PH, Singapore ink air rights agreement

MANILA, Philippines–The Philippine and Singapore last week successfully completed a new round of air talks, increasing weekly capacity while agreeing on more commercial rights—a boon to airlines and passengers traveling these routes.

Civil Aeronautics Board executive director Carmelo Arcilla said in a text message on Monday that both countries signed last Feb. 13 a new memorandum of understanding on air services. That deal, replacing a 2014 agreement, increased the current weekly entitlements between Manila and Singapore to 18,888 seats from 17,627 seats.

The new air deal, the first to be sealed in 2015, also included co-terminal points in Iloilo and Bacolod for Singaporean carriers, on top of Cebu, Davao and Puerto Princesa, Arcilla said. As an example, co-terminal points would allow a Singaporean carrier to fly to Cebu and then proceed to Davao, he said.

Arcilla said both countries also agreed to increase the limit on the frequencies for 5th freedom flights, from eight per week to 10 per week.

“This means a Singaporean carrier, for example, can operate a route that starts from Singapore to Manila and (then) proceeds to Osaka, 10 times a week,” he said.

Finally, the agreement also allows third country code sharing, which means airlines from both countries can “collaborate with airlines from third countries in marketing services between the Philippines and Singapore.”

“Overall, the agreement (with Singapore) opens up more commercial opportunities for the airlines of the two countries,” Arcilla said.

Arcilla said CAB was planning to hold air talks with at least five other countries within the first half of 2015.