The Philippines and South Korea have signed a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) on air services that sets air traffic entitlements to 20,000 seats per week for each country from 13,500 seats previously.
Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) executive director Carmelo Arcilla, in a statement, said the MOU allows all airlines from the Philippines authorized to operate between Manila and all international airports in Korea toutilize a combined total of 20,000 seats each week.
“The same number of 20,000 seats per week is also available for all the Korean carriers authorized to operate between Manila and all international airports in Korea,” added Arcilla.
The new MOU further provides for unlimited traffic rights for authorized airlines of both countries between all international airports in the Philippines outside Manila and all international airports in South Korea.
“The expanded air traffic rights in Manila is intended to address the increased demand for air services between Manila and Korea, while the unlimited air traffic rights outside Manila is in line with Philippine government policy to develop airports outside Manila and spur the economic development of new tourism, trade and economic centers outside Manila,” Arcilla explained.
The new agreement, which was signed on November 8, is expected to enhance bilateral air connectivity to support the vastly growing tourism, trade, and investment activities between the two countries, said Arcilla.
Tourist arrivals from South Korea have consistently been the biggest among all tourism source markets, with Korean tourists to the Philippines numbering 1.475 million in 2016. There are eight Korean air carriers and five Philippine air carriers currently operating between the Philippines and South Korea.
The Philippine delegation to Seoul, South Korea was headed by Transportation Undersecretary Manuel Antonio Tamayo as chairman and Arcilla as vice chairman, joined by representatives from the Department of Tourism, Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Trade and Industry, and Department of Labor and Employment.
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