PCCI wants government to ease restrictions on air travel

MANILA, Philippines  — The largest business organization in the country is urging the government to heed the call of airline operators to ease international and local business travel restrictions as such would benefit even small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

In a statement yesterday, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) said the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) and the Cabinet economic cluster should consider the petition of the Air Carriers Association of the Philippines (ACAP) to gradually phase out the quota for international passenger arrival, resume scheduled international flights for business travel, and allow selected local air travel.

PCCI said the government should also explore the possibility of entering into bilateral arrangements with selected countries to fast-track processing for non-leisure travels, and reopen select tourist destinations in the country to international tourism as proposed by ACAP.

“A status quo could prove fatal not only to the airline operators but to airline suppliers and the whole air transport supply reliant on continuing to deliver new equipment and supplying spare parts and maintenance services, as well as enterprises, a number of which are SMEs that provision each flight – manufacturers and/or suppliers of food products, cutlery, sanitary paper, water, blankets, cleaning and maintenance services, etc. These SME suppliers of goods and services are dependent on the operation of the aircrafts to remain in business,” PCCI president Benedicto Yujuico said.

He said easing restrictions for business travelers could be done while putting in place protocols on health, safety and documentation.

“We understand a sufficient number of testing and quarantine facilities have been set up in international airports. At the same time, the IATF-EID is also looking at allowing passengers to take their COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019)  test abroad one to two days before their departure,” he said.

As an active member of the Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the International Chamber of Commerce, he said the PCCI could help in securing a letter of invitation to establish the nature of travel of business people.

As PCCI supports the continued operation of local airlines, the group endorsed the proposal of ACAP for the IATF-EID to prioritize Philippine carriers mounting direct or connecting flights in international airports in the country in the allocation of quota for non-leisure travelers.

“This Philippine air carriers-first allocation should be extended to foreign business travelers once restriction on business travel is lifted,” Yujuico said.

He said it would be easy to monitor implementation of health and safety protocols in the aviation sector as it is easy to track the movement of travelers and even workers from the purchase of tickets to the entry into airports, embarkation and disembarkation from the aircraft and departure from the airport.

The aviation industry is among the hardest hit sectors by the community quarantines implemented in the country to curb the spread of the virus.

The International Air Transport Association estimates revenue losses of Philippine carriers and tourism would reach over $4 billion, and 570,000 jobs in the sector would be at risk this year.

Carriers Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and AirAsia Philippines have so far, let go of over 700 workers.