Haris
If you’ve booked flights with Royal Air Philippines and searched “Royal Air Philippines liquidation” you want to know two things: has the airline actually collapsed and can you get your money back. The short answer is that Royal Air Philippines suspended all scheduled passenger flights on 4 January 2026. Reports of formal liquidation followed in the weeks after though the airline’s own site has not published a confirmed liquidation statement and some details remain unclear even now. This guide sets out what’s confirmed what’s still reported rather than verified and the practical steps UK passengers can take to recover money already paid.
You’ll find the confirmed timeline what’s still unverified how UK refund protections apply to a foreign carrier like this one and an FAQ covering ATOL chargebacks and rebooking.
What Happened to Royal Air Philippines
Royal Air Philippines is a Manila-based carrier that began as a charter operator in 2002 and moved into scheduled commercial passenger flights from 2017. It served domestic Philippine routes alongside international destinations including China South Korea Hong Kong Taiwan and Cambodia.
On 29 December 2025 the airline announced it would discontinue all scheduled passenger flights effective 4 January 2026. It stopped carrying passengers on that date. Reports from multiple travel and aviation outlets in the following weeks described the airline as entering formal liquidation. Widely cited figures put the number of affected passengers at between 3000 and 4000 holding bookings for travel between January and March 2026.
Is the Liquidation Confirmed or Still Reported
This is where the picture gets less clear-cut and it’s worth being straight about it rather than repeating headlines as fact.
Multiple travel news sites including regional aviation outlets reported that Royal Air Philippines entered formal liquidation proceedings with some placing the date around 6 February 2026. However [FACT UNVERIFIED CHECK BEFORE PUBLISHING: no confirmation of a formal liquidation filing has been located from the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission the Civil Aeronautics Board or another primary Philippine regulatory source]. A separate encyclopedia entry on the airline states only that it discontinued scheduled passenger flights and that as of 6 February 2026 flight-tracking data showed the airline continuing to operate cargo services without confirming a liquidation filing.
What that means in practice: treat “liquidation” as the widely reported status of the airline rather than a fact independently confirmed against an official Philippine company register at the time of writing. The practical outcome for a passenger holding a cancelled booking is the same either way since flights have stopped and refunds are not confirmed. It’s worth keeping this distinction in mind if you’re citing the airline’s status elsewhere.
Why the Airline Reportedly Collapsed
Reports attribute the airline’s financial difficulties to a sharp decline in international passenger demand particularly from China and South Korea two of its key inbound markets. CEO Eduardo Novillas reportedly signalled the problem weeks in advance sending a letter dated 22 December 2025 to a travel agency warning that commercial operations would halt from 4 January and citing significantly low interest from key markets.
This pattern of a smaller regional carrier dependent on a narrow set of source markets losing demand faster than it can cut costs is a recurring theme in airline failures generally though this guide can’t confirm the specific internal financial detail behind Royal Air Philippines’ situation without access to its accounts.
What This Means If You Booked a Flight
If you’re holding a Royal Air Philippines booking for travel that hasn’t happened yet the airline’s own website has previously stated it is working on refunds without giving a specific timeline. Don’t wait on that statement alone.
- Check whether your flight is actually cancelled: contact the airline directly or check with whoever you booked through since some cargo operations reportedly continued after the passenger suspension.
- Gather your paperwork: booking confirmation payment receipt and any cancellation notice from the airline or agent.
- Act on refund routes now: the protections below don’t require you to wait for a formal liquidation announcement to start a claim.
How UK Passengers Can Claim a Refund
Royal Air Philippines is a Philippine carrier not a UK or EU airline so UK-specific flight compensation rules such as UK261 delay and cancellation compensation generally don’t apply to it. Your realistic recovery routes are through your payment method or if relevant UK package travel protection.
Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 gives you a right to claim against your credit card provider if you paid by credit card for something between £100 and £30000 and the supplier fails to deliver. If you paid for your Royal Air Philippines flight on a UK credit card this is usually the strongest and most direct route.
Chargeback is a separate scheme run by card networks such as Visa and Mastercard rather than a legal right and it can apply to both debit and credit cards. You typically need to raise a chargeback within around 120 days of the scheduled travel date though some card providers allow longer so check with your provider directly.
ATOL protection only applies if you booked a package that included flights through a UK-based ATOL-registered tour operator or travel agent and you received an ATOL certificate at the time of booking. A flight booked directly with Royal Air Philippines or through a non-ATOL platform won’t be covered by ATOL.
[Table: UK refund routes for a failed foreign airline showing route who to contact and typical timeframe]
| Route | Who to contact | Typical timeframe |
| Section 75 claim | Your credit card provider | Weeks. Varies by provider |
| Chargeback | Your card provider debit or credit | Around 120 days to claim. Resolution varies |
| ATOL protection | The ATOL-registered tour operator or travel agent | Air Travel Trust targets 30 days for straightforward claims |
| Travel insurance | Your insurer if the policy covers supplier failure | Depends on policy |
Mistakes to Avoid When Claiming
A few habits make recovering your money slower or less likely to succeed.
Waiting for the airline to process a refund before contacting your card provider is the biggest one. Section 75 and chargeback claims don’t require you to prove the airline has refused you first in most cases. Starting early protects you against chargeback time limits that run from the travel date not from when the airline eventually responds.
Assuming ATOL automatically covers you is another common mistake. ATOL protects UK-sold package holidays and flights booked through a licensed UK operator not a ticket bought directly from a foreign airline’s website or a non-UK travel platform. Check your booking confirmation for an ATOL certificate before assuming you’re covered.
Not keeping evidence trips people up when a claim is contested. Screenshots of the airline’s cancellation notice your original booking confirmation and your payment record all strengthen a Section 75 or chargeback claim.
FAQ
Q: Has Royal Air Philippines officially entered liquidation?
Multiple travel and aviation news outlets have reported that the airline entered formal liquidation proceedings in early 2026 but this has not been independently confirmed here against a primary Philippine regulatory source such as the Securities and Exchange Commission. What’s confirmed is that the airline stopped all scheduled passenger flights on 4 January 2026.
Q: Can I get a refund if Royal Air Philippines cancelled my flight?
Refunds directly from the airline are uncertain since it has previously stated it’s “working on” refunds without a confirmed timeline. UK passengers who paid by credit card should pursue a Section 75 claim. Those who paid by debit or credit card more generally can request a chargeback through their card provider.
Q: Does ATOL cover Royal Air Philippines bookings?
Only if you booked a package holiday including flights through a UK-based ATOL-registered tour operator or travel agent and received an ATOL certificate at the time of booking. A flight booked directly with the airline or through a non-ATOL platform isn’t covered by ATOL.
Q: How long do I have to claim a chargeback?
Most UK card providers allow chargeback claims within around 120 days of the scheduled travel date though this varies by provider and some allow longer. Contact your card provider directly to confirm the exact window for your account.
Q: Is Royal Air Philippines still flying cargo?
Reports as of early February 2026 indicated the airline continued operating cargo flights after suspending passenger services based on flight-tracking data.
Q: What if I booked through a travel agent rather than directly?
Contact the agent first since they may be able to assist with a refund rebooking or a claim under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 if your booking qualifies as a package. If the agent can’t help fall back on the Section 75 or chargeback routes through your card provider.
Q: Will travel insurance cover a Royal Air Philippines cancellation?
It depends entirely on your specific policy. Some travel insurance policies include cover for “scheduled airline failure” or “supplier failure” but many standard policies don’t so check your policy wording or contact your insurer directly to find out.
