CAB sets Mideast talks

For 5J, Z2 Regional Expansions

August 7, 2012

The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) is set to conduct air talks with United Arab Emirates on September 5 and 6 and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on September 24 and 25 to get additional seats for the middle east as Cebu Pacific and Zest Air failed to grab entitlements from legacy carrier Philippine Airlines.

CAB Executive Director Carmelo A. Arcilla said the UAE is also interested for the talks as they want to bring in the first commercial A380 operations into the country as early as next year.

The current Air Services Agreement (ASA) with the UAE limits the seat allocation equivalent only to daily Boeing 777-300 services. Both Etihad and Emirates airlines intend to add third daily flights to Manila.

CAB will also have air talks with Singapore on August 15 and 16.

Meanwhile, Zest Airways was granted additional weekly allocations to South Korea equivalent to 3,060 seats, while Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines (PAL) were each allotted 3,220 more per week.

The Philippines and South Korea successful conducted air talks on April 2 and 3, expanding ASA entitlements to 28,500 from the existing 19,000 seats.

PAL previously asked CAB for additional 3,500 seats per week on top of an existing 7,550-seat allocations on April 18, while Cebu Pacific sought an additional 3,780 seats per week on April 20 to add to its existing allocation of 5,760 seats per week and Zest Airways applied for  for additional 5,596 seats per week on April 24 on top of the existing 2,700 seats.

Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea and Vietnam enjoys unlimited air rights to carriers from all points in the country except Manila pursuant to Executive Order No. 29 signed last year further liberalizing the air industry.