ABS-CBN News Online Beta

DFA: 1 flight so far for stranded Pinoys in Bangkok

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 12/01/2008 9:03 AM

Printer-friendly version | Send to friend | Post Comment

Only one flight has been arranged so far for over 500 Filipinos stranded in Thailand, a spokesperson from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Monday.

DFA spokesperson Claro Cristobal said that only one plane has been committed by Philippine Airlines (PAL) to transport the 509 stranded Filipinos, following the shutdown of Bangkok's two main international airports by Thai anti-government protesters.

Cristobal assured the public, however, that the DFA continues to coordinate with PAL and Cebu Pacific in ensuring the safe return of all stranded Filipinos in Bangkok.

Philippine Airlines earlier announced Sunday that a special PAL Boeing 747-400 will be deployed to Chiangmai to ferry the stranded Filipinos. In a statement, PAL said that B747-400 is the largest aircraft in its fleet, with a capacity of 433 passenger seats and 24 tons of cargo.

Since the flight can only carry 433 passengers, Cristobal said that in the meantime, certain passengers have to be given priority over others.

"PAL's ticketed passengers will be given priority as well as those who came from the Middle East, since they only got stranded while transiting through Bangkok. What's most important is that all Filipinos who don't have enough money to pay for transportation expenses [to Chiangmai] will be given priority," he said in an interview at ABS-CBN's "Umagang kay Ganda."

Cristobal said that the DFA is planning to transport the stranded Filipinos 500 kilometers north to Chiangmai, where they will be taking PAL's special flight to Manila. The special flight, PR 731, is scheduled to depart Manila without passengers on Monday afternoon, arriving at Chiangmai International Airport at 3 p.m.

"There is a great possibility [that they can be sent home Monday] but we are not yet certain since many arrangements still have to be made. It's not easy to transport over 500 people from Bangkok, making them travel over 500 kilometers. But we're [DFA] doing our best to coordinate with the embassy," he said.