The Philippines and Thailand have agreed to raise flight entitlements by 27 percent amid rising tourism between the two countries, the Civil Aeronautics Board said on Thursday.
"We agreed to increase entitlements to Manila from 5,440 seats per week to 6,880. This is enough to cover growth which is about 3 percent per year," Carmelo Arcilla, CAB executive director said.
Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific already fly to Thailand, while Air Asia Philippines and Zest Airways have plans to follow suit.
Arcilla said the Philippines and Thailand also agreed on unlimited rights to points outside Manila, in line with Executive Order No. 29.
The air talks were held in Bangkok on November 13-14.
The expansion in flights between the Philippines and Thailand comes after Manila clinched a similar deal with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The Philippines and United Arab Emirates also agreed to unlimited traffic rights between points in the Philippines except Manila to points in UAE, in accordance with EO 29.
President Benigno Aquino III issued EO 29 to open airports other than the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to more foreign traffic.
The Aquino administration is pursuing air talks as part of its open skies policy.
The government aims to generate six million tourists, three million jobs and $4.6 billion in tourism revenues by 2016, allowing the sector to contribute 6.35 percent to gross domestic product.-Interaksyon (November 15, 2012 4:35PM)
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