Manila-Paris flights may resume

MANILA, Philippines - After almost 16 years, Philippine Airlines (PAL) may now resume its Manila-Paris flight following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the aeronautical authorities of the Philippines and France.

The MOU, signed on Jan. 15 at the French Civil Aviation Authority in Paris, updated the Air Services Agreement signed in 1968 and allows PAL up to seven flights a week from Manila to Paris.

Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Undersecretary Jose Perpetuo Lotilla headed the Philippine delegation that included representatives from the Civil Aviation Board, Department of Tourism, Philippine embassy in Paris, and PAL.

The last Manila-Paris flight of PAL was in 1998. After the merger of Air France and KLM in 2004, direct flights from Paris to Manila were stopped.

KLM is currently the only airline that provides direct flights from Manila to Europe via Amsterdam.

The signing of the agreement is expected to boost tourism and facilitate the entry of investments from France and other European countries.