November 11, 2025 | 12:20pm
MANILA, Philippines — The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines is investigating a false fire alarm that briefly halted departures and disrupted early-morning air traffic operations at its Air Traffic Management Center in Pasay City on Tuesday, November 11.
The alarm went off around 1:24 a.m., prompting the activation of emergency protocols and a temporary suspension of flight departures. Normal operations resumed by 2:50 a.m., and all restrictions were lifted by 3:16 a.m., CAAP said in a statement.
The incident delayed 59 commercial and cargo flights by an average of 45 minutes. Seven arriving flights were also affected.
CAAP Director General Raul Del Rosario said contingency procedures were immediately enforced to ensure passenger safety and maintain orderly air traffic control.
“We commend our air traffic controllers for their professionalism and quick response, which ensured that flight safety was never compromised and that operations returned to normal immediately,” Del Rosario said in the statement.
He added that the incident highlighted the agency’s readiness and “continued commitment to maintaining the highest standards of aviation safety.”
CAAP said an internal investigation is underway to determine the cause of the false alarm and prevent similar disruptions in the future.
