Hong Kong airport operator in tie-up talks with PAL service provider

MANILA, Philippines - The company operating one of the best and busiest airports in the world is exploring a possible tie-up with SkyLogistics Philippines Inc., the airport services provider of Philippine Airlines.

Top executives of Jardine Airport Services Ltd. (JASL), the firm handling passengers, ramp, cargo and operations control at Hong Kong’s Chek Lap Kok International Airport (HKIA), were in Manila over the weekend for a series of talks with SkyLogistics Philippines.

JASL managing director Enoch Lam and two of his key lieutenants toured PAL’s hub at the NAIA Centennial Terminal 2 with the SkyLogistics team. They observed ramp operations, cargo and passenger handling and took note of how these can be improved based on their experience at HKIA.

SkyGroup president Rory Jon Sepulveda, whose company took over as PAL’s service provider last Oct. 1, said they are keen on forging a partnership with JASL due to its solid reputation and technical expertise in ground handling operations.

“Jardine Airport Services is one of the world’s best airport service providers. We’re honored that it has taken interest in our modest operations. We hope we could reach an agreement soon so that our customer, Philippine Airlines and its millions of passengers, can benefit from their expertise,” Sepulveda said.

He noted that JASL played a key role in making Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) the world’s best airport based on Skytrax’s March 2011 survey of 11 million travelers. Last year, the 13-year old HKIA was also recognized as the world’s busiest airport by cargo traffic.

Apart from its operations at HKIA, JASL – a joint venture between Jardine Matheson Group and China National Aviation Co. (CNAC) – also has interests in Taiwan’s travel industry. Established in 1998, JASL is also taking a regional perspective on business and is continuing to expand its presence in both Mainland China and the Asia-Pacific region.