CAAP probes false fire alarm; 66 flights affected

A fire alarm that turned out to be false briefly disrupted operations on Tuesday morning at the Air Traffic Management Center of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) in Pasay City.

CAAP said the matter was under investigation, adding in a statement that the false fire alarm delayed by an average of 45 minutes a total of 59 departing commercial and cargo flights, while seven arriving flights were affected.

The alarm was triggered at 1:24 a.m., prompting the activation of contingency plans, safety protocols and a temporary hold on departures, according to CAAP. By 2:50 a.m., normal operations resumed, with all restrictions lifted at 3:16 a.m.

The CAAP said it will be conducting an internal investigation to prevent similar incidents in the future, adding that it remains committed to upholding the highest standards of aviation safety amid the false alarm.

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Quick response cited

CAAP Director Raul del Rosario, meanwhile, commended air traffic controllers for their quick response to the fire alarm, saying it helped “ensure that flight safety was never compromised and that operations returned to normal immediately.”

“This incident underscores our continued commitment to maintaining the highest standards of aviation safety and readiness,” he said.