Open Skies to focus on Secondary Routes

[Evodesire]

Open Skies to focus on Secondary Routes
By Recto L. Mercene

January 6, 2011

NEWLY installed Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) head Ramon Gutierrez said pocket open- skies policy mandated by Malacañang would focus on the secondary routes, giving airlines the capability to offer better service in an open competition among carriers.

“I welcome this new development as the Caap expects better revenues for these routes,” he said.

Gutierrez was reacting to an announcement from Malacañang that President Aquino would soon issue an executive order granting a pocket open-skies policy on all secondary international airports in the country.

The President first formally announced his preference for a pocket open-skies policy at the public-private partnership (PPP) conference at the Marriott Hotel Manila on November 18, 2010. He promised to “put teeth” to EO 219 through its full implementation in international aviation.

Pocket open skies means that all international airports in the country, excluding the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia), are expected to attract foreign-based airlines and low-cost carriers (LCC).

Industry records show that there are 47.4 million seats available to foreign and local carriers, but only 10.97 million seats, or 23 percent, are being utilized, a situation being touted as an “overcapacity.”

The new EO would center initially on “four international secondary hubs”—Mactan-Cebu International Airport (Mcia) in Lapu-Lapu City; Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City; Laoag International Airport in Laoag City; and Zamboanga International Airport in Zamboanga City.

The Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in Clark had already been earlier declared a pocket open-skies gateway in 2006, when then President Gloria Arroyo issued Executive Orders 500 and 500-A.

There are three more international airports considered as “secondary hubs”—Bacolod-Silay City International Airport in Silay City; General Santos International Airport in General Santos City; and Subic Bay International Airport in Olongapo City. Businessmirror


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Open Skies ng open skies, but they still never addressed the EU ban and cat 2 issue! Gising PI kayo!!!

[jetsetexpress]

Again, focus muna on more important issues. Deal with those first di ba?

[Evodesire]

Yes exactly. Maybe they dont believe our local airlines can bring in tourists if they just fix that EU ban and get us back to cat 1. What asses!

[jetsetexpress]

Yep asses indeed! Kaka pikon tong officials natin. Ang laki ng sapak sa mga utak.

[Evodesire]

For me, our carriers are more in the position of bringing in tourists rather than other foreign carriers. They would just bring Filipinos to their countries. Once we are brought back to cat 1`and out of the EU ban, then maybe work on a bilateral open skies, and not to freely open it to all.

Not to be politicing here, but I feel if Gibo was the one on helm, being a pilot, he would have taken interest on our civil aviation industry. PNoy seems dumbfounded about it. All he knows is that airplanes do fly.

[seven13]

posted by Blueleo at SSC

No open skies policy yet; Aquino wants air panel modified
By Ana G. Roa, BusinessWorld
Posted at 01/08/2011 11:08 AM | Updated as of 01/08/2011 6:11 PM

MANILA, Philippines - Issuance of a "pocket open skies" policy will be delayed after President Benigno S. C. Aquino III called for minor modifications.

Mr. Aquino said he returned the draft executive order to Executive Secretary Paquito "Jojo" N. Ochoa, who had previously said the directive would be issued this week.

"I sent it back to the Executive Secretary for minor modifications that had something to do with the panels, constituting panels that are negotiating," Mr. Aquino said in a briefing on Friday.

"I just wanted it to be more precise to reflect what we thought should occur in terms of negotiating all of these open skies," Mr. Aquino added.

Tourism Secretary Alberto A. Lim said economic managers had recommended two EOs on liberalizing the civil aviation sector:

1. one seeking to reorganize the composition of the air negotiating panel
2. another allowing foreign carriers to directly apply to the Civil Aviation Board (CAB) for additional flights provided they come from countries with bilateral agreements with the Philippines

"The proposal was that the panel will be composed of government officials [while] airlines will be observers ... The first EO will define the composition of the panel evaluating existing air service agreements," Mr. Lim said in a telephone interview.

Under the current set-up, the negotiating panel is composed of

* Transportation secretary (chair)
* Tourism chief (vice-chair)
* airline representatives
* Civil Aviation Board (CAB)
* Foreign Affairs department
* Trade Department
* Clark International Airport Corporation

Mr. Aquino first announced the pocket open skies policy during an infrastructure conference last November.

The new EO will focus on secondary gateways -- international airports outside the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Pasay City that have Customs Immigration Quarantine Security (CIQS) facilities.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines lists 10 airports with CIQS facilities:

1. NAIA in Pasay City
2. Laoag International Airport (Ilocos Norte)
3. Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (Clark Field, Pampanga)
4. Puerto Princesa International Airport (Palawan)
5. Subic Bay International Airport
6. Kalibo International Airport (Aklan)
7. Mactan International Airport (Cebu),
8. Davao International Airport in Mindanao
9. General Santos International Airport in Mindanao
10. Zamboanga International Airport in Mindanao

[Evodesire]

How about an EO to bring us back to cat 1 and get us out of the EU ban?

[jetsetexpress]

Haaaay, I not to bring this one out, bakit nasa negotiating table ang Clark International Airport Corporation? Hindi lang naman sila ang business stakeholder sa skies natin. I mean there are airlines and other airports in the country. Why only them? Sorry, I sense politics coming into play here!

Maybe someone could better explain this one out?

[Evodesire]

Maybe because they are afraid that the local airlines will go against all their plans.So they would rather just involve the airports. Akala ko nga matuwid na daan???

[neni0hk]

hindi ba dahil GOCC sila?

[Evodesire]

Or maybe they are the one of those who are pushing for it. Of course, this call for more revenue.

Oh, I think I misread "airline representatives" BUT, do these include local airlines? Or only foreign airlines.

[jetsetexpress]

meron airlines as observers but not negotiators. haaaay naku! ano na mangyayari sa atin!