Two airlines seeking Philippine flights

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TWO FOREIGN carriers — one based in the United States, the other in India — are looking to add the Philippines to their portfolio of destinations, official filings showed.

US-based United Air Lines, Inc. and India’s Jet Airways, Ltd. have filed petitions before the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) for permits to operate according to bulletins published on Friday.

The development comes despite other foreign carriers’ complaints against the Philippnes’ allegedly discriminatory tax policy favoring local airlines.

“[The airlines have] filed…[petitions] for issuance of Foreign Air Carrier’s Permit to operate international scheduled air transportation services,” the bulletins read.

A hearing has been slated on Sept. 20 for Jet Airways’ petition, while another is scheduled on Sept. 28 for United Air Lines’.

United Air Lines, if granted approval, will join a roster of other US-based airlines flying to the country: Delta Air Lines, Inc. and Hawaiian Airlines, Inc.

United Air Lines is a subsidiary of United Continental Holdings, Inc., which also operates Continental Airlines, Inc.

The airline has a total of six hubs, the biggest one of which is located in Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. Only one of United Air Lines’ hubs is located outside of the US — in Narita International Airport in Japan.

On the other hand, there are no India-based airlines with flights to the Philippines; however, some have codeshare agreements with other carriers that allow them to fly here.

Jet Airways started operations in 1993, and claims to have one of the world’s youngest aircraft fleet at an average fleet age of 5.53 years.

Jet Airways’ main hub is located in the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai, India. It has five other hubs in India, and another one located in Brussels Airport in Belgium.

The number of passengers on international flights to and from the Philippines increased by 9% to 3.83 million in the first quarter from 3.52 million in the same period last year, latest CAB data showed. Of this, inbound passengers numbered 1.82 million while there were two million flying outbound.

Foreign indusry group Board of Airline Representatives, and Air France-KLM have warned against carriers’ waning interest in operating in the Philippines, blaming the country’s tax policy.

Deutsche Lufthansa AG stopped offering its Manila-Frankfurt connection in April 2008.
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By: Kathleen A. Martin
Source: Business World, Sept. 5, 2011
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