Breaking news: Power fluctuations hit NAIA

MANILA, Philippines —  Passengers sweltered as power fluctuations hit the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 at around 10 a.m. yesterday.

The fluctuations were caused by a circuit breaker tripping, according to Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) spokesman Chris Bendijo.

The elevated heat index outside the terminal led to high power loads that caused the circuit breaker to trip, he noted.

Other potential causes are being investigated.

Electrical engineers worked for an hour to calibrate the circuit breaker, he added.

NAIA’s power generators kicked in, continuing operations at check-in counters and X-ray machines, but the cooling system was a problem.

The airport’s power is now back to normal after more than three hours of limited power supply.

Passengers reported that escalators were not working at the NAIA Terminal 3.

Energy utility provider Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) said it is ready to provide support to MIAA following the power fluctuations.

MIAA said the power fluctuations affected the air handling units at the departure area, but no flight delays or cancellations were reported.

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista and MIAA general manager Eric Ines inspected the airport prior to t