Tourism groups back deferment of RP-US air agreement

Tourism groups have thrown their support behind the call of a ranking House of Representatives leader for the Philippine government to seek for a postponement of the implementation of the RP-US Air Transport Agreement, saying the local aviation industry is unprepared for it (open skies) yet.

Robert Lim Joseph, president of the Save Our Skies (SOS) movement, said they share Congressman Constantino Jaraula’s assessment that Philippine carriers are still ill-prepared for the strong and cutthroat competition under an open skies situation.

He said Philippine Airlines (PAL) is still under rehabilitation and even posted a loss of P1.3 billion in fiscal year 2001-2002 ending March because of the global slump in the aviation industry while Cebu Pacific’s international operation is still in its infancy.

Earlier, Jaraula said the RP-US air agreement, scheduled for implementation in October next year, would beneft only the American carriers and could result in the collapse of the local aviation industry.

"The collapse of the local aviation industry will not only affect the airline companies, their employees and those that do business with them, but also other industries dependent on airlines like tourism, transportation and entertainment," Joseph said.

"We in the tourism industry are apprehensive that the RP-US ATA would bring down the local airline industry and other airline-related sectors," he added.

Joseph said if the US insists on implementing the agreement, the Philippine carriers should be allowed to fly domestic flights in the US; that there should be code-sharing arrangement with American carriers; and there should be cargo allocation for Philippine carriers.

"These special agreements could make the operation of Philippine carriers move viable under an open skies arrangement," he said.

He stressed that policymakers should look at the long-term implications if Philippine skies are opened to the mega carriers of the US. "Under open skies, we are pitting the powerful and government-supported American carriers against tiny RP carriers, which did not get any government support in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the US."

He refuted claims by some sectors that an open skies arrangement with the US would bring in the tourists.

"It is not the number of airline seats available that will bring in the tourists but the country’s image abroad. If what people read abroad is that the Philippines is unsafe as a tourist destination, no tourists will come in," he said.