General Santos Airport closed to commercial flights after 7.8 magnitude earthquake strikes Mindanao

Quick summary

A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Mindanao on June 8, 2026, prompting the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to suspend operations at General Santos Airport (GES) and restrict the facility to government, military, and humanitarian flights through at least June 11. Philippine Airlines cancelled three round-trip services and Cebu Pacific cancelled six, together eliminating all commercial passenger access to the city of 722,000 people in southern Mindanao.

The initial NOTAM window has passed, but passengers must verify whether commercial operations have fully resumed before traveling to the terminal. At least 15 people were killed and tsunami alerts were issued across parts of Asia before the threat receded.

General Santos Airport went dark for commercial aviation on June 8, 2026, after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit off the Mindanao coast at approximately 07:40 local time — and the disruption has outlasted the initial safety window by days.

CAAP issued a NOTAM suspending operations from 08:45 to 15:00 local time on June 8 while inspectors assessed air navigation facilities, runway integrity, and terminal safety. That initial window has since expired, but official statements indicate the airport remains restricted to government, military, and humanitarian operations through at least June 11 at 6:00 p.m. Philippine time — meaning commercial passengers are still locked out.

Video circulating on social media showed visible damage inside the terminal and staff evacuating the building. Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific both cancelled their entire General Santos schedules for June 8, and subsequent cancellations have followed as the restriction extended. Travelers with GES bookings in the coming days face a moving target: CAAP’s next operational decision will determine whether flights restart or the suspension stretches further.

The earthquake was followed by more than an hour of aftershocks, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), which classified the event as “very strong” on its internal intensity scale. Buildings were destroyed across the Soccsksargen region. For travelers, the immediate question is not whether the earthquake was serious — it clearly was — but whether GES will be operationally ready when their flight is scheduled to depart.

What CAAP suspended and what the airlines cancelled

CAAP’s assessment covered air navigation facilities, equipment, and overall operational capability — the full stack of systems an airport needs to safely receive and dispatch aircraft. The authority confirmed the suspension was precautionary, not a declaration of permanent damage, but the scope of the inspection meant no commercial flights could operate while checks were underway.

Philippine Airlines cancelled three round-trip services connecting General Santos with Manila and Cebu. Affected passengers were offered free rebooking within 60 days, travel credits, or a full refund without penalties. Cebu Pacific went further, cancelling six services across routes linking GES with Manila, Cebu, and Iloilo — offering rebooking, rerouting, travel fund storage, or a full refund. Both carriers told passengers to coordinate directly rather than wait at the terminal.

For the latest on the extended closure and what it means for flights through June 11, ATC’s General Santos Airport closure tracker has the most current operational picture.

How a NOTAM becomes a multi-day closure

The initial NOTAM window — 08:45 to 15:00 on June 8 — was a precautionary hold, not a damage assessment verdict. That distinction matters. CAAP’s standard procedure after a major seismic event is to stop flights first, then work through a structured inspection checklist: instrument landing systems, VHF navigation aids, runway surface integrity, terminal structural safety. If any element fails or requires remediation, the hold extends.

That is exactly what happened here. The initial window expired, but the airport did not reopen to commercial traffic — it shifted to a restricted operational status serving only government, military, and humanitarian missions. That status is common after significant earthquakes in the Philippines, where aftershock sequences can complicate structural assessments. The practical consequence for travelers is that a “temporary suspension” can quietly become a multi-day closure without a single dramatic announcement.

Aftershocks continued for more than an hour after the initial strike, according to PHIVOLCS — and aftershock activity is precisely why CAAP does not rush these inspections. A navigation aid that passes a first check can be knocked out of calibration by a subsequent tremor.

Steps to take if GES is on your itinerary

The airport may still be experiencing residual delays or restricted operations as safety checks wrap up — and with the restriction formally in place through June 11, any GES booking in the next 72 hours carries real cancellation risk.

• If you have an existing GES booking: Contact Philippine Airlines or Cebu Pacific directly and request the specific rebooking, refund, or travel fund option published for this disruption. Both carriers have confirmed penalty-free options — use the airline’s own channel, not a third-party agent, to avoid processing delays.
• If you are planning a new trip to General Santos: Do not ticket until CAAP issues a reopening notice and the airlines publish a resumed schedule. The airport may still be experiencing restricted operations, and buying into an uncertain schedule adds unnecessary rebooking complexity.
• If you are currently in transit toward GES: Check airline flight-status pages and CAAP notices before going to any terminal. Connecting through another Mindanao airport is not a reliable workaround — the regional disruption is broad. Manila or Cebu as a holding point gives you more rebooking options.
• If you paid with a premium travel card: Check your card’s guide to benefits for trip cancellation or trip delay coverage. Cards such as Chase Sapphire Reserve, Capital One Venture X, and Amex Platinum may cover natural disaster disruptions — file through the card issuer’s claims portal and keep your airline cancellation notice as documentation. Coverage depends on whether earthquake-related disruption is an excluded cause under your specific policy.
• If your itinerary connects beyond GES: Treat the onward leg as at risk and contact that carrier now. Involuntary rebooking on the GES segment does not automatically protect connecting bookings made separately.

Watch: CAAP’s next operational notice — expected before June 11 at 6:00 p.m. Philippine time — will confirm whether commercial flights can resume or whether the restriction extends further. If Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific publish revised GES schedules shortly after that notice, it signals the airport has cleared inspection. Silence from both carriers after the deadline means the hold is continuing.

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