The Philippine Star
October 31, 2010 12:00 AM
MANILA, Philippines - A tourism industry leader has cautioned the government against rushing the implementation of pocket open skies, saying intensive consultations must first be conducted among affected stakeholders before deciding on the policy.
Consul General Robert Lim Joseph, chairman of the Tourism Educators and Movers Philippines (Team Philippines), said the government should call stakeholders in the aviation, travel and tourism industries to a series of dialogues to get their positions on the matter.
Joseph was reacting to a published report that quoted the Aquino administration as saying that it is studying the possibility of declaring a pocket open skies policy and that an executive order to that effect has already been drafted.
He said declaring pocket open skies would be a major policy decision which requires thorough study and discussions. “We cannot afford to trip on this move since it would affect a vital sector of the economy.”
Joseph warned that once a pocket open skies policy is declared and foreign airlines start flying into the country without restrictions on capacity and type of aircraft, it is hard to take this back, thus the need for utmost caution in considering the plan.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Belmonte cautions vs haste in adopting open skies policy
By Jess Diaz (The Philippine Star) Updated October 23, 2010 12:00 AM
Speaking to reporters Thursday, Belmonte said the government should first improve aviation and tourism infrastructure before Malacañang or Congress could consider such a policy.
He said modernization of tourism and air transport facilities, not liberalization of air policy alone, could be the key to attracting more foreign tourists to the Philippines.
“It think it is the whole system, not only open skies, that should be considered to make us more competitive,” he said.
Belmonte noted that Malaysia has become a major tourist destination in Asia largely because it offers modern, state-of-the-art facilities to visitors.
He suggested that the P15-billion fund for public-private partnerships in President Aquino’s proposed P1.6-trillion 2011 national budget should cover tourism and aviation infrastructure.
The fund is principally intended for toll roads and airports.
The “open skies” issue has come up every now and then because of the still unresolved labor problem plaguing flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL).
Mr. Aquino has repeatedly threatened to consider such a policy if PAL management and the airline’s workers failed to resolve their dispute and the latter declared a strike.
Since national interest was involved, the Department of Labor has decided to assume jurisdiction over the problem, effectively preventing PAL’s workers from striking.
In a recent House budget hearing, Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim advocated a “pocket open skies” policy that would open some parts of the country to foreign carriers.
He said when such a policy was adopted in Clark, tourist arrivals at the free port increased significantly.
He said the same is true in Bali, Indonesia and Siem Reap, Cambodia, and in Vietnam.
He did not say though which parts of the country he wanted opened to foreign airlines.
In the same budget hearing, Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo Benitez said Chinese tourists from Hong Kong and Macau continued to arrive at the free port in Sta. Ana, Cagayan even in the wake of the bloody Manila hostage-taking incident.
A company in which Benitez has some financial interest operates an integrated leisure and entertainment complex at the free port.
Planeloads of Hong Kong and Macau tourists visit the complex every week, Benitez said.
Speaking to reporters Thursday, Belmonte said the government should first improve aviation and tourism infrastructure before Malacañang or Congress could consider such a policy.
He said modernization of tourism and air transport facilities, not liberalization of air policy alone, could be the key to attracting more foreign tourists to the Philippines.
“It think it is the whole system, not only open skies, that should be considered to make us more competitive,” he said.
Belmonte noted that Malaysia has become a major tourist destination in Asia largely because it offers modern, state-of-the-art facilities to visitors.
He suggested that the P15-billion fund for public-private partnerships in President Aquino’s proposed P1.6-trillion 2011 national budget should cover tourism and aviation infrastructure.
The fund is principally intended for toll roads and airports.
The “open skies” issue has come up every now and then because of the still unresolved labor problem plaguing flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL).
Mr. Aquino has repeatedly threatened to consider such a policy if PAL management and the airline’s workers failed to resolve their dispute and the latter declared a strike.
Since national interest was involved, the Department of Labor has decided to assume jurisdiction over the problem, effectively preventing PAL’s workers from striking.
In a recent House budget hearing, Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim advocated a “pocket open skies” policy that would open some parts of the country to foreign carriers.
He said when such a policy was adopted in Clark, tourist arrivals at the free port increased significantly.
He said the same is true in Bali, Indonesia and Siem Reap, Cambodia, and in Vietnam.
He did not say though which parts of the country he wanted opened to foreign airlines.
In the same budget hearing, Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo Benitez said Chinese tourists from Hong Kong and Macau continued to arrive at the free port in Sta. Ana, Cagayan even in the wake of the bloody Manila hostage-taking incident.
A company in which Benitez has some financial interest operates an integrated leisure and entertainment complex at the free port.
Planeloads of Hong Kong and Macau tourists visit the complex every week, Benitez said.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Air China orders four Boeing 777-300 ER long-haul airliners
September 30, 2010
Air China is to launch more direct long-haul routes to meet the increasing demand.
Air China has ordered four Boeing 777-300ER long-haul airliners for $1.1 billion, the US aeronautics giant said in a statement.
Boeing said China’s flagship carrier plans to use the airliners to expand its international routes.
Marlin Dailey, vice president for sales and marketing for Boeing Commercial Airplanes, called it “a great day in the history of our long and enduring partnership with Air China”.
“Today’s order of 777s also underscores Air China’s confidence in the world’s most successful twin-engine, long-haul airplane,” he said in the statement.
Air China’s vice president, Fan Cheng, was quoted as saying the 777-300ER “will be the backbone of our long-haul international fleet.”
“The airplane’s high efficiency and performance features will enable Air China to launch more direct long-haul routes to meet the increasing demand of our passengers,” he said according to the Boeing statement.
The twin engine, wide-bodied Boeing 777-300ER can carry 365 passengers over distances of up to 14,685 kilometres, according to Boeing.
Air China is to launch more direct long-haul routes to meet the increasing demand.
Air China has ordered four Boeing 777-300ER long-haul airliners for $1.1 billion, the US aeronautics giant said in a statement.
Boeing said China’s flagship carrier plans to use the airliners to expand its international routes.
Marlin Dailey, vice president for sales and marketing for Boeing Commercial Airplanes, called it “a great day in the history of our long and enduring partnership with Air China”.
“Today’s order of 777s also underscores Air China’s confidence in the world’s most successful twin-engine, long-haul airplane,” he said in the statement.
Air China’s vice president, Fan Cheng, was quoted as saying the 777-300ER “will be the backbone of our long-haul international fleet.”
“The airplane’s high efficiency and performance features will enable Air China to launch more direct long-haul routes to meet the increasing demand of our passengers,” he said according to the Boeing statement.
The twin engine, wide-bodied Boeing 777-300ER can carry 365 passengers over distances of up to 14,685 kilometres, according to Boeing.
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