Direct flights between Philippines, Maldives underway

MANILA, Philippines — Direct flights between the Philippines and Maldives may happen soon following successful negotiations of draft air services agreement between the two countries.

Under the draft, airlines from two countries will get an initial entitlement of 1,200 seats, according to the Department of Transportation.

To promote airports outside Manila, flights originating from or destined for points outside Manila will be unlimited.

Having unlimited flights to or from points outside of Manila is in line with the Philippines’ open skies policy which authorizes government negotiators to give foreign carriers access to airports other than the main international gateway or the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The policy is intended to promote tourism growth and encourage foreign carriers to operate at secondary gateways.

Negotiations between the two countries for an air services agreement were held on April 16 to 17.

The Philippine air panel was led by the Department of Foreign Affairs, with representatives from the Department of Transportation, CAB, Department of Tourism, Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Labor and Employment as members.

Meanwhile, the delegation from Maldives was composed of the chairman, the chief executive and senior officials of the Maldives Civil Aviation Authority.

A tropical nation off the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent, Maldives is composed of around 1,200 islands, atolls, and reefs.