Bird strikes can cause serious harm to airplanes, damaging its equipment or even compromising its safety.
With the rising incidents of bird strikes around airports in the Philippines, budget carrier AirAsia Philippines is collaborating with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), the Air Carriers Association of the Philippines (ACAP), and other aviation partners to address the issue.
The CAAP and the low-cost carrier have been working hand in hand to begin mitigating the considerable presence of birds within the runway environment and surrounding areas of Tacloban airport, as reported by AirAsia.
In response, CAAP committed to deploying a group of biologists and wildlife specialists to work with local officials in resolving the problem.
From January to August 2025, AirAsia Philippines recorded over 90 bird strike events in some of the domestic airports within the country, hence, most are low-consequence occurrences that are routinely managed by Safety Risk Management Process.
AirAsia said that this year, while most encounters were minor, six incidents caused confirmed damage to aircraft components.
In all cases, however, flight safety was never compromised, with only temporary aircraft inspections, repairs, and short delays noted.
Recognizing the need for industry-wide solutions, the airline maintains proactive coordination with CAAP and actively participates in the ACAP safety sub-committee, where airlines share data and align strategies for nationwide wildlife hazard management.
"While wildlife activity is a natural occurrence around airports, even a single bird can already pose a risk during takeoff and landing. That's why wildlife hazard management isn't something airlines can do along - it requires a collective effort among government, airport operators, and the entire industry. We are proud to work closely with CAAP, ACAP, airport partners, and fellow airlines to ensure that our skies stay safe for everyone," said AirAsia Philippines President and CEO Suresh Bangah.
AirAsia has increased crew advisories at high-risk airports and improved coordination among its flight operations, engineering, and ground teams to ensure prompt inspections and adherence to strict reporting guidelines.
The airline also analyzes bird strike trends and proactively alerts its Flight Safety and Data Analysis Program with findings reviewed quarterly by its Safety Review Board.
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