Philippines eyes 3 more air agreements this year

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines is looking at concluding new air agreements with at least three more countries including Australia this year, an official of the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) said over the weekend.

CAB executive director Carmelo Arcilla said the Philippine air negotiating panel is scheduled to hold air talks with Ethiopia and Hong Kong in October and with Australia in November.

The Philippines held air talks with Australia in August 2012. During the talks, both countries agreed to resume talks for additional flight entitlements as less than half of the current 6,000 seat entitlements per week were being utilized.

The Australian government committed to grant an additional 3,000 seat entitlements per week once the existing 6,000 seat entitlements per week are fully utilized.

Likewise, the Australian government also disagreed on the fifth freedom rights proposed by the Philippines.

The fifth freedom, also referred to as beyond rights, allows an airline to carry revenue traffic between foreign countries as a part of services connecting the airline’s own country. It is the right to carry passengers from one’s own country to a second country and from that country to a third country.

On the other hand, the Philippines last held air talks with Hong Kong in 2010.

The panel is composed of officials from the CAB and the Departments of Tourism, Transportation and Communications, and Foreign Affairs, as well as from the Clark International Airport Corp. and representatives of Philippine carriers.

Arcilla said the Philippines has so far signed new air agreements with seven countries this year.

The Philippines so far concluded air talks with France last January, Singapore last February, New Zealand last March as well as Myanmar and Canada last May, Macau last June, and South Africa last August.