RP amend air-services deal with UK

Fields 14 flights per week between two countries

By Lenie Lectura
14 July 2009

THE Philippines and the United Kingdom amended their air-services agreement (ASA) last week, fielding a total of 14 flights per week between the two countries.

According to the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), flights to Manila and or Clark total seven weekly fights. Another seven flights per week were allotted to other points in the country, except for Manila and Clark.

Previously, each country was authorized to field seven flights per week to all points in the Philippines, said CAB Deputy Executive Director Porvenir Porciuncula in a text message on Monday.

“A total of 14 weekly flights have been allotted per side,” he added.

There are no Philippine carrier mounting flights to the UK and vice versa, said Porciuncula.

The air talks were held from July 7 to 9. The CAB is a member of the Philippine air panel.

The other members consist of officials from the Departments of Transportation and Communications, of Foreign Affairs, and of Tourism; Clark International Airport Corp.; and representatives from local airline companies.

Porciuncula said the panel is set to hold bilateral negotiations to amend existing ASAs with China, Italy, Iceland and Korea soon.

In May the Philippines and Spain sealed a new ASA, fielding 28 weekly flights for each country. From Manila to Madrid and Barcelona, there were seven flights per week awarded to the Philippines. To Madrid and Barcelona from Clark’s Diosdado Macapagal International Airport, 14 weekly flights were allocated.

Other points in the country, except Manila and Clark, were allotted seven flights in a week. The same goes for Spain, in which daily flights were also made available except for Madrid and Barcelona.

Also, Manila was granted rights to service 200 tons of cargo per week while Clark got 300 tons per week. “For cargo, seven flights per week were also granted,” said CAB Executive Director Carmelo Arcilla.

The Philippine-UK air pact was the ninth agreement sealed by the Philippine air panel since the start of the year. Last month, a new deal with Singapore was finalized. ASAs were sealed with Brunei and Australia in March; Kuwait and Bahrain in February; and Qatar and United Arab Emirates in January.