THE Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) plans to conduct air talks within the first half of the year with Australia, Japan, India, Canada, and Papua New Guinea.
“We need air talks with India, Japan, Australia, Canada, Papua New Guinea. Hopefully, the first semester of this year,” CAB Executive Director Carmelo L. Arcilla said in a text message.
CAB said earlier that it intended to conduct air talks with the five countries plus South Korea, with which a deal was reached in November.
That month, the Philippines and South Korea agreed to expand capacity between Manila and South Korean airports. A memorandum of understanding was signed, increasing air entitlements between Manila and South Korean destinations, and providing unlimited traffic rights for carriers of both countries between all destinations outside Manila and all international airports in South Korea.
Budget carrier Cebu Pacific (Cebu Air, Inc.) is seeking reallocation of some entitlements in order to fly to India, as it plans to fly directly to Mumbai. The Philippine and India last held talks in 2005.
In the case of Papua New Guinea, the Philippines conducted negotiations which did not result in more entitlements.
Flight entitlements between the Philippines and Canada were last discussed during negotiations in 2014. — Patrizia Paola C. Marcelo
