Philippine Airlines ASEAN Summit Flights: Cancellations List
PAL has cancelled or rescheduled Manila flights on November 14–18, 2026, for the 49th ASEAN Summit. Here are the affected routes by date, your refund options, what Cebu Pacific and AirAsia say, and the NCR holidays and road closures.
- Philippine Airlines has cancelled or rescheduled domestic and international flights to and from Manila on November 14–18, 2026, for the 49th ASEAN Summit (November 16–18).
- PAL's list, as of 3PM PHT on October 30, has more than 100 entries on 15 domestic routes and to eight international destinations, with November 16 the busiest day.
- PAL passengers can rebook, get a full refund or take a travel fund free; Cebu Pacific says its passengers are rebooked, AirAsia reports no cuts, and NCR has holidays on November 16–18.
Philippine Airlines (PAL) has cancelled or rescheduled several domestic and international flights to and from Manila from November 14 to 18, 2026, because of the 49th ASEAN Summit in Manila on November 16–18. Its advisory on Philippine Airlines ASEAN Summit flights lists affected flights as of 3PM on October 30 (07:00 UTC) on 15 domestic routes and to eight international destinations. Affected passengers can rebook, take a full refund or convert their ticket to a travel fund free of charge.
As of 5:30 p.m. Philippine time (PHT, UTC+8) on October 31, 2026, PAL's advisory page still showed the October 30 list. Cebu Pacific has made its own cuts, AirAsia Philippines says it has none, and Metro Manila has three special non-working days during the summit.
What PAL announced on October 30
PAL says the changes were made "in anticipation of increased movements at the airport due to arrival of delegates" to the summit. The list does not say which flights are cancelled and which are only retimed, so passengers need to check their own booking. Affected passengers will be contacted by email and SMS.
PAL says it is working with the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and airport operators "to keep these adjustments to a minimum", as GMA News reported. It asks everyone flying in that window to allow extra time for road closures and heavier security screening, and to check in online.
Which PAL flights are affected, day by day
The domestic routes on PAL's list are Manila to and from Bacolod, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Dipolog, Dumaguete, General Santos, Iloilo, Laoag, Legazpi (Daraga), Puerto Princesa, Roxas, Tacloban and Zamboanga. Each line in the list is one flight number or a round-trip pair. Counting lines, the list has 109 entries covering 182 flight numbers; Astig.ph counted 110, and GMA's copy of the list shows the Butuan pair PR 2967/2968 twice on November 15.
- Saturday, November 14: 13 domestic entries. International: PR 654/655 Riyadh, PR 209/210 Melbourne and PR 306/307 Hong Kong.
- Sunday, November 15: 19 domestic entries. International: PR 654/655 Riyadh and PR 356/357 Jinjiang.
- Monday, November 16 (summit opens): the busiest day, with 24 domestic entries. International (four): PR 654/655 Riyadh, PR 330/331 Xiamen, PR 211/212 Sydney and PR 310/311 Hong Kong.
- Tuesday, November 17: 22 domestic entries. International: PR 501/502 Singapore, PR 654/655 Riyadh, PR 356/357 Jinjiang and PR 300/301 Hong Kong.
- Wednesday, November 18: 15 domestic entries. International: PR 654/655 Riyadh, PR 211/212 Sydney and PR 537/538 Denpasar (Bali).
Bacolod, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo and Legazpi flights appear on all five days. For Palawan, the Daily Tribune reported four affected Puerto Princesa flights: PR 2779 and PR 2780 on November 14, and PR 2781 and PR 2782 on November 16. The Riyadh pair, PR 654/655, was already suspended until November 29 over security at Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport, PAL announced on October 12.
Why flights are being cut during the summit
The CAB's advisory dated October 26 warned that arriving delegates may require "temporary flight and airport operational adjustments". It told airlines to make only changes "reasonably necessary to minimize public inconvenience", to notify passengers early and to follow the Air Passenger Bill of Rights.
For Cebu Pacific, the reason is aircraft parking. Its email to passengers said NAIA Terminal 3 "has reduced the number of available aircraft parking bays", BusinessMirror reported on October 27. An unnamed source at New NAIA Infrastructure Corp. (NNIC), the airport operator, said the bays were reduced for dignitaries' planes; a planning document the paper saw listed 21 leaders' aircraft. That report said PAL had been spared; PAL's advisory came three days later and cites airport movements, not parking.
Separately, logistics firm GEODIS told customers on October 29 that NAIA cargo flights will be suspended from 9:01 a.m. on November 14 to 11:59 p.m. on November 18 PHT, citing only "the authorities". We could not find the government notice behind it.
Cebu Pacific and AirAsia: what they have said
Cebu Pacific began emailing affected passengers on October 23 and cut Manila routes to 19 domestic and seven international destinations, according to BusinessMirror. Philstar listed the international routes as Bangkok, Brunei, Dubai, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Sapporo. Spokesperson Carmina Romero told the Philippine News Agency on October 29: "It's been seven days since we notified our passengers and they have all been re-accommodated." She gave no total and said no more cancellations are planned.
CAB Executive Director Carmelo Arcilla had estimated that about 106 flights could be cancelled, and said Cebu Pacific was then the only airline to have filed with the regulator, SunStar reported. AirAsia Philippines' Karen Villanda told PNA the airline had not been advised of any cancellation.
Rebooking, refunds and what airlines will not cover
PAL offers rebooking, a full refund or a travel fund at no charge through Manage my Booking. Cebu Pacific offers rebooking, a non-expiring Travel Fund or a refund. Arcilla said passengers should face no extra penalties, and that "if a passenger chooses a full refund, the airline must give it to them", in SunStar's translation of his radio remarks.
There is a catch. Arcilla said the cancellations will not be treated as the airlines' fault, so carriers will not pay for hotels, tours or similar bookings. This is general information, not legal advice; check your ticket terms with your airline first, and with the CAB if a problem is not resolved.
- Check your booking even if you have had no email, because the list may change.
- If you are connecting through Manila, check every leg.
Special non-working days in Metro Manila
November 16 to 18, 2026 (Monday to Wednesday) are special non-working days in the National Capital Region only, under Proclamation No. 1447. Acting Executive Secretary Ralph G. Recto signed it on September 17 by authority of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., and it was made public on September 22, The Manila Times reported. It says the days are meant "to alleviate traffic and to allow the host country to secure the safety of participants".
With the weekend before it, that created a five-day break from November 14 to 18, and many people booked trips for it, BusinessMirror noted. Philstar also listed ASEAN Maritime Forum meetings on November 17 and 18. For holiday pay rules, check the Department of Labor and Employment.
Road closures and security around the summit
The main venue is the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City. The MMDA said partial restrictions around the PICC and the Cultural Center of the Philippines complex began on October 24, with a full lockdown from November 7, GMA News reported on October 21. Philstar's October 29 summary instead gave stricter, credentials-only entry and total Pasay road closures from November 9 to 18. The dates differ, so check the MMDA and Pasay City before travelling.
- Roads to avoid: Macapagal Boulevard, the World Trade Center area, Diokno Boulevard and parts of Roxas Boulevard.
- ASEAN lanes: bus lanes will temporarily give priority to official and delegation vehicles.
- Roadworks and events: road excavation is paused from November 1 to midnight on December 23, and no permits are being issued for fun runs, motorcades or processions from October 24 to November 20.
National Capital Region Police Office director Brig. Gen. Christopher Abrahano said 16,823 personnel will be deployed, including 13,868 police and 2,955 from the MMDA and five city governments, The Philippine Star reported on October 31. The paper reported that US President Donald Trump is attending from November 16 to 18. The APEC leaders' meeting in Shenzhen follows on November 18–19.
Our take
On these reports, the cuts land on a long weekend the government's own holiday created, so leisure travellers are most exposed, and airlines will not cover their hotels. PAL's list at least gives flight numbers by date; Cebu Pacific has not published a total. The open question for PAL passengers is whether their flight is cancelled or only retimed, and only the booking answers that.
What to watch next
- An updated PAL list: PAL says any changes will be posted on its website and social media.
- November 9: stricter entry rules around the PICC, per Philstar's summary.
- November 14–18: the PAL and Cebu Pacific flight changes and the reported NAIA cargo halt.
- November 16–18: the summit and the NCR special non-working days.
Frequently asked questions
Which Philippine Airlines flights are cancelled for the ASEAN Summit?
PAL's advisory lists domestic and international flights to and from Manila on November 14–18, 2026, as of 3PM PHT on October 30. Domestic routes include Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro and Puerto Princesa; international flights include Hong Kong, Sydney, Melbourne, Singapore, Xiamen, Jinjiang, Bali and Riyadh. The list does not separate cancelled from rescheduled flights, so check your own booking on PAL's website.
Can I get a refund if my PAL flight is affected by the ASEAN Summit?
Yes. PAL says affected passengers can choose rebooking, a full refund or conversion to a travel fund free of charge through Manage my Booking. The Civil Aeronautics Board has also said passengers who choose a full refund must be given one.
Will the airline pay for my hotel if my flight is cancelled for the summit?
No, according to CAB Executive Director Carmelo Arcilla. He said the cancellations will not be treated as attributable to the airlines, so carriers will not cover hotels, tour packages or similar costs. Ask those providers directly about their own refund rules.
Are November 16 to 18, 2026 holidays in the Philippines?
They are special non-working days in the National Capital Region only, under Proclamation No. 1447, signed on September 17, 2026. They are not nationwide holidays. Check the Department of Labor and Employment for pay rules on special days.
Are Cebu Pacific and AirAsia flights affected by the ASEAN Summit?
Cebu Pacific has cancelled selected domestic and international flights from November 14 to 18 and says all affected passengers have been re-accommodated. AirAsia Philippines told the Philippine News Agency it had not been advised of any cancellation. Check your airline's own channels for the latest status.
Sources
- Flight Adjustments During the 49th ASEAN Summit, Philippine Airlines
- PAL cancels, reschedules flights ahead of ASEAN Summit 2026, GMA News
- Philippine Airlines: Riyadh flights suspended until November 29, 2026, GMA News
- Pause on Metro Manila road excavations starts Nov. 1, 2026 due to ASEAN, GMA News
- Four Puerto Princesa flights affected by ASEAN Summit, Daily Tribune
- PAL is cutting 110 flight listings for the ASEAN Summit. Here is which days and routes, Astig.ph
- Pinoys' holiday plans disrupted by Asean Summit 'parking', BusinessMirror
- Cebu Pacific adjusts flights ahead of ASEAN Summit, Philippine News Agency
- CAB: More than 100 flights may be canceled for Asean, SunStar
- Airlines directed to manage flight adjustments for ASEAN Summit, PortCalls Asia
- Proclamation No. 1447, s. 2026, The Lawphil Project (Arellano Law Foundation)
- Palace declares Nov. 16-18 special non-working days for ASEAN Summit, The Manila Times
- Nov. 16-18 set as non-working days in Metro Manila for ASEAN Summit, Philstar.com
- ASEAN Summit in Metro Manila: Road closures, flight changes, Philstar.com
- PNP to deploy 16,823 security personnel for Asean Summit, The Philippine Star
- Customer Advisory: NAIA cargo flight suspension, GEODIS
How we wrote this
GessyMorgan explainers are built from public reporting and official sources. This post draws on the 16 sources listed above, each linked where we use it. It was drafted with AI assistance and checked against those sources before publishing. We did not test products, attend events or interview anyone for this article. Facts are current as of October 31, 2026, and we update the post when they change.
