PH wants direct flights to Israel, Russia

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine air negotiating panel will hold bilateral talks with Isarael and Russia in October after legacy carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) expressed interest in flying there.

This was confirmed by Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) legal head Wyrlou Samodio on Thursday, September 12.

“The air talks in Israel are scheduled on November 4 and 5. We were the ones that initiated the discussion,” Samodio told reporters at the unveiling ceremony of budget Cebu Pacific’s newest Airbus A330 aircraft.

The Philippines has an existing bilateral air services agreement with Israel that needs to be amended.

“We have existing bilateral agreement with Israel forged in the 60’s or 70’s. It’s time to amend it because there is only one frequency under that agreement,” said the CAB official.

Samodio said Philippine Airlines (PAL) is interested to mount flights to Israel.

Also, the panel will seek to amend its air agreement with Russia. “Manila will host the air talks with Russia. PAL is also interested to fly there,” he added.

Bilateral air talks

The CAB forms part of the air panel which negotiates for air entitlements with other countries. It is an attached agency of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), mandated to regulate the economic aspect of air transportation, and shall have the general supervision, control and jurisdiction over air carriers, general sales agents, cargo sales agents, and air freight forwarders.

Aside from the CAB, other members of the panel include the DOTC, Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Tourism, Department of Trade and Industry, and representatives from airline companies.

Last September 5, the Philippines successfully negotiated an amended air agreement with Italy, increasing the direct flights between the two countries to 14 a week from the 1969 agreement that only provided for one frequency per week.

Governments engage in bilateral air talks to negotiate on destinations covered in each country, frequency of flights, among other details.

After an agreement is reached, each government awards entitlements to their commercial airlines.

The Aquino government is keen on lifting regulatory restrictions in the number of allowed flights to and from the country as part of efforts to increase tourism and trade. 

The Philippines has set a tourist arrivals goal of 10 million by 2016.

READ: Tourism industry to get boost from lifting of EU ban

This 2013’s goal is 5.5 million foreign visitors. – Rappler.com