Twenty overseas Filipino workers and 80 tourists bound for Macau have been stranded for three days at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Pampanga after Tiger Airways canceled flights since Friday due to Karen.
On Saturday, the flight for Macau was about to resume when airport authorities ordered the plane to remain on the tarmac. Passengers were told to disembark due to air traffic in Macau.
The passengers were told they would have to wait for two more hours. However, they were delayed for 24 hours.
Some of the stranded OFWs have expressed fear of losing their jobs because of the delays.
The stranded passengers were billeted at the Oxford Hotel and were given P200 food allowance by the airline.
Meanwhile, six female OFWs have been stranded at the Terminal 2 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) since Friday after their outbound flight for Hong Kong was canceled.
Josie Pancho, liaison officer of Wavex Recruitment Agency, said the six OFWs were supposed to leave onboard a Philippine Airlines flight to Hong Kong last Friday. The flight, however, was canceled due to the typhoon, causing them to miss their connecting flight to Doha, Qatar, their final destination.
The airline rebooked their Manila to Hong Kong tickets. But Infinity Travel Agency, with whom the workers bought their tickets, did not rebook the Hong Kong-Doha flight.
The women have been waiting for a new flight since. Pancho said Infinity has stopped responding to their calls.
Typhoon Karen first hit Northern Luzon last week, before moving on to southern China.
As of Sunday, government weather bureau PAGASA said no typhoon has been spotted within the immediate vicinity of the Philippine Area of Responsibility.
