PAL, AirAsia seek more seats to Malaysia

MANILA, Philippines – To cope with the increasing number of passengers, flag carrier Philippine Airlines Inc. (PAL) and low cost carrier AirAsia Zest are applying for additional seat entitlements for Manila-Kuala Lumpur flights.

Based on separate filings to the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), AirAsia Zest, jointly owned by Philippines AirAsia Inc. and Zest Airways Corp. of Ambassador Alfredo Yao, is seeking 1,260 weekly seat entitlements to Kuala Lumpur.

AirAsia Zest has been operating beyond the limit and is currently utilizing temporary rights to fly more passengers to Malaysia.

PAL of tycoon Lucio Tan, on the other hand, is seeking 900 weekly seats for flights between Manila and Kuala Lumpur.

PAL’s budget carrier, PAL Express is seeking 720 weekly seats.

In October, Philippines and Malaysia have signed a new air pact, increasing the capacity between the two Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries to to 9,640 per week from 4,820, Carmelo Arcilla, CAB executive director, previously said in a text message.

The new air agreement also provides unlimited seats per week from the current 2,000 seats weekly between all points in Malaysia and in the Philippines except Manila, Arcilla said.

The air agreement with Malaysia was the 10^th concluded by the Philippine air negotiating panel. The panel has so far concluded air talks with Ethiopia, South Africa, Macau, Canada, Myanmar, New Zealand, Singapore and France since the start of the year.

On November 17, the country signed with Turkey an air services agreement as Turkish Airlines desires to fly daily to Manila.

President Benigno Aquino III said the agreement will also “help further expand the operations of our own air services, and is part of our efforts to show to the world that we are indeed more open for business.” – Rappler.com