PH, Papua New Guinea sign up for more flights

The Philippines and Papua New Guinea sealed a new air deal increasing flights between the two countries.

Carmelo Arcilla, executive director of the Civil Aeronautics Board, said the agreement signed on June 28 this year expanded the air traffic entitlements in Manila from 760 seats to 1,500 seats per week.

The deal also doubled the 1,500 seats to areas outside Manila to 3,000 seats, he said.

“The expanded capacity will provide the necessary air traffic right support for the growing engagements between the two countries in the field of agriculture, tourism, investments, people-to-people exchange and overall trade,” Arcilla said.

At present, Philippine Airlines and Air Niuguini operate flights between Manila and Port Moresby. PAL operates five weekly flights while Air Niuguini operates four times per week.

Arcilla also said earlier the CAB also planned to hold air talks with Switzerland and India.

Arcilla said the talks with Switzerland were being finalized upon the request of the latter.

“They want to update our existing agreement since it has not been updated since the 1950s,” he said.

The Philippine Airlines has also indicated it wanted to revive flights to India. Cebu Pacific Air and Philippines Air Asia have also filed petitions to the CAB for entitlements.