PAA To Fly Guam

16 August 2019

Low Cost Carrier Philippine AirAsia PAA) has sought permission from the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) to fly to the United States.

The airline requested for a designation and allocation of entitlements under the Philippines-United States of America Air Transport Agreement. It also asked the CAB to revoke the designation of Air Philippines as the official carrier to the US.

CAB Executive Director Camerlo Arcilla said the designation will allow PAA to fly to US territories.

“The allocation of entitlements to the US is not a problem because it’s unlimited, but the designation as official Philippine carrier is limited,” Arcilla said.

CAB disclosed that the number of airlines allowed to be designated as official carrier to the US was only three, prompting Air Asia Philippines to seek the the revocation of Air Philippines’ designation to the US.

Philippine Airlines, Air Philippines and Cebu Pacific are currently designated as official Philippine carrier to the US, while United, Delta, and Hawaiian Airlines are the official Us carriers.

According to Arcilla Air Philippines was not utilizing its permit to fly to the US so Philippine AirAsia wants them given to them as they are ready to fly. Cebu Pacific and Air Philippines once flew Guam and Saipan on different occasion, with the former airline terminating its service on December 7 while the latter flew Saipan two years ago.

Cebu Pacific is pulling out the plug in Guam three years after it started, citing low traffic demand as the main cause.

PAA is applying flight entitlements to Guam and Saipan out of Manila international airport.