandated crew-duty limits. Passengers holding tickets dated July 24-26 may rebook within 60 days, convert to travel credits, or seek refunds without penalties. Queues at NAIA's Terminal 3 stretched past immigration glass, prompting airport police to distribute bottled water and set up extra seating.

Provincial Airports Brace for Extended Disruptions

CAAP confirmed that low-lying runways at Cauayan and Tacloban flooded during mid-morning cloudbursts, forcing full closures until ground-services teams inspected lighting circuits. Laoag, Basco, and Busuanga reported crosswinds exceeding 25 knots, above the thresholds for ATR 72 and Q400 turboprop operations. Internationally, PAL canceled Osaka-Manila flight PR 407, citing air-traffic flow restrictions over northern Luzon. Batanes-based seaports suspended fast-craft service as three-meter swells battered breakwaters, isolating island communities already prone to supply shortages. Authorities urged travelers to monitor airline apps rather than flock to physical ticket offices, referencing lessons from last week's Crising disruption-covered in our earlier storm advisory.

Analysis

The synchronized impact of a land-falling Typhoon and a retreating Tropical Storm illustrates how overlapping systems can paralyze point-to-point aviation networks. Unlike long-haul hubs that can reroute via alternates, the Philippines' archipelagic geography funnels most domestic capacity through Manila, Cebu, or Clark, making cascading cancellations almost inevitable once NAIA slows. With aircraft and crews geographically scattered, recovery hinges on repositioning frames overnight-a challenge compounded by curfews at provincial fields and limited ramp equipment. Travelers holding onward international tickets face the greatest risk: mis-connections often invalidate separate-ticket itineraries, so purchasing through-fares or comprehensive Travel Insurance remains the safest hedge. Looking forward, PAGASA's forecast keeps Emong's remnant circulation near Luzon through July 26, meaning intermittent ground stops may persist even after official warning signals drop. Airlines will likely employ larger A321neos or A330s on core trunk lines to backfill capacity once weather clears, but secondary routes could remain thin for days.

Final Thoughts

With Typhoon Emong still spinning near Pangasinan and Tropical Storm Dante amplifying the monsoon, Philippines flight cancellations underscore the importance of flexible itineraries and prompt rebooking. Keep push notifications on, confirm Hotel late-check-in policies, and pad domestic schedules with at least a day's cushion whenever the western-Pacific Cyclone season ramps up-wise advice every traveler should heed when planning around Philippines flight cancellations.