Philippine Air Service Agreement With Australia Sought by Cebu Pacific Air
Low-fare carrier Cebu Pacific (CEB) wants a Philippine Air Service Agreement (ASA) between the Philippine and Australian governments.
Porvenir Porciuncula, deputy executive director of Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), said that CEB wants to fly to Australia more popularly known as "Down Under."
”We have already asked the government of Australia and we are still waiting for their answer,” Porciuncula said.
Candice Iyog, CEB vice president for marketing and product, said “We love to go there but as of now, the planned expansion is still being studied."
Starting November 20, CEB will mount flights from Manila to Osaka, Japan. Osaka is CEB’s first Japan destination and the 15th in Asia after Bangkok, Guangzhou, Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kaohsiung, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Macau, Pusan, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore and Taipei following the Philippine Air Service Agreement.
Using its 179-seater A320 aircraft, the new service departs every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.
Lance Y. Gokongwei, CEB president and CEO, said “Japan has a very active and vibrant travel market which should help us attain our goal of flying seven million passengers this year. This service will likewise allow overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Japan to come home more frequently because of our trademark which is low fares.”
“The Manila-Osaka service will be strategically important to the Philippines’ tourism agenda. It will help generate interest on our country’s medical and wellness tourism among the Japanese,” he added.
On September 29-30, the Philippine panel will go to Finland because “they (Finnish government) want to mount a new Philippine Air Service Agreement with us,” said Porciuncula.
”Fin Air wants to come here, because, as of now, we don’t have direct flights to Finland,” he said.
Aside from Australia and Finland, Porciuncula said the Philippines would have air talks with the governments of Russia, Spain, Malaysia and Brunei.
In July, the Philippines and Hong Kong agreed to increase seat entitlements to 23,800 a week for each country. Of the total, 15,000 have been allocated to Manila, 6,300 to Clark and 2,500 to Cebu.
A Philippine Air Service Agreement with Macau was concluded, bringing the total number of seat entitlements to 13,100 a week from 850 previously.
Of the total, 3,600 seats will be allocated each to Manila and Macau; 6,000 seats to Clark and Subic, and another 3,500 seats for carriers outside Manila.
Also the Canadian government has given the Philippines two additional frequencies from Manila to North American country or from point to point only.
Canada also approved five frequencies weekly for cargo flights from Manila to Canada with no capacity restrictions.
