Russia Signs ASA with the Philippines

7 August 2015

Approves 21 Weekly Flights

Russia has finally signed the highly classified Air Service Agreement deal with the Philippines granting 21 flights a week between the two countries.

The air services talks were held in Moscow from July 22 to 23.

According to the agreement, Philippine carriers can conduct operations between any point in the country and three destinations in Russia, such as Moscow, St. Petersburg and Vladivostok. 

Russia-based airlines has been offering chartered flights to the Philippines mostly coming from Central Russia, while Philippine Airlines flew to Vladivostok also on charters.

40,000 Russian tourists has visited the country last year according to the Department of Tourism and would welcome more their presence considering that they spend more than any other foreign tourists in the Philippines.

Earlier, PAL secured special permit from the Russian Federation for overflight rights in its famous "Siberian Airspace" that shortens travel time to and from other European countries pending ratification of the agreement. Russia postponed twice the signing of the agreement due to conflicts with some EU countries and Ukraine.

PAL currently flies to London. The special permit does not however cover any other European destination forcing the flag carrier to shelved earlier plans to fly other destinations in the EU such as Frankfurt, and Paris.

The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) said the "over-flight" rights that would allow Philippine carriers to take what's known as the trans-Siberian route cut travel time to London and other European cities by at least two hours as compared to routes via India and the Middle East.

Executive Director Carmilo Arcilla of the CAB did not elaborate on the Overflight fees as the other component is confidential and airline-based agreement which is separate from navigational fees mandated by ICAO. Russia is also not a signatory to the International Air Services Transit Agreement (IASTA).

The agreement, which is an amendment to the 2009 Philippine-Russia Air Services Agreement, was signed by Jose Perpetuo Lotilla, the Philippines’ Transportation and Communication Undersecretary and Sergey Seskutov, Deputy Director, State Policy in Russian Civil Aviation Department