Volcanic Eruption Grounds Flights and Blocks Routes Through Central Philippines
Mt. Kanlaon sprang to life on May 13, 2025, throwing air travel in and out of Bacolod City into disarray. The city serves as a major entry point for domestic flights across the Philippines. Philippine Airlines has suspended several roundtrip flights between Bacolod and the major cities of Manila and Cebu due to the presence of volcanic ash and safety risks in the surrounding airspace. No timeline for resuming regular service has yet been announced.
Travelers with tickets for those flights are now stuck waiting, not knowing when or how they’ll get to their destination. Philippine Airlines is offering options for rebooking within 60 days, converting unused tickets into travel credits valid for one year, or requesting a refund minus service fees. If you need help, you can get in touch using the phone, check the website, or send a message using your usual apps like Messenger or Viber. Travelers are advised to act quickly given the limited availability of new seats.
Because of the eruption, flight officials are now keeping a close eye on the skies since the ash floating around can mess with plane engines and make it harder for pilots to see clearly. Depending on wind direction and intensity, airports near Bacolod and across Negros Island could face additional disruptions. People heading to these areas should keep an eye on updates, be ready to change their plans if needed, and think about flying through Cebu or Iloilo since flights there are still running as usual.
No one was hurt and the ground looks fine so far, but the flight shutdowns have thrown many people’s travel plans into chaos, leaving them stuck or scrambling to find new options with little warning. In regions like the central Philippines, where road and ferry links are limited, the suspension of air traffic can result in significant logistical challenges. This highlights the vulnerability of regional travel infrastructure in the face of natural events.
This situation reinforces the value of monitoring environmental conditions ahead of a trip and choosing refundable or flexible booking options when available. You never really know when a volcano might erupt, so if you're heading to places where the ground tends to rumble, it’s smart to be extra careful and plan ahead. Mt. Kanlaon’s eruption is a clear example of how natural forces can quickly disrupt movement across island networks, with broader effects on personal, professional, and tourism-related travel plans.
