Philippines, China expand air services

The Philippines and China have expanded their bilateral air service ties to allow each other’s airlines to have a maximum of flight entitlements of 13,500 seats a week. Previously it was pegged at 10,000 seats per week.

The Philippines will be entitled to operate unlimited number of seats outside China’s major points of Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai, while China will have the same privilege outside the Philippines’ main hub of Manila.

Sicat noted that the consultations were timely, with China fast becoming a major source of tourists visiting the Philippines.

Philippine Star reported that transportation Undersecretary Glicerio Sicat said, ‘China now ranks fourth among the main sources of our tourist arrivals. There is a need, therefore, to increase the seat entitlements of our airlines.’