Emirates seeks Aquino’s mediation for 3rd Dubai-Manila flight

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Emirates seeks Aquino’s mediation for 3rd Dubai-Manila flight

Ed Turner

The Gulf carrier says Filipinos, particularly those living and working in the Middle East, would be affected by the decision of Civil Aeronautics Board ending its third daily flight between Manila and Dubai

MANILA, Philippines – After the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) decided in December to end Emirates’ 3rd daily flight for the Manila-Dubai route, the airline is now seeking President Benigno Aquino III’s intervention on the matter.

The Gulf carrier has elevated the case to the Office of the President (OP) after CAB denied its petition to further extend its 3rd daily flight for the Manila-Dubai route that expired on January 26, Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) undersecretary Jose Perpetuo Lotilla said.

“What I understand is that they (Emirates) elevated (the case) to the OP. I’m not sure if CAB received anything,” Lotilla said.

On December 11, CAB slapped a P1.8 million ($40,627.53) fine on Emirates for violating Republic Act No. 776 (also known as the Civil Aeronautics Act of the Philippines) since it was selling tickets for a 3rd daily flight for the Manila-Dubai route until October 2015.

National flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) and budget airline Cebu Pacific strongly opposed the extension for the 3rd daily flight of Emirates for the Manila-Dubai routes, as well as the holding of the air talks between the Philippines and the United Arab Emirates.

Emirates and Etihad Airways have 14 flight entitlements per week while PAL has 14; PAL Express, 7; and Cebu Pacific, 7.

No more extension

Emirates is probably following the administrative procedure by elevating the case to Malacañang instead of filing an appeal before the Court of Appeals (CA), Lotilla explained.

On October 7, 2014, President Aquino attended the one-off commercial flight by Emirates using the world’s largest passenger aircraft – Airbus A380 – that landed at the now fully-operational Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminal 3 (NAIA3).

Also in that same month that CAB turned down Emirates’ petition to use the unutilized frequency of Philippine Airlines until March 2015.

As the appeal was pending, CAB granted Emirates a 30-day extension to continue its 3rd daily flight between Manila and Dubai until November 26.

The regulator granted a second 30-day extension allowing Emirates to mount 3 daily flights in the route until December 26.

Until January 26 this year was the 3rd and “final” extension for the 3rd daily flight of Emirates for the contested route so as not to inconvenience overseas Filipinos workers (OFWs) in the Middle East going home for the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Seeking reconsideration

CAB turned down Emirates petition for another 30-day extension, and the airline asked for a reconsideration.

“We encourage the CAB to reconsider their decision, and allow the resumption of Emirates’ 3rd daily flight at the earliest opportunity. We firmly believe that this exceptionally strong and growing route actually requires more, not less flights,” Emirates said in statement released in January.

Filipinos, particularly those living and working in the Middle East, would be affected by the decision of the regulator ending its 3rd daily flight between Manila and Dubai, Emirates warned in a statement.

Emirates, which has been flying between Manila and Dubai since 1990, argued that the route they are serving has a very high seat factor average of 80% from December 2013 to March 2014.

The airline is also employing at least 4,300 Filipinos based in either Manila or Dubai. – Rappler.com 

US$1 = P44.30 

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