Caap-Davao denies aircon shutdown at DIA

THE Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap-Davao) denied allegations of shutting down the centralized air conditioner at Davao International Airport, countering claims made by a netizen regarding the alleged mistreatment of passengers.

CAAP-Davao International Airport General Manager Engineer Rex Obiana refuted the claims in during a phone interview with SunStar Davao on Wednesday morning, March 20, 2024.

“It might be nga naay power interruption kay usahay man gud naay mga ing-ana nga di man na sya diretso mag-activate ang amoang generator (It might be that there was a power interruption because sometimes, it happens and our generator doesn’t activate instantly),” the official said.

The netizen had expressed dissatisfaction, stating, “Worst airport... Davao International Airport. Ang init dito... sobrang init kasi nakapatay ang aircon kesyo nakapatay daw dahil pinapatay daw ng [Caap]. Buti kung may open window. O come on nangangamoy pawis na kami dito delayed pa flight ng Cebu Pacific Air (Worst airport... Davao International Airport. It’s hot here... it’s so hot because the air conditioner is turned off and it’s said to be turned off because [Caap] is turning it off. It is good if there is an open window. O come on, we are already smelling of sweat here, the Cebu Pacific Air flight is still delayed).”

The passenger expressed frustration, emphasizing that the situation was inhumane due to the limited availability of electric fans. They noted that passengers were instructed to sit near the few available electric fans, likening the crowded conditions to being packed like sardines.

SunStar Davao attempted to contact the Electrical Engineering Office of the airport for comment but has yet to receive a response as of press time. /