All Philippine domestic airlines “no vax,no ride” policy

From January 17, 2022, all domestic carriers in the Philippines will follow the government’s “no vax, no ride” policy, allowing only fully vaccinated passengers.

The Philippine government has placed the country’s National Capital Region on Alert Level 3 and issued a Department Order on January 11, 2022, which includes a “no vax, no ride” policy that prohibits unvaccinated people from using public transit.

AirAsia Philippines confirmed on January 14, 2022 that it will continue to fly fully vaccinated customers from its Manila base. Passengers who are unvaccinated but need to travel urgently can do so if they present a certificate proving medical exemption from the COVID-19 vaccine.

“From the onset of the pandemic, AirAsia has always been working closely with the IATF, DOTr and its attached agencies along with medical experts in the implementation of multi-layered approaches to safety in the aviation sector,” AirAsia Philippines CEO Ricky Isla said in a statement.

Philippine Airlines, the country’s flag carrier, has also announced that starting January 17, 2022, it will only admit fully vaccinated customers. Travelers are deemed completely vaccinated if at least two weeks have passed after their second dose of a two-dose COVID vaccination, or two weeks have passed since receiving a single-dose COVID vaccine, according to the airline.

“We laud the DOTr’s (Department of Transportation) initiative to help the Filipino public embark on essential travels during the current crisis,” Philippine Airlines president and COO Gilbert Santa Maria said to local media.

“We assure the public that PAL will do its part to uphold the strictest safety standards and health protocols in our continuing operation of our domestic and international flight network,” he added.

Cebu Pacific has also stated that it will follow the government’s stance.

“Cebu Pacific continues to safeguard the safety of its passengers and crew. As such, Cebu Pacific will comply with the latest government order which aims to protect the majority,” Candice Iyog, vice president for marketing and customer experience at Cebu Pacific said in a statement.

Unvaccinated people will be subject to limitations only if Metro Manila is on Alert Level 3 or higher, according to the Philippine government.