THE Philippines and Vietnam on Wednesday sealed an amended air services agreement (ASA) which, according to the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), will increase the seat entitlements between Manila-Ho Chi Minh from 2,000 to 2,650 per week. It was the fourth air pact sealed this year.
Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific currently mount flights to Vietnam, according to CAB Executive Director Carmelo Arcilla, adding that the additional 650-weekly seats are sufficient to support their expansion plans, if any. “That will be enough. The market is strong, but not that really strong,” he said.
During the talks, the Philippines and Vietnam also agreed to ink new traffic rights outside of Manila and Ho Chi Minh. “We also agreed on unlimited rights from all points in the Philippines, except Manila, to all points in Vietnam, except Ho Chi Minh,” said the CAB official.
The CAB is part of the Philippine air panel which negotiates for traffic rights with other countries. The other panel members include the departments of Transportation and Communications, Foreign Affairs, Tourism, Trade and Industry, and representatives from the airline companies.
On August 6 the Philippines signed an air pact with Papua New Guinea, boosting Manila entitlements by 450 weekly seats to 600 seats per week. Arcilla said that a second or new route was also agreed upon for all airports except Manila at 1,500 seats per week.
There are no Philippine carriers that currently mount flights to Papua New Guinea but with this deal, the CAB is hoping that local carriers will consider this route in their expansion plans.
Air Niu Guniea, the flag carrier of Papua New Guinea, is currently mounting flights to Manila twice a week, Arcilla added. The Philippine air panel already obtained additional air rights in Malaysia and Sri Lanka.
On June 8 the Philippines and Malaysia agreed on fielding additional 2,520 more seats from the 2,300 weekly seats.
The seats have yet to be allocated to carriers who have filed their respective applications. Among those interested are Cebu Pacific, Southeast Asian Airlines and Air Philippines.
On July 19 the Philippines and Sri Lanka amended their ASA. The two countries agreed to increase the entitlements to four flights a week from two for each side on the route Manila-Colombo.
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By: Lenie Lectura
Source: Business Mirror, Sept. 14, 2011
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