Philippine aviation authorities face renewed scrutiny over bird strike incidents at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), following the tragic Jeju Air crash in South Korea on 29 December that claimed 179 lives.

While bird strikes in the Philippines have yet to cause a major disaster, their risk calls for urgent action.

Data from the Air Carriers Association of the Philippines revealed a notable rise in bird strike incidents. In the first half of 2023, local airlines reported 107 bird strikes, causing varying levels of damage to aircraft.

In 2019, a Cebu Pacific Airbus A320 bound for Cagayan de Oro City was forced to return to the airport shortly after takeoff due to a bird strike. All the passengers were unharmed, but the damaged aircraft had to be replaced.

Meanwhile, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) investigated a bird strike incident in 2016 involving a China Airlines jet.

A dead bird was found embedded in the flap of the plane’s left wing after the aircraft landed at the NAIA in Pasay City. The incident forced the pilot to cancel the return flight to Taipei, Taiwan.

MIAA and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) investigators inspected the Boeing 747 following the discovery. Airport sources said the 190 passengers were rebooked on later flights and given accommodations at nearby hotels.

Earlier incidents in 2013 also disrupted operations. A United Airlines flight to Guam was canceled at NAIA Terminal 1 after a bird strike occurred before takeoff. In June of that same year, a Philippine Airlines flight from Laoag International Airport to Manila was canceled due to a similar incident.

In April, a Cebu Pacific flight bound for Manila was grounded at the Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport in Tacloban City after birds were sucked into its engines during takeoff. From January to August 2012, 49 bird strikes were recorded at NAIA.

Despite the incidents, CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio recently emphasized that no major accidents have occurred in the Philippines because local birds are typically small. However, he warned that migratory birds, which frequent areas near NAIA, pose a more significant risk, especially as climate change alters their migratory patterns.

Lessons from Jeju Air disaster

The recent crash of Jeju Air Flight 2216 has intensified discussions on aviation safety worldwide.

Initial investigation suggested a bird strike might have caused the pilots to lose control of the Boeing 737-800, ultimately crashing into a barrier at South Korea’s Muan International Airport.

Aviation experts raised doubts the bird strike alone could explain the tragedy, highlighting other potential factors such as landing gear failure and inadequate runway design.

The incident underscored the potentially catastrophic consequences of bird strikes, particularly involving larger birds and flocks. When birds are sucked into aircraft engines, they can cause engine failure or severe mechanical damage.

Addressing risks at NAIA

The CAAP has acknowledged the urgency of addressing bird strike risks at NAIA, which is located near bird sanctuaries and along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, a major migratory route.

Apolonio said that CAAP recently conducted a seminar on mitigating bird strikes, focusing on habitat management and airport protocols.

“That’s already climate change. That’s why CAAP is addressing this. We just had a seminar on bird strikes two weeks ago, on how to mitigate the increased presence of birds in our airports,” he said.

Environmentalists, however, point out that airport projects like the planned New Manila International Airport in Bulacan could exacerbate the problem.

Manila Bay, the site for the planned airport, serves as a vital stopover for migratory birds. Conservation groups have raised concerns that reclamation projects in the area could disrupt migration routes, increasing the risk of bird strikes.