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Fung Wong Disrupts Flights and Ferries, Taiwan Warnings Next

Traveler checking the departures board at Ninoy Aquino International Airport as Fung Wong disrupts flights, wet reflections and rain signal weather delays
5 min read

Key points

  • Fung Wong triggered mass ferry suspensions and hundreds of flight cancellations across Luzon and the Visayas
  • AirAsia and Cebu Pacific published rolling cancellation lists for November 9 and 10 with flexible rebooking
  • Taiwan issued a sea warning Monday with a likely land warning Tuesday and midweek flight and port impacts
  • At least eight deaths and more than one million evacuees were reported as assessments continued
  • Travelers should pad connections through Manila and Clark and confirm ferry links out of Batangas and northern ports

Impact

Air Travel
Recheck your booking status for Manila and Clark and move to earlier or later banks when seats open
Ferry Links
Confirm same day sailings from Batangas and affected northern ports and hold refundable ground plans
Taiwan Preparations
Expect preemptive cancellations around Taipei and east coast airports once a land warning posts
Buffers And Connections
Add 3 to 5 hour buffers for airport transfers and interline connections through Wednesday
Flex Policies
Use airline advisories for fee free changes and keep receipts for hotels and ground costs where applicable

Super Typhoon Fung Wong, locally named Uwan, made landfall in Luzon on Sunday, November 9, and drove a wave of cancellations across airports and ferry corridors from central to northern Philippines. The Philippine Ports Authority reported suspended sea trips on multiple routes, while airlines scrubbed flights for November 9 and 10 and urged travelers to rebook through official channels. Taiwan's Central Weather Administration issued a sea warning Monday, November 10, signposting a likely land warning by Tuesday and midweek disruptions around Taipei and along the east coast. Plan conservative buffers and reconfirm every segment before departure.

Philippines, ferries and flights

Port authorities and local Coast Guard stations suspended voyages on weather exposed corridors, stranding travelers at key embarkation points such as Batangas and several northern and eastern terminals. GMA's live advisories, citing Philippine Ports Authority updates, listed suspended sea trips by Port Management Office and route through Sunday midday, with more rolling holds posted by local Coast Guard stations in Eastern Visayas and Western Visayas early Monday. Expect intermittent openings between squalls, rapid re closures as winds rebuild, and knock-on delays to ro-ro schedules.

On the aviation side, airlines preemptively canceled Manila banks and regional spokes. AirAsia Philippines and AirAsia Malaysia published consolidated lists for November 9 to 10. Cebu Pacific issued multiple updates, including an Advisory No. 3 on Sunday evening, and continued to extend cancellations into Monday. Monitor carrier channels first, then the airport, since airline pages tend to post route by route changes faster than terminal social feeds.

Authorities began damage assessments as flood and landslide reports arrived from Luzon provinces. By Monday, major wires and national outlets tallied at least eight fatalities and more than one million evacuees, underscoring the scale of disruption even as skies gradually improved behind the core. Power and road constraints will continue to slow airport and seaport ramp ups in the worst hit localities.

Taiwan, warning timeline and likely pinch points

Taiwan's forecasters issued a sea warning on Monday with guidance that a land warning is likely by Tuesday as the storm arcs north across the South China Sea. Forecast discussions pointed to deteriorating marine conditions in the Bashi Channel, around Pratas, and along the southern Taiwan Strait, with midweek wind and rain affecting the Taipei metro and the east coast from Hualien northward. For travelers, that means early cancellations on island hops and cross-strait services, reduced ferry operations, and possible school and office closures in select counties ahead of the core impacts.

Air travel pinch points will center on Taipei Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) and Taipei Songshan Airport (TSA), with secondary risk at Hualien Airport (HUN) where terrain driven wind shifts and line squalls can force spacing or diversions. Expect carriers to consolidate banks and bring waiver language live once the land warning posts, which historically triggers more aggressive schedule protections.

Latest developments

As of Monday afternoon local time, agencies and outlets reported an ongoing sea warning for Taiwan, confirmation of widespread ferry suspensions in the Philippines, and airline cancellation lists extending through Monday night. Several wires raised the confirmed fatality count to at least eight with more than one million evacuees, a figure that helps explain why some terminals will not return to normal cadence as soon as skies clear. Check both your airline's travel advisory and your port authority or Coast Guard station update before departing for the terminal.

Analysis

In the Philippines, the practical constraint is not only weather, it is logistics. Even when wind thresholds fall below suspension cutoffs, flooded access roads, intermittent power, and repositioning delays for vessels and aircraft slow restarts. Travelers heading to island destinations should consider rerouting through Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) and Clark International Airport (CRK) with overnight buffers, then completing final legs once carriers and ports publish green lists. For time sensitive trips, request a shift to a carrier with an earlier operating window or to a less exposed airport, for example shifting from smaller Bicol and Northern Luzon fields to Manila or Clark, then completing surface segments after roads reopen.

In Taiwan, the pattern around sea and land warnings is consistent. Airlines typically start with rolling cancellations on outer island and regional sectors, then trim mainline banks around Taipei once the land warning is formalized. Rail and metro usually shoulder early pressure, though mountain lines can briefly close for inspections after heavy rain bands pass. For travelers connecting through Taipei midweek, move to earlier arrivals, hold flexible hotel bookings, and keep a second flight option on a different carrier in case a bank consolidates.

Background

A sea warning signals hazardous marine conditions offshore, including elevated winds and waves that affect both ferries and airport approaches over water. A land warning adds anticipated impacts over population centers and infrastructure. Philippine Coast Guard stations and the Philippine Ports Authority can suspend sailings by local station area when PAGASA, the national meteorological service, hoists high wind signals. Airlines issue travel advisories that combine cancellations and change fee relief windows, and they update those lists as ground and weather constraints evolve.

Final thoughts

Fung Wong's disruption will taper unevenly across the Philippines, then shift focus to Taiwan as warnings escalate. Keep buffers wide, watch airline and port advisories in real time, and use flexible rebooking to stay ahead of rolling cancellations. Fung Wong remains the primary travel keyword for this event, and it will anchor updates through midweek.

Sources