Aside from the usual danger of being hit by an airplane or ground vehicle, one of the biggest risks an airport worker faces is being struck by lightning during bad weather.
While ground operations are usually suspended at airports during rainy weather, there still lies the risk of lightning strikes, especially when airport workers are exposed to the elements.
This is one danger Cebu Pacific Air (CEB) hopes to mitigate by installing mobile lightning shelters at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3.
The airline has set up three lightning shelters, with two installed at Terminal 3's remote parking bay and one is at Terminal 3 Ramp 2.
This will help the airline maintain operational resiliency in the event of a Red Lightning Alert (RLA).
According to Candice Iyog, CEB Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer, two more shelters will be installed by the end of April.
Iyog said that the lightning shelters were installed on March 18 this year, costing P1.230 million each.
She added that "the shelters were installed in strategic locations to provide ramp workers with quicker access to their assigned aircraft, speeding up flight recoveries and resumptions after RLAs are cleared."
To support this effort, the airline has also given wireless headsets to its ramp workers, protecting them from lightning strikes and allowing them to move more easily during restricted lightning activity.
CEB Vice President for Customer Service Operations Lei Apostol said that consistently ensuring safety and expressing care for the airline stakeholders has always been its top priority.
"Our lightning shelters and wireless headsets don't only mitigate the impact of lightning alerts on our operations, but they also help safeguard the welfare of NAIA ground personnel during the monsoon season," Apostol said, adding, "this will ultimately allow us to recover from flight delays and cancellations at a much faster rate, ensuring least disruptions to our passengers affected by Red Lightning Alerts."
Meanwhile, Manila International Airport Authority General Manager Eric Ines lauded CEB's initiative to uphold the safety of its stakeholders ahead of the lightning season.
"These initiatives are aligned with our objective to promote ramp safety at all times. We look forward to more partnerships with Cebu Pacific," Ines said.
RLAs are advisories issued by local airport authorities which halt all ground operations and aircraft movements at the airport.
An RLA is raised when there is an expected thunderstorm five kilometers and below from the aerodrome.
Photo Credits : @jekkipascual/ X AKA Twitter
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