Beijing, Manila increase aviation ties to 13,500 seats weekly

CHINA and the Philippines have expanded bilateral air service ties to allow each other's airlines to have a maximum of flight entitlements of 13,500 seats a week, reports the Philippine Star.

After talks in Beijing, the two agreed to more flights for their carriers. Transportation Undersecretary Glicerio Sicat led the Philippine delegation, while Civil Aviation Administration of China director-general Li Jiangmin headed the Chinese team.

Said Mr Sicat: "China now ranks fourth among sources of tourist arrivals. There is a need, therefore, to increase the seat entitlements of our airlines because of this growth."

The talks led to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) allowing designated airlines of the two sides to operate an additional 3,500 seats per week on their respective routes. This brought the capacity entitlements to 13,500 per week.

The last MOU signed in 2004 pegged levels to 10,000 seats per week. Under the new deal the Philippines will be entitled to operate unlimited number of seats outside Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai, while China will have the same privilege outside the Philippines' main hub of Manila.
(Source:www.schednet.com)