PH, Singapore add flights, rights under air pact

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines and Singapore agreed to amend their air service agreement, adding seats and traffic rights for both countries.

Carmelo Arcilla, executive director of the Civil Aeronautics Board, said in a text message Friday, February 7 that the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on air services.

“The parties signed a new MOU on air services expanding the exchange of traffic rights between the two countries,” said Arcilla.

The expanded air agreement, one of many that the Philippines eyes to seal this year, will help it achieve its goal of attracting 10 million foreign tourists by 2016.

Arcilla said the MOU calls for an increase in the number of seats on the Manila-Singapore route to about 17,600 from the current 13,800 seats per week for each country.

Likewise, he said the MOU also expanded the countries’ 5th traffic rights by adding China on top of Osaka and Seoul for Singapore, and India on top of Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok for the Philippines.

Fifth freedom rights refer to the rights granted by a state to another state to fly passengers to a third state.

Legacy carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) of taipan Lucio Tan and diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corporation, budget airline Cebu Pacific of taipan John Gokongwei, and Tiger Airways Philippines fly to Singapore.

This is the second successful air talks for the Philippines this year after it concluded negotiations with France in January.

The Philippines inked a new air agreement with France allowing PAL to resume flights to Paris after 16 years. It managed to get half of the 14 flights per week it was seeking from France. This is more than the maximum 4 flights per week enjoyed by PAL when the airline flew to Paris until 1998.

Both the Philippines and France agreed on a third country code sharing that will allow French airlines mainly Air France and KLM to fly to Manila via Amsterdam.

PAL is looking to fly to other European countries after successfully launching direct flights to London in November.

PAL is now able to enter European airspace following the 28-nation European Union’s move to lift a ban on the carrying.

In 2010, the EU imposed a ban on Philippine carriers for the failure of the industry regulator to comply with global aviation safety standards. – Rappler.com