Clark gets 'best' deal in RP-Malaysia air talks

The country’s newest international airport in Clark got the best concession with 9,000 seats per week on both sides during the Philippines-Malaysia air consultation talks that ended yesterday at Clark Freeport.

“This is good news for the overseas Filipino workers in Malaysia where an additional seven flights per day have been given to Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) and we are happy with the outcome of the talks,” Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) president and CEO Victor Jose Luciano said after the talks.   

Luciano said “this is a latest development for DMIA which would add more international flights from any point in Malaysia that would benefit the OFWs especially since the bulk of them are from the Northern and Central Luzon.”

He commended the members of the Philippine air panel for the success of the bilateral talks in bringing more air entitlements for DMIA and which is being geared as the country’s premier international gateway as envisioned by President Arroyo. Luciano and CIAC executive vice president Alexander Cauguiran are members of the air panel.

Budget carrier Air Asia of Malaysia currently operates twice daily flights between Clark and Kuala Lumpur and between Clark and Kota Kinabalu.

He said DMIA’s passenger capacity is expected to grow next year due to the entry of more international and local flights were it will contribute to the development of the airport.

Under the agreement, Clark got 9,000 passengerseat entitlements equivalent to seven flights per day which will further boost its international flights to Malaysia. For cargo, the agreement provides for 250 tons per week for cargo for Manila from points in Malaysia; while points in the Philippines except for Clark and Manila from Malaysia are entitled to 450 tons. Clark got a minimum of 700 tons per week.

The last memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the two countries was signed in 1995.

The agreement also granted 2,300 seat entitlements to Manila from any point in Malaysia except for Kuala Lumpur and 2,000 seat entitlements to any point in Malaysia except for Manila and Clark.

Transportation and Communications Undersecretary Doroteo Reyes, chairman of the Philippine air panel, said “we were able to concur with a common point from which our civil aviation will really develop and grow.”

Reyes said the focus of the air negotiations is Clark since it is being developed as the country’s next international gateway.

“We cannot anymore accommodate more flights in Manila where it has reached its capacity and we must consider the safety and security of our passengers,” he added.

DMIA also caters to other air carriers such as Tiger Airways of Singapore, Asiana Airlines of Korea, and local carriers Southeast Asian Airlines (Seair) and Cebu Pacific Air. The latter will start their daily international flights on Nov. 8 via Clark to Singapore and Hong Kong, four times weekly to Macau and Bangkok. Other carriers such as Seair, Zest Air and Air Philippines are set to mount international flights at the airport before the end of this year.