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Friday, March 29, 2024

PH-India air treaty expands weekly flights to 28

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The Department of Transportation said the Philippines and Indian governments  amended their air services agreement, raising flights to 28 per week between the two countries. 

The DOTr said the Philippine air panel and its counterpart in India signed an expanded ASA on July 12, expanding air traffic rights from seven weekly flights between the two countries to 28 flights between points in one country to the other’s capital, in addition to three other major cities. 

The Philippine negotiating panel is composed of officials from the Civil Aeronautics Board, Departments of Transportation, Tourism and Foreign Affairs, Clark International Airport Corp. and local airline companies. 

“For Philippine carriers, this means points in the Philippines to New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai, while India has yet to nominate three other major cities aside from Manila that will be flown to by Indian carriers,” the DOTr said. 

Under the agreement, Philippine carriers will also be allowed unlimited flights between any Philippine gateway and 18 other destinations in India.

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“The two parties also retained Bangkok as a midway point for carriers of both sides, with the possibility of disembarking and taking on passengers not originating from or destined for their own territories (called a 5th Freedom operation in aviation law),” the DOTr said. 

The agency added the  new accord now allowed the operation of third-country carriers on behalf of the parties’ carriers as long as the former had the route and traffic rights through their own countries granted under agreements with India and the Philippines.

A more liberal cargo provision completes the new package of air rights.

“These arrangements are seen to maximize the tapping of the Indian subcontinent in terms of trade and tourism,” the DOTr said. 

Data from the Department of Tourism showed the number of tourists from India rose 18.3 percent to 107,278 visitors in 2017 from 90,816 visitors in 2016. 

The Philippines and Papua New Guinea in June expanded the air traffic entitlements between the two countries from 760 seats a week to 1,500 seats in Manila.

The two countries also expanded traffic rights from 1,500 seats to 3,000 seats outside Manila.

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