My flight to UAE cancelled 7 times: Filipina

  DUBAI – A Filipina bemoaned a new flight cancellation on Tuesday (June 15), joining hundreds of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) waiting to return to their work in the UAE amid a spate of flight cancellations by Philippine-based airlines. “I received an email today that my flight for June 23 was cancelled due to their operations,” Jennifer Animas told Expatmedia.net. “This is the seventh cancellation so far,” she said. Animas received the email from a Philippine-based airline as the country extended to June 30 a travel ban on passengers from the UAE, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Oman. While there is no travel ban on OFWs wanting to return to the UAE from the Philippines, many have not been able to leave their homeland due to the limited availability of flights. Philippine-based carriers Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific have been cancelling or postponing Philippines-UAE flights to avoid profit loss due to the current travel ban on returning passengers. “It’s just not commercially viable for us to operate one-way flights. While we can fly passengers from Philippines to UAE, we will end up with an empty return flight from UAE to Philippines because of the travel ban,” an airline source told Expatmedia.net. Currently, only UAE-based airlines like Emirates are able to operate limited flights from Philippines to UAE. However, ticket prices have soared due to an increase in demand. Meanwhile, OFWs like Animas are hoping that travel restrictions will be lifted soon. The Filipina, the accounts manager of Dubai-based conglomerate Khalid Bin Hadda Group, is considering booking a flight with Emirates to expedite her return, but said that seats are often sold out. Animas has spent more than six months now outside the UAE, with her residence visa expiring this month. She was hoping to return to the UAE before her visa expires, but it appears she will not be able to return to the country in time to renew her visa. She is worried she will incur fines. “Thankfully, my employer has been very considerate. My job is still waiting for me until I can safely return to the UAE,” she said. The Filipina had flown to the Philippines in November last year for a medical treatment in her hometown in Cavite. Her employer has given her compassionate leave while she undergoes a course of treatments. She was scheduled to return to the UAE on May 5, but her flight has been cancelled seven times since then. A chartered flight is not an option as Animas said it is too costly. The Filipina said she hopes more flights from the Philippines will open soon so that expatriate employees like her can resume work to support their family. PIA/Expat Media
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