Top officials of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) have signed an agreement with their South Korean counterparts that would pave the way to the increase of the weekly seating capacity for direct flights to and from Manila.
From the current 20,000 weekly seating capacity, DOTr Secretary Jaime J. Bautista, said it would increase to 30,000 weekly seating capacity exclusive for the Manila to Incheon and vice versa flights.
“On the other hand, there will be no imposed limits on flights from Manila to all other points in Korea. Flights from points outside Manila to all points in Korea continue to be open and without limits under the new MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) ,” said Bautista.
The agreement was an offshoot of the two-day consultation talks between the delegations of the Philippines and Korea which is aimed at improving the air services relations of the two countries by updating the capacity entitlements and liberalizing the exercise of third and fourth freedom traffic.
For seven years since the last MOU signed in 2017, the designated airlines of the Philippines and Korea could only operate up to 20,000 weekly seats each from Manila to points in Korea and vice versa.
Based on the data from the Department of Tourism, Korea has been the top tourism market of the Philippines since before the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The post-pandemic recovery is positively impacting the economy, with incoming Korean tourists already at 682,362 by May 2024. The increase in capacity will be felt by the market once airlines take advantage of the opportunity to carry more passenger traffic between the capital cities of the two countries,” said Bautista.
Bautista said the consultation talks also led to the proposal for an amendment to the two countries’ air transport agreement that would allow the Philippines to designate its airlines on the basis of the airline having its principal place of business and place of incorporation in the Philippines.
“Though an agreement on the matter was not reached, the two delegations agreed to further discuss the same, along with Korea’s proposal to allow third country code-sharing arrangements, in the next round of consultations,” said Bautista.
The Philippine delegation was composed of Department of Transportation Assistant Secretary for Aviation and Airports, lawyer Enrique Antonio J. Esquivel III, Civil Aeronautics Board Executive Director Carmelo L. Arcilla, Department of Tourism Undersecretary Shahlimar Hofer Tamano, Department of Labor and Employment Assistant Secretary Lennard Constantine C. Serrano, and Department of Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Raly L. Tejada.
The Korean delegation was led by Ms. Jiyoung Shim, Director for International Air Transport Division of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. She was joined by Mr. Daeyoung Kim, Assistant Director for International Air Transport Division of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Mr. Jaehyung Kim, Assistant Director for International Air Transport Division of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and Ms. Jeeun Song, Interpreter for International Air Transport Division of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.