here again updates on philo airprots from businessworld online

Vol. XVIII, No. 236
Friday, June 24, 2005 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES
Focus BY LARICELE A. JABATAN, JUN P. TAGALOG, and SARWELL Q. MENIANO,
Visayas terminals struggle with decades-old facilities

Except for the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA), all the other 20 airports in the Visayas are either trunkline, secondary or feeder airports.


Mactan Cebu International Airport

Jonice Espere, corporate planning manager of the Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA), said the Cebu airport is the only profitable venture among the rest.

MCIA has enjoyed positive net income before tax since 1994, except in 1998 following the impact of the Asian financial crisis.

In 2003, Ms. Espere said revenues increased 5% to P583 million from P555 million in 2002. These came from aeronautical charges, lighting, parking and packing fees, baggage handling rentals, concessionaire privilege fees, and rentals of properties.

MCIA used to earn from its VIP lounge. But with each airline establishing its own similar facility, the airport authority ceased to operate it.

The airport has more domestic flights than international flights, but the international flights generate more revenue. Last year, MCIA reported 24,541 domestic flights and 3,886 international flights.

There are six international airlines that operate flights to and from the MCIA: Cathay Pacific, Silkair, Cebu Pacific, Qatar Airways, Malaysian Airlines, and Philippine Airlines (PAL).

Aside from PAL, domestic airlines Cebu Pacific, Sea Air, Air Philippines, and Asian Spirit offer flights that link Cebu to Manila, Davao City, Bacolod City, Iloilo City, Bohol, Puerto Princesa City, Butuan City, Zamboanga City, Cagayan de Oro City, Camiguin, Caticlan, and Tandag.

There are four trunkline airports and these are in Roxas City, Capiz; Iloilo City, Iloilo; Bacolod City, Negros Occidental; and Tacloban City, Leyte.

The six secondary airports can be found in Kalibo (Aklan), Antique, Catarman (Northern Samar), Calbayog City (Samar), Ormoc City (Leyte), and Tagbilaran City (Bohol).

The feeder airports are in Caticlan (jump-off point to Boracay island), Bantayan island (Cebu), Biliran, Catbalogan (Samar), Borongan (Eastern Samar), Guiuan in Hilongos (Leyte), Maasin (Southern Leyte), Ubay in Bohol, and Siquijor.

In Iloilo City, the decades-old trunkline airport will soon be replaced by the proposed new airport of international standard.

The airport in Mandurriao district is five decades old. It originally catered to small prewar and war aircraft when it opened in 1948.

When turbo jets started to operate in 1972, three major airlines dominated passenger and cargo traffic in Iloilo. These are Pilipinas Orient Airways, Air Manila, and PAL.

The airport used to have small separate terminals for the three airlines, contracted floor area, a more than a kilometer macadam runway, small control tower in the old aviation area and active aviation operation using air taxi and charter aircraft carrying an average of three to five passengers to any point of the country.

Later on, the macadam-made runway was changed into concrete overlaid with asphalt. It was also lengthened and widened and the terminal building was protracted. The ramp can now simultaneously accommodate four jets.

Alan Java, area manager of the Air Transportation Office (ATO) in Western Visayas, said the development of one airport depends on the revenues it can generate through taxes and fees from concessionaires and leases.

These include the lease of airport lands vacant for concession, lease of floor areas in terminal building, landing and takeoff fees, air navigational fees, parking fees, airmen licenses -- pilot, stewards, and mechanic -- and terminal fees.

"However, as a government entity, we should not look into it as a business but a service-oriented scheme that would improve our facilities, personnel and services to cater to the needs of the passengers," Mr. Java told BusinessWorld.

He added that the ATO central area 5 (Region 6) could generate around P10 million to P15 million annually from these fees, including the uncollected fees from some delinquent concessionaires.

In 2003, its revenue was P72 million versus expenses of P68 million. The figure includes collections from other provincial airports in the region.

Western Visayas also has trunk-line airports in Bacolod City and Roxas City, secondary airports in Kalibo and Antique and feeder airports in Caticlan and Guimaras.

At the Iloilo airport alone, there are delinquent concessionaires whose debts have piled up to P7 million. Three of these big concessionaires failed to pay rent since 1986. One past-due account has reached P3 million, although the concessionaire is paying on installment.

"They keep using our facilities but they are not paying rent. We have filed court action against these people but so far we have not been very successful in collecting amounts supposedly due the government," Mr. Java said.

"With the prevailing situation, the management has come up with proactive policies in accepting rentals. We take one-year payment in advance but we are still collecting monthly dues from our concessionaires," he added.

Instituting reforms to increase collection, said Mr. Java, is not easy but the rent should be paid on time.

There are 57 lessees in Iloilo that includes restaurants and airline offices. Many groups are still plenty interested to position their businesses inside the airport, but they cannot be accommodated.

The airport services three major airlines: Philippine Airlines (PAL), Air Philippines, and Cebu Pacific.

Mr. Java said they are now attending to more flights compared to when air traffic was monopolized by PAL. The number of flights that the airport is handling has commensurately increased its operating income.

"The competition among the airlines somehow benefits us because every time they use our navigational aids, they are paying us. The more aircraft using our aids, the more income we will have with the same expenses. More domestic flights could be translated into higher revenues in so far as fees are concerned," Mr. Java said.

The increasing passenger traffic has led to more work and responsibilities for the airport personnel, and opened more opportunities for Iloilo and the adjoining provinces of Antique, Capiz, Aklan, and Guimaras, especially from tourism.

PROBLEMS

However, most of the passengers would often complain that they are uncomfortable at the arrival and predeparture areas of Iloilo.

The original terminal building was designed for a single terminal operation, it was designed for natural ventilation, thus the open windows and corridors.

However, due to terrorist threats, the Department of Transportation and Communications has restricted entry to the terminal area, all windows and doors were closed -- without air-conditioning.

"The Iloilo airport with natural ventilation design became a closed terminal building without air-conditioning system," Mr. Java said.

The ATO has installed six five-tonner air-conditioning units in the predeparture area, except for the lobby. Mr. Java said the airport needs 23 air-conditioning units to adequately serve all areas.

The airport also lacks parking spaces for and has no shaded waiting area. The facility was rehabilitated in 1982, except for the parking area which could only accommodate 100 to 129 vehicles as against a daily requirement for 1,700 vehicles.

"It can also be noted that the airport terminal is located near the highway unlike other airports where the terminal building is separated from the main highway. Other airports have their own special access road and cater only to the airport traffic. We have already a hard time managing the airport traffic. How much more for the vehicular traffic within our site?" Mr. Java said.

The ATO has proposed the ban of cargo and delivery trucks loaded with animals and construction materials passing the highway in front of the airport, but it has yet to receive notice from the local government.

Another burden is the exclusive use of the x-ray machine by PAL passengers.

The baggage of passengers from other airlines have to undergo the manual checking.

"It is really disgusting on the part of travelers but we are making the most of what we can do to improve the system of Iloilo airport in terms of infrastructure, personnel, facilities and services," Mr. Java said.

He also said that there is no definite plan as yet on the trunkline airport once the international standards become operational.

He added that there are investors who are planning to convert it into an export processing zone or commercial complex.

In Tacloban City, the ATO reported that the Daniel Z. Romualdez (DZR) airport has generated an income of P4.8 million during the first half of 2004, of which the highest collection of P1.6 million was in May.

The revenue came from parking space rental, landing and takeoff fees, terminal fee, and rental fees from concessionaires. The DZR airport serves between 200 and 350 passengers daily.

ATO Area Manager for Eastern Visayas Dalisay Muertegui told BusinessWorld that they are implementing strategies to improve revenue generation

She said they expect to collect more when the expansion project is completed this year. The project seeks to expand the airport by 200 hectares.

The existing runway covers only 9.6 hectares while the rest of the airport’s properties occupy 123.7 hectares.

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again more statistics on airports

Local airports barely surviving financially

For about 20 years now, Agnes, a Manila-based accountant, has been taking at least a week off every year to spend vacation with her family in Cagayan de Oro City.


Manila Domestic Airport

Along with other passengers, she queues outside the old domestic airport as early as 2 a.m. When the terminal doors open at 3 a.m., she lines up again for the first x-ray machine to check the contents of her luggage. She checks in, pays the P100 passenger terminal fee at a counter, and meets another x-ray machine for her hand-carry bags.

After being frisked by an airport security agent, she finds a spot at the pre-departure lounge. Aside from the fastfood counters, the lounge also has a tiny book and magazine store, massage area, smoking booth, and washrooms.

The plane lands in Cagayan de Oro at 7 a. m. In the 1980s, without automation, the airport staff carry the bags and luggage, boxes, and palm leaf bag (bayong) to the arrival area and leave everything on the floor for passengers to pick up. And while online ticketing and electronic flu detectors are the norm in airports, the manual practice prevails.

Upon departure, a security agent scrutinizes every box and bag, takes the contents out, dumps everything back, orders the passenger to seal the package or lock the luggage, and writes "OK" on the suitcase. After a few steps another inspector checks the hand-carry bags.

The Air Transportation Office (ATO) may have a P2-billion annual budget, but it’s a tight squeeze for ATO chief Transportation and Communications Assistant Secretary Nilo Jatico, who runs the 85 airports nationwide.

The ATO’s allotment has remained a little less than P2 billion since 2003 despite rising operational cost from continuous increases in oil, power, and water rates, along with other commodities needed to run an air transport facility. The amount is divided nationwide depending on the needs of an airport.

For instance, area center 1 received a subsidy of P103.96 million in 2004 from P87.89 million in 2003. Area I covers airports in Mactan (Cebu), Dumaguete (Negros Oriental) and Tagbilaran (Bohol), which have the tourism market.

Area center 2, which includes the Laoag International Airport in Ilocos Norte, had P84.17 million in savings in 2003, thus, its budget for 2004 was cut 14.17% to P108.51 million.

The Davao International Airport, which started direct international flights from Indonesia and Thailand in December 2003, belongs to area center 8. In 2004, the center’s appropriation jumped 86.27% to P165.37 million from the year-ago level.

Government-run airports use the subsidy for salaries and maintenance and other operating expenses.

AIR BRIDGES

"Airports under the ATO are meant to be air bridges. Since the Philippines is an archipelago, we play an integral role since air transport is the fastest means of transportation from one island to another," Mr. Jatico said.

It appears, then, that the ATO’s main purpose is to provide airport services per se, not necessarily to generate funds.

Its operating and service income in 2004 was P2.742 billion, 15.4% higher than P2.376 billion in 2003. All collections are remitted to the national coffers.

As expected, the highest earner last year was the Manila international airport, whose operations yielded P2.351 billion from communications services alone. The amount includes fees for air navigational facilities, and use of the airport’s radar and landing systems. The fee is pegged in dollars, even for domestic carriers. On an average, one flight would cost an airline $500.

The ATO does not collect the passenger terminal fee in the Manila international airport because this goes to the government-owned operator, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA). The MIAA also collects the landing and parking fees and charges for concessionaires within the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

After Manila, area center 8 ranks as the next highest revenue earner. It made P115.89 million last year, the bulk of which came from fees paid for pilot licenses, landing and parking fees, toll and terminal fees paid by passengers, and air navigational fees.

The other airports in this area center, aside from Davao, are Gen. Santos, Cotabato, Mati, Tandag, Allah Valley, and Bislig.

Area Center 5 covers major tourists spots such as Boracay, with airports in Kalibo, Caticlan (both in Aklan), Bacolod (Negros Occidental), Antique, Iloilo and Roxas. Its operating and service income in 2004 amounted to P74.76 million.

Area center 2 made P32.9 million, while area center 9, covering Cagayan de Oro, Butuan (Agusan del Norte), Surigao, Siargao, Malaybalay (Bukidnon) and Camiguin made P32.44 million.

While most area centers posted an increase in income in 2004, the ATO has to wait for the National Government as to what percentage of these income will go back to the agency.

A public hearing was supposed to be scheduled this month to discuss an increase in ATO rates and charges in line with the general attrition bill, which was signed into law to generate more funds.

The congressional hearings on the alleged conversation between President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Elections Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano, and on the jueteng scandal that allegedly involves some members of the First Family may have sidelined the new rate hearing.

But an ATO source said the agency is not keen on collecting the additional charges.

"If we increase the fees, everything would just go to the National Government. It does not provide any assurance that the budget for the ATO would also be increased. It would also just mean more burden for the users of the airport, which are not only the airlines but the passengers and the student pilots as well."

International airports collect at least P500 from every passenger, while domestic airports charge P40 for the terminal fee.

Trunkline airports, or those which serve principal commercial centers like Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, and Iloilo, collect P30. Principal towns and cities like Baguio, Basco (Batanes), Vigan (Ilocos Sur), and San Fernando (La Union) are served by secondary airports, which collect P20. Feeder airports operate in small towns with limited passenger traffic and collect terminal fee of P10.

The ATO also offers training with courses like airport maintenance, aviation security, airspace planning and aircraft accident investigation and prevention.

AVIATION AUTHORITY

Meanwhile, the ATO sees another opportunity for development in the proposed creation of the Civil Aviation Authority.

The proposal was first floated in 1998, but Mr. Jatico said the bill seeking to establish the office was left in the congressional archives. Another proposal was drafted in October 2004, but there has so far been no action from Congress on the matter.

The bill seeks the ATO’s retention of all airports’ income to finance its own operations and development projects.

Mr. Jatico added that the ATO employees, most of whom hold skilled technical aviation positions, would be better remunerated.

For instance, a highly skilled aircraft controller in Thailand would earn an equivalent of P100,000 compared to only P25,000 for the local position.

Mr. Jatico said the salary discrepancy has forced many aircraft controllers to go abroad, leaving the ATO with a shortage of 309 skilled employees.

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ADB urges joint action on forex, imbalances

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- Visayas terminals struggle with decades-old facilities
- Mindanao wanting in better infrastructure

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"Managers hate performance appraisal"


E-mail this to a friend

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last not least.....

Local airports barely surviving financially

For about 20 years now, Agnes, a Manila-based accountant, has been taking at least a week off every year to spend vacation with her family in Cagayan de Oro City.


Manila Domestic Airport

Along with other passengers, she queues outside the old domestic airport as early as 2 a.m. When the terminal doors open at 3 a.m., she lines up again for the first x-ray machine to check the contents of her luggage. She checks in, pays the P100 passenger terminal fee at a counter, and meets another x-ray machine for her hand-carry bags.

After being frisked by an airport security agent, she finds a spot at the pre-departure lounge. Aside from the fastfood counters, the lounge also has a tiny book and magazine store, massage area, smoking booth, and washrooms.

The plane lands in Cagayan de Oro at 7 a. m. In the 1980s, without automation, the airport staff carry the bags and luggage, boxes, and palm leaf bag (bayong) to the arrival area and leave everything on the floor for passengers to pick up. And while online ticketing and electronic flu detectors are the norm in airports, the manual practice prevails.

Upon departure, a security agent scrutinizes every box and bag, takes the contents out, dumps everything back, orders the passenger to seal the package or lock the luggage, and writes "OK" on the suitcase. After a few steps another inspector checks the hand-carry bags.

The Air Transportation Office (ATO) may have a P2-billion annual budget, but it’s a tight squeeze for ATO chief Transportation and Communications Assistant Secretary Nilo Jatico, who runs the 85 airports nationwide.

The ATO’s allotment has remained a little less than P2 billion since 2003 despite rising operational cost from continuous increases in oil, power, and water rates, along with other commodities needed to run an air transport facility. The amount is divided nationwide depending on the needs of an airport.

For instance, area center 1 received a subsidy of P103.96 million in 2004 from P87.89 million in 2003. Area I covers airports in Mactan (Cebu), Dumaguete (Negros Oriental) and Tagbilaran (Bohol), which have the tourism market.

Area center 2, which includes the Laoag International Airport in Ilocos Norte, had P84.17 million in savings in 2003, thus, its budget for 2004 was cut 14.17% to P108.51 million.

The Davao International Airport, which started direct international flights from Indonesia and Thailand in December 2003, belongs to area center 8. In 2004, the center’s appropriation jumped 86.27% to P165.37 million from the year-ago level.

Government-run airports use the subsidy for salaries and maintenance and other operating expenses.

AIR BRIDGES

"Airports under the ATO are meant to be air bridges. Since the Philippines is an archipelago, we play an integral role since air transport is the fastest means of transportation from one island to another," Mr. Jatico said.

It appears, then, that the ATO’s main purpose is to provide airport services per se, not necessarily to generate funds.

Its operating and service income in 2004 was P2.742 billion, 15.4% higher than P2.376 billion in 2003. All collections are remitted to the national coffers.

As expected, the highest earner last year was the Manila international airport, whose operations yielded P2.351 billion from communications services alone. The amount includes fees for air navigational facilities, and use of the airport’s radar and landing systems. The fee is pegged in dollars, even for domestic carriers. On an average, one flight would cost an airline $500.

The ATO does not collect the passenger terminal fee in the Manila international airport because this goes to the government-owned operator, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA). The MIAA also collects the landing and parking fees and charges for concessionaires within the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

After Manila, area center 8 ranks as the next highest revenue earner. It made P115.89 million last year, the bulk of which came from fees paid for pilot licenses, landing and parking fees, toll and terminal fees paid by passengers, and air navigational fees.

The other airports in this area center, aside from Davao, are Gen. Santos, Cotabato, Mati, Tandag, Allah Valley, and Bislig.

Area Center 5 covers major tourists spots such as Boracay, with airports in Kalibo, Caticlan (both in Aklan), Bacolod (Negros Occidental), Antique, Iloilo and Roxas. Its operating and service income in 2004 amounted to P74.76 million.

Area center 2 made P32.9 million, while area center 9, covering Cagayan de Oro, Butuan (Agusan del Norte), Surigao, Siargao, Malaybalay (Bukidnon) and Camiguin made P32.44 million.

While most area centers posted an increase in income in 2004, the ATO has to wait for the National Government as to what percentage of these income will go back to the agency.

A public hearing was supposed to be scheduled this month to discuss an increase in ATO rates and charges in line with the general attrition bill, which was signed into law to generate more funds.

The congressional hearings on the alleged conversation between President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Elections Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano, and on the jueteng scandal that allegedly involves some members of the First Family may have sidelined the new rate hearing.

But an ATO source said the agency is not keen on collecting the additional charges.

"If we increase the fees, everything would just go to the National Government. It does not provide any assurance that the budget for the ATO would also be increased. It would also just mean more burden for the users of the airport, which are not only the airlines but the passengers and the student pilots as well."

International airports collect at least P500 from every passenger, while domestic airports charge P40 for the terminal fee.

Trunkline airports, or those which serve principal commercial centers like Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, and Iloilo, collect P30. Principal towns and cities like Baguio, Basco (Batanes), Vigan (Ilocos Sur), and San Fernando (La Union) are served by secondary airports, which collect P20. Feeder airports operate in small towns with limited passenger traffic and collect terminal fee of P10.

The ATO also offers training with courses like airport maintenance, aviation security, airspace planning and aircraft accident investigation and prevention.

AVIATION AUTHORITY

Meanwhile, the ATO sees another opportunity for development in the proposed creation of the Civil Aviation Authority.

The proposal was first floated in 1998, but Mr. Jatico said the bill seeking to establish the office was left in the congressional archives. Another proposal was drafted in October 2004, but there has so far been no action from Congress on the matter.

The bill seeks the ATO’s retention of all airports’ income to finance its own operations and development projects.

Mr. Jatico added that the ATO employees, most of whom hold skilled technical aviation positions, would be better remunerated.

For instance, a highly skilled aircraft controller in Thailand would earn an equivalent of P100,000 compared to only P25,000 for the local position.

Mr. Jatico said the salary discrepancy has forced many aircraft controllers to go abroad, leaving the ATO with a shortage of 309 skilled employees.

Section Banner Stories / Select News

TopStories
RP earns more dollars

Corporate World
- IFC grants $15-million loan to Cagayan de Oro power firm
- Corporate governance reforms should also cover private firms
- High court upholds legality of compromise deal over telco

Markets
Politics, oil dampen investor sentiment

Banking & Finance
ADB urges joint action on forex, imbalances

The Economy
BCDA inks P1.5-B loan for expressway project

The Nation
Pressure mounts on Arroyo to explain poll fraud claims

Focus
- Local airports barely surviving financially
- Visayas terminals struggle with decades-old facilities
- Mindanao wanting in better infrastructure

Arts & Leisure
Toy Story 3 set for 2008 release

I.T. Matters
Most companies neglect even basic email management -- Butler Group


Regional Markets
Tapping OFW markets

Labor & Management
- Pre-need firms’ ills add to worries of OFWs
- Foundation receives three ISO certifications
- Foreign talent quest reaps rewards, breeds resentment
- On top of the supply chain
- In The Workplace -- By Reylito A.H. Elbo
"Managers hate performance appraisal"


E-mail this to a friend

Printer-friendly version

hi skylinepigeon,
salamat for your reply, it figures out that way i guess. i left you with a lot to read, all articles from businessworld online. in my opinion a very good website.
rds from germany
philpal

just one more info
i started a new thread called
the philippines from above
have a look at that satellite photo of manila and scroll down. you will see the NAIA layout very nicely !

perhaps its due to oneworld or code-sharing with PAL. I doubt that AA would fly here. They don't fly to this part of asia, and they have better things to do with their money rather than compete head-on with NorthWest and PAL.


@Skyblade: I think that inaugural flight was delayed. If it was, how typical :D
What's a PAL flight w/o a delay then? ;) Hmm OneWorld codesharing with PAL...dude if that's true, I'm gonna sooooo worship you for posting that... :master: As a mileage runner, hearing a possible codeshare with PAL...or better yet, a more extensive FFM partnership, is music to my ears, esp since I could use all those miles I've been earning from Kelloggs boxtops for my next Philippine trip.:D Meh but for now, I'll just settle with Northwest and Skyteam...still have that goal to try out the new World Business Class to Manila when I have the miles. :D

What's a PAL flight w/o a delay then? ;) Hmm OneWorld codesharing with PAL...dude if that's true, I'm gonna sooooo worship you for posting that... :master: As a mileage runner, hearing a possible codeshare with PAL...or better yet, a more extensive FFM partnership, is music to my ears, esp since I could use all those miles I've been earning from Kelloggs boxtops for my next Philippine trip.:D Meh but for now, I'll just settle with Northwest and Skyteam...still have that goal to try out the new World Business Class to Manila when I have the miles. :D


It was just a guess. I tried searching on google for why AA is committing manpower here, and I came up with nothing. But what I do know is that AA has been interlining with PAL for a while now, and this includes e-tickets. I'm not so sure if mileage redemption covers this, though...

Right now, I'm pissed that Emirates terminated their FF partnership with SIA. Now, my skywards miles are only good for an upgrade for the next time I go to europe, which is not forseeable before my miles expire. -_- I always wanted to visit Changi, too. Oh well, at least I still have JAL.

I've heard great reviews about WBC, but if you really want to dip into oneworld, why not try CX? Their product is great, and layovers in chek lap kok are short and sweet. They're stingy about redemption, but not upgrades :)

hi,
again some striking news for philippine skies !

Saturday, June 25, 2005 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES
The Economy
Transport dep’t to allow chartered flights to Visayas

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) will allow low-cost airline companies to provide chartered flights to Visayas starting this year.

Robert R. Castañares, DoTC assistant secretary, said that the liberalized chartered program for Visayas will be similar to the budget flights at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark Field, Pampanga.

The same program is in the pipeline for the airports in Laoag (Ilocos Norte), Davao, Cagayan de Oro, and General Santos.

Mr. Castañares said budget carrier Asiana Airlines of South Korea will start flying to Cebu on July 15, while Air Asia Berhad of Malaysia had inquired with the DoTC for possible routes to airports in the Visayas.

Other undisclosed carriers are keen on flying to Bohol, Siquijor, Caticlan, and Dumaguete (Negros Oriental). They are conducting feasibility study for commercial flights in these areas.

By international standards, a chartered flight has a budget fare and is unscheduled. Chartered flights do not use up entitlements granted to the flight’s country of origin, as set in air service agreements between countries.

Under the liberalized charter program, however, low-cost carriers are allowed to issue tickets and to make scheduled trips.

The DoTC grants a provisional approval that allows budget airlines to serve under the liberalized charter program while applying for a foreign carrier’s permit to enter the country.

Carriers start to consume flight entitlements under international air pacts only when they start making regular scheduled flights.

"There are eight million unutilized entitlements versus 15 million issued by the DoTC and Civil Aviation Board, this is the reason DoTC is pushing for the entry of low-cost carriers in the Visayas," Mr. Castañares said yesterday.

"With low-cost carriers flying to the Visayas, we would be promoting tourism, and at the same time providing cheaper means of travel for overseas Filipino workers and to enhancing commerce in areas outside Manila," he added.

The government welcome the operation of budget airlines amid a region-wide strategy of governments to expand revenue stream of an industry badly hit by the effects of Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.

In Singapore’s Changi airport, for example, low-cost carriers accounted for 7% of traffic, and proof of this niche’s lucrative prospect was airport management’s decision to build a terminal that would exclusively service their flights.

This year, Tiger Air of Singapore began selling tickets for flights to the Philippines for $16. Malaysia-based AirAsia now flies to Clark from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Kota Kinabalu, Sabah for $68.40. Jetstar Asia offers Singapore-Manila flights for $60. -- Kerlyn G. Bautista

Pretty Good news for tourism.

Anyone want a job as a service agent for JAL @ NAIA? :D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v394/monperez74/MnlBulletin19Jun05JAL.jpg

Courtesy of Mon from PFSG.

interesting news on gov.ph :
Air Philippines expands operation through 2009
MANILA, June 26 (PNA) -- Air Philippines, the country's third largest carrier in the country, will gradually expand operation starting this year to 2009 by having at least 10-12 aircraft.

Capt. Edilberto R. Medina, president and CEO of Air Philippines said, "Hopefully, we will fulfill our vision for 2009, that we will be one of the airlines regionally."

Air Philippines is embarking on a re-fleeting program and have just completed the first phase with the acquisition of six Boeing 747 from US Air.

"Starting next month, we are going to start phase II with the acquisition of four more 737 from Delta," Medina said.

With additional acquisition of aircraft, "it will satisfy our plan regionally and domestically," said Medina.

Air Philippines has now two gateways in China-Shenzhen and Canton. A couple of months back, the carrier was flying to Chengdu in Sichuan Province but only a charter flight.

"We did a series of flights to Chengdu until we stopped because of charter air fleet," Medina explained.

Right now, as part of the expansion program, Air Philippines is also flying to three Korean entry points -- Daigu, Kwangu and Ichon, simultaneously with China.

Regionally, Air Philippines is intending to go to Manado via Davao, where the airline used to fly in 2003 and extend/expand the Zamboanga fleet from Zamboanga to Sandakan and Kota Kinabalu.

On the domestic front, the airline is flying to Tuguegarao, Puerto Princesa, Bohol, Dumaguete, Iloilo, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Davao and Zamboanga.

"With the additional aircraft, we are going to increase our route or reinforce our Cebu hub -- add the Cebu-Zamboanga, Cebu-Cotabato, and another freguency to Cebu-Davao," Medina said.

Tha China and Korea flights we are doing right now with reciprocity with other governments is in line with the government's thrust of increasing tourism "because we are bringing Filipino tourists there and coming back with Chinese and Korean travelers."

At the moment, especially in China with the able assistance of Consul General Erlinda Gavino, the concept of China tourism becomes serious with Chinese tourists wanting to go to Subic, Boracay and Cebu.

"With the dynamic effort of ConGen who is very active in promoting the tourism industry of our country and our participation, we can enhance the tourism program of our country by bringing in more Chinese and Korean tourists," Medina said.

He added that Air Philippines is grateful to the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) for granting the opportunity to accomplish the initial plan of the carrier to fly to the regions. (PNA)

fly high air phil and all phil airlines !
philpal

@hubzilla... my page?:D or someone else you talking to? :?


I thought you wanted more pics for your site. This one is yours, right?
http://www.geocities.com/todi_pogy/

If so, you can use the Photobucket Manila pics for them (see my PM to you).

Air Philippines is embarking on a re-fleeting program and have just completed the first phase with the acquisition of six Boeing 747 from US Air.



err... I don't think US Air ever had 747s. Besides, if the planes were actually 747s, then the route list would include a transpac or a european destination, instead of the short-hauls indicated...

probably a piece of journalistic irresponsibility.

As for the rest of the refleeting, it seems pretty sad that 2P is settling for used 737s when Cebu Pacific is getting brand new A319s.

For some reason I don't like airphil. no intelligent one mind you just a feeling that they're much cheaper and it extends to maintenance as opposed to 5j.

Another one!

==========================================================

Northwest Boeing 747 stalls on NAIA runway
By Nikko Dizon Inquirer News Service June 26, 2005

A NORTHWEST Airlines Boeing 747-400 aircraft stalled on the runway of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) yesterday morning after its pilot reportedly miscalculated a turn, an airport official said.

Flight NW 020, carrying 403 passengers and bound for Minneapolis via Narita, was preparing for takeoff at 8:40 a.m. when the incident took place.

Investigation showed that the pilots failed to follow the nose wheel guideline marker at Runway 06 and miscalculated the 180-degree turn in preparation for takeoff, according to Octavio Lina Jr., operations manager of the Manila International Airport Authority.

"They followed their own marker and went the opposite direction," Lina said.

That put the aircraft in an awkward position and two tractors were needed to reposition it.

After 40 minutes, the aircraft was cleared for takeoff. However, its pilot decided to return to Bay 10 to have the aircraft inspected.

Because of the incident, Air Macau flight NX 852, which was expected to arrive at Naia at 8:45 a.m., was diverted to Cebu. Singapore Airlines SQ 071, scheduled to leave Naia for Singapore, was delayed an hour.

Two Philippine Airlines flights, one bound for Hong Kong and the other for Singapore, were also delayed.

Smaller arriving and departing aircraft used Runway 1331 to avoid delays.

Lina explained that the 180-degree turn was needed while a portion of the runway was undergoing repair. The repairs began two weeks ago and are expected to be finished in 30 days.

taken from philstar.com..

Tiger Airways to increase Clark-Singapore flights

The Philippine Star 06/28/2005

CLARK FIELD, Pampanga — Tiger Airways, known as Singapore’s low-fare airline, has informed officials of the Clark Development Corp. (CDC) and the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) here that it will increase its flights from Clark to Singapore to 10 flights a week

In a statement, Tony Davis, chief executive officer of Tiger Airways, said: "Many passengers have contacted Tiger Airways, frustrated that our existing flights are already full. We are delighted to offer two additional flights to satisfy the overwhelming demand for low-fare travel in the Philippines."

CDC officials said Tiger Airways is set to increase its flights from only three to five times a week to 10 flights weekly starting July 30.

CDC executive vice president Victor Jose Luciano said the additional flights would be in response to the requests of passengers, mostly overseas Filipino workers in Singapore, since the airline’s inaugural flight last April 4.

Luciano said that last June 6, Tiger Airways increased the number of its flights from three to five times a week.

Tiger Airways earlier noted "strong forward bookings " for its flights to Clark for the June-July 2005 period. The 10-flights-a-week scheme is expected to allow Tiger Airways to carry more than 180,000 passengers to the Philippines each year, and is expected to boost local tourism and economy.

Luciano said that tickets could be bought via www.tigerairways.com. Payment can be made through Visa or MasterCard online.

Tiger Airways, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, is fast developing itself into the city-state’s biggest and most popular low-fare airline and the clear benefits of affordable air travel have been enthusiastically embraced by customers in Asia. —

Northwest eyes Cebu flights
Clarissa S. Batino | Inquirer News Service | Jun. 25, 2005

AMERICAN carrier Northwest Airlines is exploring the possibility of expanding its Philippine operations to include the city of Cebu in the Visayas region, said the head of the Mactan Cebu International Airport.

Adelberto Yap, chief of the Cebu airport, said he received a letter from Northwest two weeks ago expressing interest to mount flights to and from the Visayas.

He said Northwest was considering a US-Narita-Cebu route and "expressed interest to use the Cebu airport," Yap said in an interview. Yap said Northwest would send a team to inspect the Cebu airport, on Mactan Island, next month. "They have to see if we can meet their requirements," he said.

Northwest flies daily from Metro Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport to the US via Tokyo.

Yap said Cargo carrier Trans Global Airlines had also asked for a permit to mount flights from the Cebu airport.

South Korean carriers next month will launch flights to Cebu, as Koreans show strong interest in traveling to the Visayas, Yap said.

Asiana Airlines will mount four weekly flights between Cebu and Incheon, South Korea, starting July 13, and Korean Air will fly twice weekly to Cebu starting July 18.

South Korean visitor arrivals in the Philippines recorded a 25-percent increase in March and 41 percent in April, surpassing Japan as the Philippines' top Asian market.

Yap said the Cebu hub was catering to other foreign airlines as well. With INQ7.net
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
really does look like Cebu is booming and a new key city is sprouting down south! oh, umm... can Northwest pick up passengers from Japan before they continue on to Manila?

btw, I went to Asiana's website yesterday trying to find out about their new flights to Cebu. I tried using their online booking engine to search for flights from Seoul to Cebu and they aren't even close to commencing service yet (July 23) but many of their flights (around 3/4 weeks onward) are either already or almost fully booked!! as in maybe 9 out of 10 flights! mostly only a few open business class seats now... same goes for their Clark and Manila flights for basically the next month! I really wasn't expecting it to be that big! ahahaha! that's awesome...!

Good news for Cebu and Clark.
For Naia pambihira naman iyan. Ano ba iyang mga pilotong iyan di nakikinig.

really does look like Cebu is booming and a new key city is sprouting down south! oh, umm... can Northwest pick up passengers from Japan before they continue on to Manila?

Tokyo-Narita is Northwest's Asian hub, they can pick-up/drop-off passengers there enroute to either North America or Southeast Asia. :colgate: Very good news for Cebu, now the city has air connections (at least indirectly) to the United States. :okay:

the article was mistaken. Nowrthwest actually has 2 daily flights to the US. Manila-Minneapolis, MN via Narita and Manila-Detroit via Nagoya

oh, okay... cool. so the US has like those fifth freedom agreement thingies with Japan. haha! i was just wondering that. that means the NW route to Cebu, if ever, will bring in not only balikbayans from the US but also tourists from Japan... yay. haha!

definately yes, air phil has to upgrade its fleet to newer aircraft. their 737-200s are very old and noone really wants old crap airplanes with a risk of falling apart (like what happened to CEBs DC-9 shortly). extrem fuel consumption is out of time besides loud noise of antique engines. mr. tan should upgrade to PAL standards, as both airlines codeshare, they can save on aquisation of new aircraft if they aquire together. i understand both airlines are mainly in the hands of mr. tan anyway. air phil will soon be out of business unless they upgrade to international standards like CEB. this airline definately will have a bright future, run the way it is right now.

Wow, Im so excited to ride on this new cebu pacific planes. Hopefully by december hehe.... They really look nice.
With regards to PAL standards, During my last trip to Iloilo, I took the early morning flight and was so disappointed by the service of the airline considering that PAL is the official Air carrier of the Philippines. The pustcart that used to distribute snacks is kinda old and the paint is obviously peeling. I hope they changed that! hehe...

I hope CEB and Airphil could also compete with the the new emerging low cost airlines from our neighboring countries and expand their networks.

According to a friend of mine who works in NW-HQ ( as a Chief Flight Scheduler) in Minneapolis that Cebu has been on Northtwest plan before,he mention this to me 2 years ago. Then I mention Cebu again three weeks ago if NW is reconsidering putting Cebu back again. I told him that Cebu is booming right now and it will be lucrative for NW to serve the city. He said he will look at it and talk to his chief.

I just found out that PAL has dropped its code-share agreement with KLM for flights between AMS-MNL. well, not really found out.. haha.. that's what it looks like though. it was taken off their destinations map on their website two days ago or so... do you guys know anything bout that?

I just found out how much domestic flights have gone up. It's nearly 9000 to go to Davao. Outrageous, tapos kota kinabalu 2000 (equidistant ) lang buwisit itong mga local carriers. Anybody here want to try team up put up an alternative to gokongwei and lucio tan?

clearing that article of air phil´s purchase of 6 747´s :
The article on the purchase of B747s by Air Philippines was just a typo error. We have just completed the first phase of our refleeting program with the purchase of six B737 200 aircraft. The second phase will start this month with the purchase of another four aircraft of the same type and series. In line with the company's program of being a low cost airline, we will be operating with just one type of aircraft, the B737 200s.

Thank you.

Leah M. Sison
Asst. Vice President
Corporate Communications

wow... that is great news for Cebu... at least Visayans and Mindanaoans need not to fly to Manila anymore to fly to the US.... Cebu will be a closer city for them... :D

anyways.. have any of you guys seen the new Cebu Pacific commercial?... It features its new Airbus... I think I saw it last weekend...

wow... that is great news for Cebu... at least Visayans and Mindanaoans need not to fly to Manila anymore to fly to the US.... Cebu will be a closer city for them... :D

anyways.. have any of you guys seen the new Cebu Pacific commercial?... It features its new Airbus... I think I saw it last weekend...

I haven't seen it, but while driving by C-5 a while ago, I saw one of the new A320s flying over the fort. Its pretty :)

can anyone post a link of the new CEB commercial on this thread please ?

has anyone seen the progress of construction on the new iloilo and bacolod airports lately ? maybe someone flew over there and had a chance to take an aerial of the layout and progress or has some kind of news about what is happening on those airport sites....

I just found out that PAL has dropped its code-share agreement with KLM for flights between AMS-MNL. well, not really found out.. haha.. that's what it looks like though. it was taken off their destinations map on their website two days ago or so... do you guys know anything bout that?
That's definitely something new to me... :runaway: So much for the stepping stone on returning to Europe. :(

Aw man I would seriously worship the person who first posts that 5J ad...:D

heres something im sure you fellows will find interesting !
there is a dvd on accompaning flights with cebu pacific to cebu, davao, tagbilaran, tacloban, kalibo, iloilo, dumaguete, puerto princesa and bacolod aboard dc-9s and 757s. there are shots within the cockpit while taking off and landing, shots out of the windows, down to the terminals and over the islands. very nice ! i just received it for the cost of 29 euros plus vat and delivery costs. running time is 186 minutes. it can be ordered with :
www.worldairroutes.com
best regards, philpal

taken from philstar.com.. really really great news!!!! yahoooo!!!!

More Asian airlines fly to Clark

The Philippine Star 07/14/2005

CLARK FIELD, Pampanga — The Clark Development Corp. (CDC) announced yesterday that three more Asian airlines will mount international flights between the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) here and Singapore, Hong Kong and Macau.

CDC executive vice president Victor Jose Luciano said the Hong Kong Express Airways Ltd. (HK Express) will launch Clark-Hong Kong flights, while the Far Eastern Transport Corp. (FAT) will soon fly regularly between Clark and Taiwan.

Luciano said Tiger Airways of Singapore, reputed to be one of the best low-cost carriers in Asia, is set to increase its Singapore-Clark flights from five to 10 times weekly starting this October.

"The increase in flights will allow Tiger Airways to carry more than 180,000 passengers to the Philippines in a year, and this will redound to the economic benefits of Central Luzon folk," he said.

Starting Aug. 7, Luciano said HK Express will fly twice a week between Clark and Hong Kong.

"HK Express is Hong Kong’s newest airline. From its base at Hong Kong’s Chek Lap Kok Airport, (it) intends to operate services between Hong Kong and popular cities in mainland China using the new EMBRAER 170, " he said.

Earlier, the China Rich Airways launched thrice weekly flights between Clark and Hong Kong.

Luciano said FAT, a 48-year-old Taiwan-based airline, will fly three times a week between Taiwan and Clark using either Boeing 757s or MD 80s starting July 31.

He said FAT was a recipient of the Best Airline award from the Civil Aeronautics Administration, especially in the area of maintenance quality, in 2000.

FAT was founded in 1957 as the first privately owned airline in Taiwan. It now operates 11 domestic routes and four international routes, served by a fleet of 16 aircraft. — Ding Cervantes

Somebody should post the closing of the fedex hub in subic here.

by the way took 5j to davao, kala ko bago erplano, still the crummy old dc9, ingay ingay kala ko bagbagsak na,

on the way back aha, chempo they used their new 320, and ...

looks exactly like PR's 320 , inf act parang ang sikip, i think 30 pitch lang and seats, hahaha, at least I won a t-shirt from them

so much for brand new planes, i'd like to say cheap airline but their not even cheap, at least you don't feel like you'll catch something from the dirty seats of their old planes.

we need a new low cost airline, flying regional jets, like embraer so we can have more affordable rates with good service,

so any of you want start it. let's start one.

Some rich Visayan or Mindanao millionaire should start an airline from NAIA, Subic and maybe Lipa to down south to help tourism with some cheap no-frills airfare. I'm surprised there hasn't been one yet across the country.

Hmm that'd be nice...having some Embraers in the Philippines...:D

i took this from the asian aviation thread.. :)

Business Times - 18 Jul 2005

Tiger Airways flies Philippines-Macau route from Oct 30

SINGAPORE - Tiger Airways, Singapore's low fare airline, has announced its first route between points outside of Singapore connecting the Philippines and Macau with daily flights starting Oct 30, 2005.

This makes Tiger Airways the first budget airline to link the two countries.

Tiger Airways will operate daily flights from Singapore to Manila on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sunday and increase to two flights a day on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays.

'The new service will allow us to carry more than 100,000 passengers a year between the two countries, bringing socio-economic benefits to the region with both increased tourist and business travel,' said Tony Davis, CEO Tiger Airways.

Tiger Airways is confident that there is demand for its low fare flights not only from tourists between both countries, but also from the many overseas Filipino workers based in Macau and Hong Kong.

Tiger Airways will also increase its direct services between Singapore and the Philippines to 10 round trip services a week, starting from July 30; in addition to the expansion of its network between Macau and Manila (Clark) from Oct 30 this year.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Philippine Airlines, American Airlines launch interline e-ticketing
Search ASIA Travel Tips .com 11 July 2005


Philippine Airlines and American Airlines jointly launch tomorrow, 12 July 2005, electronic ticketing on their interline arrangement, enabling each carrier to issue e-tickets on the other's flights.

PAL and American Airlines passengers will be able to use a single e-ticket when their itineraries include travel on both carriers.

The e-ticketing deal with American is PAL's first with a partner airline and places the flag carrier among just 10% of 264 airlines belonging to the International Air Transport Association to offer interline e-ticketing.

PAL introduced e-ticketing on May 1, 2004 on flights between Manila and Cebu. It has since expanded the facility to cover services to eight more domestic points: Davao, Zamboanga, Puerto Princesa, Iloilo, Bacolod, General Santos, Legaspi and Cagayan de Oro.

PAL also offers e-ticketing on six of its busiest international routes - Los Angeles, San Francisco, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Vancouver and Hong Kong.

Likewise, the airline has enabled its partners in the travel trade to issue PAL e-tickets, further expanding the distribution channels for the new technology. Since October 2004, travel agents subscribing to the Abacus system in the Philippines and Hong Kong, and to Sabre in the U.S. and Canada have been able to issue PAL e-tickets to their customers.

Currently, over 60% of PAL ticket sales on eligible routes are in the form of e-tickets. Overall, more than 30% of all ticket sales throughout the PAL system are in e-tickets.

15 July 2005
PAL's new Domestic Mabuhay Lounge: A warm, welcoming place

MANILA - For the road-weary business traveler, the airport lounge is a welcome sight - bright, cozy, amply stocked and equipped with the latest in technology, it's an oasis of calm and efficiency amidst the bustle of the airport.

Philippine Airlines' new Domestic Mabuhay Lounge at its NAIA Centennial Terminal 2 hub certainly fits the bill. Thoroughly redesigned and refurbished by noted interior designers Ivy and Cynthia Almario, the 269-square-meter facility reopened its doors to patrons recently.

It was formally dedicated on 15 July 2005 by Tourism Secretary Joseph H. Durano, NAIA general manager Alfonso Cusi and PAL president Jaime J. Bautista.

"The new Mabuhay Lounge represents the best that PAL has to offer," said Bautista. "We undertook this project despite challenging times in our industry. It underscores our commitment to our premium customers, who have come to expect a superior product from PAL."

The Mabuhay Lounge has been a byword in local travel circles ever since the flag carrier built its first such facility for domestic passengers in the early 1990s. Access to the lounge was an added benefit for business-class travelers and elite-level members of the Mabuhay Miles frequent flyer program.

Initially located at the old Manila Domestic Terminal and moved to Centennial Terminal 2 in 1999, the lounge brought an air of elegance and exclusivity hitherto missing in domestic air travel. Today, it is widely acknowledged as the most modern airport lounge for domestic services in the country.

Now, the best has gotten even better. For those familiar with the old lounge, walking into the redesigned version is likely to bring on the "wow" factor. The differences are stark. Gone are the serious gray color scheme, clunky accessories and cramped layout.
In are buoyant taupe and beige tones, functional furniture, creative layout and art-gallery-type framed photographs of Philippine destinations adorning the walls.

It wasn't easy redoing the lounge. Tucked away at the basement level of the terminal (it was the only available space in the original blueprint), the space was a designer's nightmare.

"Our major challenges were the low ceiling and the fact that there were hardly any windows," says Ivy Almario. "It was claustrophobic."

Her sister and design partner Cynthia recalls the old lounge set-up in equally morose ways: "I always felt like stooping whenever I entered the place. I felt cramped, like the ceiling was closing in on me. And it was dark, too."

The first thing the sisters did was rip out the gray carpet. "We chose heavy-duty nylon with hints of taupe, a neutral color that is just dark enough to hide dirt but also light enough to have some reflective characteristics. It 'lifts' the space," says Ivy.

They also had the walls painted in taupe and took out the drab venetian blinds that shielded the small windows. In its place now is a sheer shade that allows natural light to filter in.

The Almarios then set about reconfiguring the buffet and refreshments area, perhaps the busiest part of the lounge. Where before the food table was stacked artlessly against the wall, thus restricting the flow of people, the designers opted this time for an innovative, hotel coffeeshop-style "island" table set-up.

"We space-planned it in such a way that the buffet table 'floats' in the middle of the room and people simply move around it as they pick their snacks. The PAL chefs are quite happy with this set-up as it really shows off the food. Now, everything is happening around the buffet table."

To provide a visual foil to the hive of activity in the refreshments area, the Almarios introduced a more stable design feature - shelf dividers -which also have the sensible effect of blocking off the section of the lounge where patrons preferred to read, watch TV or catch a nap.

"The dividers serve as a focal element so that the eye doesn't wander when you enter the lounge," explains Ivy. "They serve as a visual anchor; without them, the lounge will look like a cafeteria."

The dividers serve a functional purpose, too: they are the ideal place to put newspapers, other reading materials and accessories like objets d'art.

The Almarios also plan to embellish the shelves' glass panels with transparent images of Philippine destinations as a way of highlighting local tourism.

Beyond the aesthetics, the Mabuhay Lounge comes equipped with some of the most useful amenities for business travelers. It has a business center with telephones, fax machine and personal computers with free, unlimited Internet access.

It boasts Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity) Internet access for patrons bringing their own laptop computers. There's even a complimentary Wi-Fi access card for the first 20 minutes' use.

Those who prefer to sit back and relax can repair to that corner of the lounge where a 42-inch plasma-screen TV set with satellite broadcast sits. And for the truly road-weary, a quick-massage service is available.

Finally, in a distinctive finishing touch, the Almario sisters placed oversized flower vases of native Philippine orchids in key spots around the lounge - on the buffet table, the console table near the entrance, the reception area - a personal leitmotif of the designers.

"Flowers have become sort-of our trademark," says Cynthia. "It's our nature; a woman's touch sometimes makes a cold room warm and livable."

Indeed, the new Mabuhay Lounge was redesigned to cater to the tastes of the modern, global business traveler, for whom the airport lounge is a necessary accouterment of the 21st-century travel scene.

But is also reflects the most endearing traits of the Filipino and his national flag carrier: warm, bright and, always, welcoming.

_____________

Aw man finally some wi-fi action...:D

Hmm that'd be nice...having some Embraers in the Philippines...:D
Lalo na iyung 190's , looks really nice! Imagine flying in those instead of the dc9's, mukhang mas comfortable pa kasya 320, no man in the middle, with big windows and 36 pitch!!! Siyempre dapat iyung fare inexpensive rin!:)

India, Philippines sign air services pact
Indo-Asian News Service

New Delhi, July 21 (IANS) -- India and the Philippines Thursday signed an air services agreement that allows both sides to operate up to seven flights a week to each other's territories.

The new agreement will replace the existing bilateral civil aviation pact of 1949, which needed to be reviewed, rationalised and updated to make it conform to current agreements, said an official statement.

According to the new pact, both sides will be able to operate up to seven flights a week with any aircraft type not exceeding the capacity of a Boeing 747.

While the Philippines will have access to four ports of call - Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai - Indian carriers can fly to Manila and three other points that are yet to be selected.

The Philippines also expressed its desire to include Bangalore and Hyderabad as points of call in India and in the route schedule.

Both sides may operate the agreed services via Bangkok, under what is known as a 5th freedom right. An airline from either side may also enter into cooperative arrangements with designated airlines from the other side.

Under the Indian government's open sky policy, unlimited cargo operations can be made by foreign carriers to and from any point in India.

The Philippines said it had adopted a full liberalisation policy for cargo services by foreign carriers to and from Clark and Subic airports.

Both sides agreed to meet within a year to consider enhancements to this agreement.

PAL, Air Philippines to expand Asian routes
By Clarissa S. Batino
Inquirer News Service

PHILIPPINE Airlines and Air Philippines Corp. are expanding their routes in Asia to cash in on the country's improving tourism industry particularly among the Chinese and South Koreans.

PAL president Jaime Bautista said the flag carrier would launch flights to Beijing in November.

"We plan to fly three times a week to Beijing starting November. The original timetable for this route is March 2006 but we advanced it because of the improving tourism picture," Bautista said in an interview.

Air Philippines, the low-cost carrier also controlled by taipan Lucio Tan, will start its twice-a-week charter flights to Cheongju, South Korea, today.

Leah Sison, spokesperson for Air Philippines, said that Cheongju would be the third South Korean destination for the company. The first two were Daegu and Kwangju.

Flights to Cheongju will take off regularly every Monday and Friday.

Sison said the Korean flights complement the airline's operations in Canton and Shenzhen in China. Air Philippines uses a 118-seater Boeing 737-200 for the regional trips.

Local carriers said they aligned their overseas operations with the government's tourism campaign. The country's four major tourism markets are the United States, Japan, China and South Korea.

Gokongwei's Cebu Air Pacific is mulling over its maiden flight to the United States in two years. By October, Cebu Pacific will be flying to Osaka in Japan. Its general manager, Danilo Mojica, said the Indonesia and Vietnam routes were also being studied.

The United States and Japan are the two biggest sources of tourist arrivals while China and Korea are catching up.

In the first quarter, there was a 40-percent increase in South Korean visitors and a 105-percent jump in arrivals from China. Tourism from Japan grew by only 7.8 percent.

great new mango, please keep us updated !
salamat,
philpal

taken from an article in inq7.net.. i only took the more relevant information for us.. ;)

Gokongwei game plan

JOHN Gokongwei's Cebu Pacific TV advertisements may be sniping at Lucio Tan's Philippine Airlines. But Gokongwei almost always takes PAL whenever he flies to San Francisco.

"It's the fastest" to the Bay Area, said Gokongwei, who is now in his favorite foreign city to "recharge my batteries."

Noting that PAL's transpacific passenger load is still heavy despite the record high oil prices, the tycoon appears quite keen to start his airline's Manila-San Francisco/Los Angeles flights.

Saying Cebu Pacific had secured its US traffic rights, Gokongwei hinted that the second Philippine flag carrier could start its probably thrice-weekly flights to the West Coast by Christmas 2006, when the new Airbuses it ordered shall have been delivered.

In the meantime, Mr. John is treating Mrs. John to some good old-fashioned sightseeing at the Grand Canyon and frequent forays to San Francisco Chinatown restaurants.

/\ Talk about checking out the competition! :lol:

Instead of mounting MNL-LAX/SFO flights, Cebu Pacific should fly from CEB-LAX/SFO and get that market cornered. :colgate:

hahaha! they definitely have plans of ordering wide bodies within the year if they plan to start transpacific services by 2006. the small A320s and A319s they ordered could never do the job... haha! I wonder what they're planning on getting, and whether they'll buy or lease new or old aircraft... I wanna see them get B777s or A340s. and yeah, they should start up CEB-LAX/SFO flights!

anyway, here's something on PAL... good thing they didn't end up in the red this year. hopefully they keep this up so they can finally pay up their creditors and after that start upgrading and enhancing their fleet.

Philippine Airlines FY Net Pft PHP1.20B Vs PHP643M Loss
(MORE TO FOLLOW) Dow Jones Newswires | Wednesday July 27, 6:26 PM

July 27, 2005 05:32 ET

Philippine Airlines FY Earnings Table >PAI.YY

Philippine Airlines Inc. (PAI.YY) - Manila

Financial year ended March 31.

All figures in pesos (PHP)

2005 2004
Revenue PHP53.97 bln PHP44.09 bln
Expenses 51.95 bln 44.73 bln
Net profit 1.20 bln (643.0 mln)
($1=PHP56.175)Item in parenthesis is a loss.

Results conform to Philippine accounting standards and are audited.

(MORE TO FOLLOW) Dow Jones Newswires

July 27, 2005 05:41 ET

Philippine Airlines FY Net Pft PHP1.20B Vs PHP643M Loss

MANILA (Dow Jones)--Philippine Airlines Inc. (PAI.YY), or PAL, the country's largest airline, said Wednesday it swung to a net profit in the financial year ended March 31 as it carried more passengers and improved yield even as it got a boost from the stronger peso.

PAL said it made a net profit of PHP1.20 billion, a sharp reversal from a loss of PHP643 million as its revenue soared 22% on-year to PHP53.97 billion.

It said the revenue increase "was brought about mainly by the increase in net yield per revenue passenger kilometer and in the number of passengers carried, as well as the higher exchange rate of the Philippine peso against the U.S. dollar."

PAL said operating expenses and other charges jumped 16% on-year to PHP51.95 billion due mainly to higher fuel cost. The cost of fuel rose 38% on-year to PHP13.53 billion because of soaring oil prices and increased fuel consumption as it mounted more flights.

Baka di pa kaya ng cebu traffic to west coast punuin. They have to fly at least 3x a week otherwise walang sa sasakay so that's a lot of people in a week.

Baka they'll do clark, apra maiba and cheaper.

I think they most probably get 744, the lease rates are very good compared to 777's and the operating cost to west coast cheaper than 340's (though PAL flies thinner routes on 340's to the west coast)

an interesting trivia from philstar.

Did you know 1: That Cebu Air, Inc. is losing P1 million a month in its Manila-Hong Kong-Manila route isn’t giving president Danilo Mojica sleepless nights.

You see, Cebu Pacific is undercutting Philippine Airlines, Inc. to gain market share and Cebu Air’s majority shareholder, John Gokongwei Jr., is okay with that.

Cebu Pacific...
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a237/menicensimple/Manila%20Visit%2005/IMAG0193.jpg

interior of Airbus 320
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a237/menicensimple/Manila%20Visit%2005/IMAG0191.jpg

shots taken boarding the Airbus 320
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a237/menicensimple/Manila%20Visit%2005/IMAG0184.jpg
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a237/menicensimple/Manila%20Visit%2005/IMAG0187.jpg

again hi simply me,
great shots, did you take CEB's new 320 to where ? nice shots ! keep us posted please ! salamat from philpal.

^^first time to board Cebu Pacific coz of Airbus 320 DAVAO-MANILA-DAVAO. i'll keep u posted w/ my next travel shots..sooonnn...

my son wanted more of my airplane shots, now that makes two of u :)

well congrats to you and your son ! great shots ! looking forward, let us know which ones your son took, how old is he ?
rds. philpal

my son is just 2 yrs old and fond of aircrafts.. actually SSC esp this thread has helped me a lot for his collections.. i must thank this thread as well

taken from philstar.com..

Taiwan airline launches Clark flights

The Philippine Star 08/01/2005

CLARK FIELD, Pampanga — Taiwan’s Far Eastern Transport Corp. (FAT) launched the first of its thrice weekly Clark-Taipei flights at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) here late Friday.

Amid increased flights bringing in mostly tourists and vacationing overseas Filipino workers here, the Clark Development Corp. (CDC) also launched last Saturday the first-ever Manyaman Festival showcasing Pampango dishes at the Bayanihan Park, near Clark’s main gate in Angeles City.

The food festival will be held on a regular basis at the 12-hectare park recently developed by SM Prime Holdings reportedly at a cost of P100 million.

Victor Jose Luciano, CDC executive vice president, said FAT saw the potential of launching regular flights to Clark after a recent Taiwanese business mission realized the growing tourist market here.

Luciano said FAT will use its Boeing 757s and MD 80s for the Taipei-Clark Flights.

Earlier, the HK Express Airways announced the launching of its regular Clark-Hong Kong flights on Aug. 7.

Meanwhile, tourists, among them passengers of the FAT maiden flight to Clark, were treated to cooking demonstrations and contests participated in by several Pampanga towns as part of the weekend Manyaman Festival. — Ding Cervantes, Ric Sapnu

Wow that's a lot of flights coming in. that's great news for toursim.

glad to hear that DMIA is picking up so much traffic and bringing in more tourists. hopefully they will soon build a new state-of-the-art terminal to cater all the incomming guests and balikbayans. anyone up there lately for some images ? are there any "spotters" in the philippines ?
philpal

AIRLINE* LAUNCHES* SOAR* HIGH* IN JULY

MANILA, JULY 28, 2005*(STAR) By Ruth G. Mercado The Freeman - Airline launches soared with flying colors in July as two airlines deployed new aircraft and another two completed its maiden flights to Cebu.

Amid raging political storms sweeping the country, airport authorities, airline executives and tourism practitioners watched anxiously for increase in "no-shows" and launch cancellations. Instead, lavish launches were held in succession showing no signs of scrimped budgets or that travel is headed for record lows.

Cebu Pacific launched its A320 on July 15, while Doha-based Qatar Airways introduced its A330 exactly a week later.

Cebu-Incheon flights have been on the rise after Asiana Airlines completed its maiden flight on July 16 while Korean Airlines is flying to Cebu this week. With flag carriers Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific, four airlines now serve the route.

Tourism regional director Patria Aurora Roa said there has been an upsurge of Korean tourists in the country that is outpacing Japanese arrivals. The director said Koreans have actually known about the political fracas in the Philippines but refused to be discouraged or stymied. "They came on time," she said.

Of the 45 flights weekly at Mactan, 19 flights are purely for Korea. Mactan International Airport general manager Adelberto Yap said there has been a 40 percent increase in Korean flights in recent months. On-demand audio video on Singapore route.

Developing a key component in its global operations, Qatar Airways launched its Airbus A330-200 on July 22. The bigger capacity aircraft operates three-times weekly via Singapore. The wide-body A330-200 flies in two-class configurations of up to 247 seats in economy and 24 in business. Until Friday, the service was operated with Airbus A300.

The new aircraft is said to offer audio video on demand waves interactive entertainment system. Passengers on every seat can choose from a list of international new release films and short programs to view on individual television screens and listen to CDs and radio channels.

Qatar Airways chief executive officer Akbar Al Baker said the revised Cebu operation reinforces the airline's commitment to operate routes with increased capacity and comfort. "Cebu has been a highly successful route for us and it provides excellent connections for passengers traveling on our network to Europe and the rest of the Middle East via our Doha hub."

Qatar Airways is the national airline of the State of Qatar based at its capital city of Doha.

The increase of new aircraft and routes at Mactan may well be a preview of things hoped-for. The Mactan airport is said to have the only runway in the country that can accommodate new generation aircraft like the world's biggest jet, the Airbus 380.

With the improvement of its runways and growth in aviation traffic, Mactan will have to redesign its terminal facilities to something more glitzy befitting new generation aircraft to keep its colors flying.

PHILIPPINE AIRLINES : PAL touts experience in new ad campaign

MANILA - Philippine Airlines rolled out this week a new advertising campaign anchored on the flag carrier's decades-long experience in serving the nation and the flying public.

The dual-media campaign, covering print and radio, expounds on PAL's current tagline "It's about experience" by highlighting some of the airline's most important service attributes, honed by 65 years of experience.

The print campaign comprises a series of four advertisements, each running for up to three weeks in major PAL markets.

The ads sport a uniform look, with the main visual showing an aspect of PAL's modern service set against a sepia-toned image from the company archives, which depicts the same attribute in the setting of a long-gone era.

"By juxtaposing images of our past and present service, we are conveying to the public that when they fly PAL, they are flying with an airline that knows the business inside out," said PAL executive vice president Henry So Uy. "Our passengers can only benefit from this wealth of experience."

The first ad, which debuted this week, touts the flag carrier's superior flight-deck, cabin-crew and technical skills, products of years of rigid training, as well as its fleet of modern aircraft.

The value to customers is aptly captured in the phrase "gentle landings" - a trademark skill of PAL pilots - and portrayed by an image of a pregnant passenger with her son snugly asleep beside her.

Subsequent advertisements highlight the airline's inflight and on-ground conveniences; the ease of connection between international and domestic flights; and even its role in reuniting families, a nod to PAL's status as the largest carrier of balikbayan traffic to the Philippines.

The print ads are supplemented by 30-second radio spots, in English and Tagalog versions, focusing on the same key points.

The launch of the ad campaign leads up to PAL's 65th anniversary next March 15, when the company celebrates a milestone in its history. Founded in 1941, PAL is Asia's oldest active airline, a pioneer in commercial aviation and a longtime partner in nation-building.

PHILIPPINE AIRLINES : A Touch of Luxury and Comfort

Philippine Airlines is proud to unveil a new, fresh and refined design of its Amenity Kits for First Class and Mabuhay (Business) Class on all its long-haul flights this September. "A Touch of Luxury and Comfort" is the theme of the new kit that addresses the demand for a plush and pampered in-flight experience.

First Class and Mabuhay Class passengers will receive a kit packed in a sleek and elegant zipper case containing top of the line items aimed to promote their well-being onboard. The new kit carries essentials for travel including toiletries from BVLGARI's Eau Parfumée Au Thé Vert collection. It includes a refreshing towel, body lotion and cologne all infused with the revitalizing properties of green tea, giving a sensation of exclusive comfort and vitality.

Other grooming items are also provided to give a further touch of comfort. These include a foldable hairbrush and mirror, comb and dental set (toothbrush and toothpaste). Knitted socks and slumber mask make up the entire package.

Philippine Airlines aims to create a one-of-a-kind travel experience by providing a touch of luxury and comfort through this collection of beauty and hygiene. This creation marks a celebration of the airline's constant commitment to quality and the spirit of distinction.

Air Philippines posts 93.6% on-time performance
By Ruth G. Mercado August 1, 2005

MANILA — Low cost, low key carrier beat legacy airlines in the country when it posted highest on-time performance. Air Philippines posted an average on-time performance of 93.6 percent exceeding even US airlines’ on-time arrival records of 83.7 percent.

Lean organization was credited for exceptional performance. Air Philippines president and chief executive officer Captain Edilberto R. Medina said the carrier has registered a 95 percent on-time performance this year. Though average load factor ranges on the mid-70s regardless of season still it keeps a 93.6 percent steady on-time performance average. On-time performance is a parameter that determines how airlines fare in getting flights to destinations on time.

“Our strength lies in the simplicity of our organization. Our resources are very much controlled and efficiently distributed,” said Medina in a talk with The FREEMAN on Tuesday at his Pasay City office.

Asked what is the single factor about Air Philippines that Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines do not have, Medina answered with a single word — service. It was a no mean, no frills way of being candid. “All things being equal that is — low fares, attractive packages, excellent fleet and outstanding technical capabilities — service is one factor that sets Air Philippines apart from the rest of the country,” he said.
Low flight cancellations.

A recipient of at least 10 “Outstanding Domestic Airline” awards from consumer-based organizations, Air Philippines has become the preferred outsource market of foreign carriers in manpower requirements for flight, cabin and ground crew.

In markets, Air Philippines makes no pretense about eating into shares of competing domestic carriers. “We have been consistent in delivering reliable service compared to other airlines. That we have low cancelled flights denote our sustained market,” he said.

Low flight cancellations and sustained markets come with the challenge of allocating resources from inevitable fuel price increases. Budget carriers also need to endure large costs in taxes, insurance premiums, security and taxes. So how do budget carriers price tickets?

This lean airline may actually be a mean machine in crisis endurance. Medina said that while government allows airlines to indicate equitable surcharges, Air Philippines keeps minimal changes on ticket pricing. “We would like to stipulate that we have the lowest published rates in the market compared to other local carriers. And we don’t compromise safety nor reliability.”
Keeping it simple.

Incorporated in February 1995, Air Philippines started operations a year later flying to Subic, Iloilo and Zamboanga. Far from flying low altitudes in 10 years, the carrier now serves 12 destinations including Bacolod, Cebu, Dumaguete and Iloilo in the Visayas. In Luzon it flies to Manila, San Jose Mindoro, Tuguegarao and Puerto Princesa and in Mindanao to Cagayan de Oro, Davao, General Santos and Zamboanga.

The airline operates a fleet of Boeing 737-200s where standardized fleet is seen as cost efficient because of commonality in aircraft, spare parts and training. Even in its re-fleeting program new generation B737s continue to be the aircraft of choice.

Air Philippines was officially designated flag carrier to Hong Kong and Thailand in 2001 and this year, it opened flights to Canton and Shenzen in China and Cheongju in South Korea.

In all its simplicity, this high-performer low-cost, low-key carrier may have etched a single industry message — in leanness there is might.

PHILIPPINE AIRLINES : PAL touts experience in new ad campaign

MANILA - Philippine Airlines rolled out this week a new advertising campaign anchored on the flag carrier's decades-long experience in serving the nation and the flying public.

The dual-media campaign, covering print and radio, expounds on PAL's current tagline "It's about experience" by highlighting some of the airline's most important service attributes, honed by 65 years of experience.

The print campaign comprises a series of four advertisements, each running for up to three weeks in major PAL markets.

The ads sport a uniform look, with the main visual showing an aspect of PAL's modern service set against a sepia-toned image from the company archives, which depicts the same attribute in the setting of a long-gone era.

"By juxtaposing images of our past and present service, we are conveying to the public that when they fly PAL, they are flying with an airline that knows the business inside out," said PAL executive vice president Henry So Uy. "Our passengers can only benefit from this wealth of experience."

The first ad, which debuted this week, touts the flag carrier's superior flight-deck, cabin-crew and technical skills, products of years of rigid training, as well as its fleet of modern aircraft.

The value to customers is aptly captured in the phrase "gentle landings" - a trademark skill of PAL pilots - and portrayed by an image of a pregnant passenger with her son snugly asleep beside her.

Subsequent advertisements highlight the airline's inflight and on-ground conveniences; the ease of connection between international and domestic flights; and even its role in reuniting families, a nod to PAL's status as the largest carrier of balikbayan traffic to the Philippines.

The print ads are supplemented by 30-second radio spots, in English and Tagalog versions, focusing on the same key points.

The launch of the ad campaign leads up to PAL's 65th anniversary next March 15, when the company celebrates a milestone in its history. Founded in 1941, PAL is Asia's oldest active airline, a pioneer in commercial aviation and a longtime partner in nation-building.

:runaway: :eek2:

*goes into ad addict mode*

MUST GET MY HANDS ON THOSE PRINT AND TV ADS!!!!!

Hey Simply_me, thanks for posting those shots! :D

Actually Phil have you checked out airliners.net, they have an extensive photo collection of planes and airports, specially my old favorite Kai Tak and it's amazing landings (really miss it). Just in case you have not checked it out, try it.

Actually Phil have you checked out airliners.net, they have an extensive photo collection of planes and airports, specially my old favorite Kai Tak and it's amazing landings (really miss it). Just in case you have not checked it out, try it.

i sure have bustero. there is another one from belgium called : luchst.....something. just can't remember right now how to spell it. can check on my other computer if you'd like to know, just quote. thanks for your recomendation. salamat from philpal

i've read somewhere that PAL made a grand profit of 1.2 billion pessos last year due to carrying more passengers. does anyone relly know how many passengers PAL carried last year ?

taken from www.mb.com.ph

Airport runway lights
Romeo V Pefianco

SAN JOSE, Antique, August 3 – Some of our domestic airports, especially in small provinces, have no budget for runway lighting and its maintenance. It’s not enough that runways are built according to the standards of safety – length, width, foundation and right mix of concrete or asphalt.

Runway dangers

RP has a long rainy season of at least four and one-half months – from May to September. Most frequent flyers (I’m one of them) know the danger and hazard of a sudden rain, drizzle or fog within the vicinity of domestic airports.

Without a runway lighting system to guide a descending aircraft even the most experienced plane captain or pilot would have nightmares if a thick drizzle or fog suddenly blankets the entire runway.

Downpour and thunder storm

After a heavy downpour or thunder storm rainwater could cover a runway. Without a lighting system to guide the plane’s crew and airport personnel determining the presence of dangerous water levels on the runway would be left to guesswork. The alternative is to return to the airport of origin which entails considerable expense.

Asian Spirit and its safety record

Last Monday I took a passenger jet to my hometown. The aircraft is brand- new and operated by Asian Spirit, the airline that has been servicing secondary routes, like Boracay and other cities and big towns.

Asian Spirit is probably the fastest growing airline in the country for having a shiny and four-engine jet built by British Aerospace Systems. I had two or three flights on the same plane in Thailand and in Europe. Despite its four engines the plane was built for a short takeoff and landing and a capacity of 80 to 90 passengers.

From Manila Domestic Airport to my hometown was a comfortable flight of exactly 45 minutes. At last the jet age has descended on my town. And Asian Spirit is fast spreading its goodwill and safety record.

dear stephencua,
yes i´ve read in the papers some months ago that Asian Spirit aquired 4 BAE 146´s. 2 100 versions and 2 400 or 600 versions. they will all be delivered until 2006. the second one to come was dated for sept or oct 05. they are great planes, lufthansa flies them over here too. could you take some pics the next time you fly and post them please ? the plane in front of the terminal in your home town would be great. where do you live ?
salamat from philpal

hi bustero,
here is the missing link i forgot how to write :

www.luchtzak.be

there you will find more airplane and airport photos too.

Cebu Pacific to invest P2.8 B for new planes


By RACHEL C. BARAWID


Amid airline bankruptcies and downsizing to survive these trying times, the country’s second flag carrier, Cebu Pacific (CEB) embarked on a P2.8 billion ($500 million) refleeting program in a bid to strengthen its market share and catapult it to the No. 1 position in five years.


First in its program are two 179seater A320s which replaced the CEB’s current fleet of B757s. Known for their low maintenance and fuel costs, these modern aircraft were leased by CEB to service its domestic routes particularly the Manila-Cebu and Manila-Davao routes.

Meanwhile, CEB also bought 12 brand-new Airbus 319, the first of which will be delivered in September. It will replace the old fleet of DC9s and service both domestic and regional destinations including Korea and Japan. With a capacity of 150 passengers, the A319 is considered among the quietest and most fuel-efficient in its class. The new fleet will consume only 45 percent less fuel.

According to CEB president and chief executive officer Lance Gokongwei, by 2007, Cebu Pacific will be the youngest fleet in Asia with the completion of the refleeting program.

He expressed confidence that the program will help the airline increase its market share (a current 38 percent share gained after only eight years of service) and eventually become the industry lead.

Cebu Pacific is the newest airline to join 32 other A320 airline operators in Asia Pacific. Among the operators are Asiana Airlines, Dragonair, Silkair, Tiger Airways, Bangkok Airways, Air Nippon and Vietnam Airlines.

"As the new planes come in, we will be adding more flights to and from Korea and Japan as well as service new domestic destinations," said CEB general manager Bong Mojica, adding that the Manila and Cebu hubs will also see increased activity.

Mojica also announced that as part of the expansion of regional and domestic service, CEB will soon fly four times weekly to Osaka, Japan by the third quarter of the year. This would be followed by a service in China and increased frequency of flights to Seoul, Korea.

CEB’s plans for opening three other international routes are also in the pipeline.

Meanwhile, Gokongwei said although the program is a huge investment, the gains will be worth more, translating to passenger growth, bigger revenue and a boost in its cargo operations as the new aircraft would have a bigger capacity to move cargo.

The refleeting program was funded by a combination of internally generated funds, export-credit agencies and saleleasebacks.

With this milestone, Gokongwei assured that CEB will be able to further upgrade their services to their loyal patrons.

"We will remain an on-time carrier. Our record is among the best in the world and way above the international norm. We want Cebu Pacific to be equated with punctuality wherever we fly," he stressed.

Throughout its nine years of operation, Cebu Pacific has become associated with its low fares, on-time performance, schedule reliability, and its smooth, comfortable and fun flights.

CEB is most popular for its on-time flights. In the last 12 months, the airline garnered a world-class reliability record of flying with 96 percent of flights within 15 minutes of schedule, while 86 percent departed on time to the minute.

The airline has also pioneered the low fare, great value strategy as well as its fun flights.

Compared to other airlines, the lowcost carrier gave more value for money thereby enticing more flyers to travel more and take companions on their trips.

In an effort to make passengers enjoy the flight and drive away the ennui usually present during travel, CEB came up with on board games and inflight surprises. Conducted by its friendly cabin crew, passengers even get prizes and souvenir items from the games.

At present, Cebu Pacific flies to two regional destinations Hong Kong and Seoul and services 15 domestic destinations with almost 80 flights daily. These are Kalibo, Bacolod, Butuan, Cotabato, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Dumaguete, Iloilo, Puerto Princesa, Roxas, Subic, Tacloban, Tagbilaran and Zamboanga.

dear stephencua,
yes i´ve read in the papers some months ago that Asian Spirit aquired 4 BAE 146´s. 2 100 versions and 2 400 or 600 versions. they will all be delivered until 2006. the second one to come was dated for sept or oct 05. they are great planes, lufthansa flies them over here too. could you take some pics the next time you fly and post them please ? the plane in front of the terminal in your home town would be great. where do you live ?
salamat from philpal

i live in the makati area.. :) il try to take pix when i go back to clark airport.. maybe next year though..

great stephencua,
new shots from clark would be supurb. no one has posted any so far.....and if it´s next year, you can already shoot the new terminal ! or whatever construction is gong on until then. great !
salamat,
philpal.

Air Philippines re-fleets with Boeing
By Ruth G. Mercado August 4, 2005

MANILA — Vying to be the preferred low cost carrier in Asia, Air Philippines is re-fleeting with new generation Boeing 737s boldly challenging industry forecasts that Asia’s emerging budget airline industry is thinning out and headed for a shakeout with intense competition.

To date, the airline is aggressively responding to a strong demand for chartered flights and aims to complete its fleet of 10 B737 stage 3-category planes. Air Philippines has been operating with Boeing fleet, but maintains the B737 even in its re-fleeting program where aircraft commonality is seen as cost-efficient in spare parts, training and operations.

Stage categories of aircraft are based on noise-level standards. The International Civil Aviation Organization distinguishes stage 1 aircraft as the loudest and most polluting aircraft and has been phased out. Stage 2 aircraft are fitted with silencing apparatus called hush kits. Aircraft flying with less noise are of the Stage 3 category.

Even with hush kits, analysis shows that air pollution increases because hush kits burn 50 percent more fuel in take-offs and landings. In comparison, Stage 3 aircraft burns cleanly producing less noise naturally.

Plane shortage.

The 118-seater Boeing 737-200 that Air Philippines is operating are installed with hush kits in complying with international noise level standards. With its modernization program, the procurement of Stage 3 aircraft has become expedient to cut fuel costs and ensure quite flights.

“The company is adding more B737-200 aircraft to improve operating efficiency and allow it to compete aggressively with other carriers,” said Air Philippines president and chief executive officer Captain Edilberto R. Medina.

In airport configuration, Stage 3 aircraft are most compatible to majority of domestic airports in the country with small terminals and short runways.

Leah Sison, corporate communications assistant vice president said that purchase of Stage 3-Boeings have long been in order but that “there is a shortage of planes” apparently because other low cost carriers worldwide placed similar orders. There is reportedly a frenzy in the global aircraft industry to buy before it’s “too late.”

Bright spot.

Where the whole point of low cost carriers is to stimulate business, travel and tourism in the region, Air Philippines serves chartered flights to Korea in Daegu, Kwangju and Cheongju and flies to Canton and Shenzen in China.

Competition has become intense among low cost carriers in Asia where as many as 16 low cost carriers have taken to the skies in the last two years. Governments in countries like Singapore and India were prompted to urge mergers among low cost carriers to survive.

A Standard and Poor aviation analyst said that with costs predicted to increase due to rising labor costs and aircraft maintenance, “the outlook for low cost carriers isn’t bright.”

Even by these grim forecasts, Air Philippines has always believed that lean operations are its might. Devoid of bureaucratic hassles that often entangle complex organizations of legacy carriers, it steers clear and pulls out of a crisis-prone industry through controlled and efficiently distributed resources.

With a vision to be the preferred low cost airline in Asia by 2009, Air Philippines may be more realistic than Standard and Poor forecasts.

so 737-200s are New Generation Aircraft??? lol!

no way ewh1,
737-200 may be stage3 aircraft. nevertheless even the 737-300 PAL flies is out of time. new generation 737's are 400, 500, 600, 700, 800 and 900's fuel effective and quiet. but even less fuel consumpting offer you airbus's 320 generation, which CEB ordered and PAL also utilizes. look at the engines on air phil's 737-200's. they are long and thin. newer models equiped with more efficient engines are fat, almost triagular (front view) and much shorter. PAL flies the 300 version, better than air phils 200's, but far away from new generation results. boeing was forced to react after airbus developed the A 320 series. at the time of release, it was the state of the art aircraft plus engines developed in it's capacity.
rds philpal.
p.s. go to www.boeing.com and www.airbus.com for further infos.....

yep.. i know :D i was just joking of the fact that this writer thought a B737-200 is a New Generation aircraft.. which clearly is not since it was built years and years ago. But still some good information for our members that do not know that much about planes (im a aviation enthusiust btw)

so you do any photography with planes at phil. airports, or anything similar / are you a spotter ? i heard there are possibilities of getting hold of airport layouts of phil. airports through phil. flight simmers, do you know anyone who can help out ?

On the way to Vancouver, my family took Mabuhay class on PAL. It was nice...but its really not up to par with many other airlines. The seats were not that impressive. Its like SIA's economy class seats but a bit wider. In flight entertainment is also lacking. Food, even though its better than economy class food is still so-so. The only thing that really impressed me was the services of the cabin crew. They are so hospitable and friendly.

yeah i agreee i guess because the flight crews are filipinos they really give an extra hand to provide the best services to our pinoy passengers but with respect to the equipment we are really lagging behind our neighbours, singapore, thai airways, malaysian who are buying brand new planes to replace older ones and fitting their planes interior with wider and more comfortable seats, best in flight entertainments and food

the state PAL is in right now is indeed quite sad. when I flew from Vancouver to Manila last month in Fiesta economy the seats and the food were the good parts (as compared to Cathay which we used to frequent) and the cabin crew was the one that was not so good. they seemed tired and as if they weren't trying to go the extra mile anymore... they weren't mean but they weren't too hospitable either. the flight going to Vancouver last year the crew wasn't so bad. hopefully it was just a one time thing... or maybe Mabuhay and First class just get all the best FAs. haha!

but yeah, PAL really needs to come up with a way to get money to refurbish and upgrade their cabins. MAS is already in the process and THAI is doing so with the new planes they're acquiring. especially the First and Mabuhay class...

Even Vietnam Airlines is better than PAL. Hopefully in the next few years PAL can produce enough profits to start thinking about upgrading their services, facilities and fleet.

True, Mabuhay FAs are more hospitable than fiesta class ones. Last year, when we took Fiesta Class to YVR, they seemed tired like you said.

Is Ceb pacf offering better service than PAL? I understand that Ceb Pacf is cheaper... Can anybody comment on this? I have only experienced mostly US owned internaltional airlines and British Airways on my all of my foreign trips in the past years. On my recent visit there in the Philippines in April this year, our domestic/regional connecting flight to Cebu was with PAL ,our originating flight was Springfield Mo/Chicago, IL through NWA . I can safely say that my overall experience with PAL was moderate to satisfactory, almost the same standard as with NWA. The inflight entertainment was fair (1 hour flight), the snacks were hearty, the cabin crews were polite, friendly and helpful. The aircraft used seems like it was brand new, I believe it was an A330 with a very nice interior. I was just a bit disgusted on PAL-domestic's carry-on luggage weight limit requirements, it was about a certain amount of kilos(kg?) per family as opposed to NWA's 20lbs a piece or per person and so we were charged anew, I do think it was a bunch of bologney, but then again maybe different airlines have different policies or is it because I think Ceb Pacf is in code share with NWA. Who knows???

Is Ceb pacf offering better service than PAL? I understand that Ceb Pacf is cheaper... Can anybody comment on this? I have only experienced mostly US owned internaltional airlines and British Airways on my all of my foreign trips in the past years. On my recent visit there in the Philippines in April this year, our domestic/regional connecting flight to Cebu was with PAL ,our originating flight was Springfield Mo/Chicago, IL through NWA . I can safely say that my overall experience with PAL was moderate to satisfactory, almost the same standard as with NWA. The inflight entertainment was fair (1 hour flight), the snacks were hearty, the cabin crews were polite, friendly and helpful. The aircraft used seems like it was brand new, I believe it was an A330 with a very nice interior. I was just a bit disgusted on PAL-domestic's carry-on luggage weight limit requirements, it was about a certain amount of kilos(kg?) per family as opposed to NWA's 20lbs a piece or per person and so we were charged anew, I do think it was a bunch of bologney, but then again maybe different airlines have different policies or is it because I think Ceb Pacf is in code share with NWA. Who knows???

Domestic economy class should be about the same. Some people prefer PAL because they like being in a "big" plane, and some prefer CebPac for efficiency and whatnot. A teacher of mine prefers PAL because he likes to sleep, and not be disturbed by the Cebu Pacific games :D

As for the carry-on luggage limit, its pretty much standard if you fly out of manila. Almost any airline has that limit (PAL, Emirates, Cathay, etc.)

Oh, and Cebu Pacific doesn't exactly codeshare with NW, but you can earn NW miles when flying CebPac, and redeem flights, too.

Hope that helps :)

Oh, and Cebu Pacific doesn't exactly codeshare with NW, but you can earn NW miles when flying CebPac, and redeem flights, too.


Yep you can earn Worldperks miles with 5J. The only downer I see is they don't qualify as EQMs. :(

ei guys, any news on the hongkong express flight from manila-clark?? i cant seem to find any..

that would be good news

Thank you for your response solblanc, Yes, i've just read something on a NWA website about cebpaf,they are part of the SkyTeam together with various other airlines in the US and overseas. It's just that we were told that the weight limits on every luggages would be the same with CebPaf from NWA since we came from an international flight, I understand that the weight limit on carry-ons and checked-ins are a bit different in a solely domestic flights. I was thinking maybe because when we transfered to a domestic flight, it wasn't on th same day as we stayed over a day pretty much in a hotel in Manila before we went on a domestic flight. I had a bad jetlag so I can't remember anything.
Anyway, the info about the domestic airfares on both carriers were helpful, I think I wouldn't mind whatever cebpaf have in their flight for entertainment since it's a short flight anyway, I do prefer a bigger aircraft over the smaller ones because the latter scare the living devil out of me..LOL Take Care!!!
Oh, SKYBLADE, would you mind telling what an EQMS is??? This forum is getting me addicted to check everyday, sheesh...LOL. Thank you so much ....
Jock

taken from inq7.net..

Domestic airport tax up 100% next month

First posted 11:16am (Mla time) Aug 09, 2005
By Nikko Dizon
Inquirer News Service

STARTING September 1, passengers taking domestic flights will pay 200 pesos in “airport tax” at the Manila Domestic Airport and the Centennial Terminal.

The 100-percent increase in domestic terminal fee will mean an additional 300 million-peso income for the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA).

In a statement Monday, MIAA General Manager Alfonso Cusi described the increase as “long overdue.”

The current 100-peso airport tax was implemented in 1998.

The increase was approved by the MIAA board of directors and discussed in two public hearings. Cusi said the decision was also published in newspapers of general circulation as mandated by law.

Cusi said the additional revenue would be used to build a greeter’s area at the old domestic terminal’s parking area, canopies, and covered walks.

From the 200-peso airport tax, 30 pesos will go to the Bureau of Treasury to fund the government’s aviation security programs, MIAA said.

Last year, MIAA collected 320.62 million pesos in airport tax from 6.74 million passengers who used the NAIA Centennial Terminal and the old domestic terminal.

Passenger traffic in the first six months of 2005 stood at 3.6 million at both terminals. A total of 174.35 million pesos was collected over the same period.

The domestic airport tax collection comprises six percent of the MIAA’s annual gross income.

well, again good news, although it might be hard for some travellers to account for the extra fee. but putting the money into the old domestic airport is silly, is it not going to be substituted by T 2 shortly ? or does that mean that T 3 will stay mothballed for a longer time......
anyway the good news : more passengers than last year. good for all airlines using the terminals, which again exclusively are domestic airlines.
philpal

Oh, SKYBLADE, would you mind telling what an EQMS is??? This forum is getting me addicted to check everyday, sheesh...LOL. Thank you so much ....
Jock
Sorry I guess I should've broke it down a bit. ^_^;; EQMs are Elite Qualifying Miles. They're frequent flier miles that count toward elite status in a frequent flier mile program. Here's a link to Northwest's FFM program's info on EQMs and elite status. (http://www.nwa.com/freqfly/elite/overview.html)

Skyblade, thanks for the link man, I guess I have seen that EQM before because NWA FFlyers sends me a monthly statement on the mileage accrued on flights, hotel, car rentals and so forth, it just didnt' don on me right away. I would like to try PAL international one of these days. Maybe on my next opportunity to visit the RP.

More carriers to use Cebu airport
Clarissa S. Batino | Inquirer News Service | Aug. 10, 2005

HONG KONG airline Cathay Pacific will double its flights to twice daily to and from the Mactan International Airport starting Oct. 1 in anticipation of increased volume going to the Crown Colony once the Disney theme park opens in Hong Kong next month, the airport head said.

Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Qatar Airways will also introduce new flights from Cebu in the fourth quarter of the year, said Mactan airport general manager Adelberto Yap.

PAL will launch a direct flight to Guangzhou, China, in the fourth quarter and Qatar will increase its flights to twice daily to and from Cebu, Yap said.

"Qatar is the only airline servicing the Middle East route direct from Cebu and has a monopoly of the overseas workers from the Visayas and Mindanao," he said in an Inquirer interview.

Budget carrier South Phoenix Airlines is scheduled to begin flights from Malaysia to Cebu in mid-August, Yap also said.

South Phoenix, a Filipino-Malaysian joint venture, currently flies from Cebu to Zamboanga City in Mindanao and Sandakan in the Malaysian state of Sabah.

Cargo carrier Trans Global Air lines will also start carrying goods from Asia, primarily China, through the Cebu hub on Aug. 22.

Last month, South Korea's Asiana Airlines started four weekly week flights from Incheon to Cebu. Korean Airlines began Pusan -Cebu operations on Aug. 1.

Yap said the Mactan airport had completed a P123-million improvement of its runway and had just purchased nine brand-new X-ray machines.

The airport authority plans to acquire two P200-million movable air bridges to augment the capacity of the terminal, he added. It needs two more to support the growing passenger volume, which is expected to increase in the coming weeks when Asiana and Korean Air start mounting direct flights, he said.

The present four air bridges can no longer accommodate the increasing number of flights landing and taking off from Cebu, he said. The airport authority uses a bus to bring or fetch passengers to areas far from the terminal every time the four bridges are used, he said.

Early this year, airlines complained that the Mactan airport's rough runway surface was damaging the tires of their aircraft, Yap said. Some even threatened to pull out if the runway was not fixed, he said.

Yap said the airport authority would need about P2 billion to build a new passenger terminal, which he said would have to be built in three years to keep up with passenger volume. He said the government would likely take out bank loans for the purpose.

From about 2.5 million passengers it handled last year, the Cebu airport expects to handle five million passengers in five years, he said. With INQ7.net
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
the MCIA is really getting lots of new activity now...! lucky for them! and good thing the airport authority there has the money to act quickly. I wonder how the two extra airbridges are gonna work. how are they going to connect it to the terminal? haha

CEB's refleeting program launched in Cebu
By Honey Jarque Loop
The Freeman 08/11/2005

Cebu Pacific Air (CEB) recently celebrated in Manila the arrival of its leased A320 aircraft and the acquisition of twelve brand new A319's set for delivery from September 2005 to early 2007.

But unlike Manila whose successful event was more formal and structured, the launching in Cebu, the source of the airline's name, was free-flowing, lively and casual.

Guests were warmly welcomed by airline top executives led by General Manager Bong Mojica, Vera Lim - VP for Passenger Sales, Rolando Nu・z - VP for commercial planning and support, Candice Iyog - Marketing Director, Edwin Bautista - director for government affairs and the bubbly and efficient director for special events Ana Mendoza. After cocktails and lots of picas, invitees were ushered to the mock up check-in counter and given boarding passes. Shortly thereafter, the announcement came. Passengers may now board the aircraft (which was the grand ballroom of the Cebu Marriott Hotel) and get ready for take off. And, wow, what a blast!

The sumptuous dinner which was meticulously prepared by executive chef Robert Lilja was excellent, to say the least.

A brief message from GM Mojica assured guests of CEB's continued commitment to the development of the country's tourism which is a vital component of the airline's vision and mission.

Department of Tourism Regional Director Dawnie Roa, for her part, welcomed the on-going refleeting program that will surely boost the already strong presence of the airline in the domestic front.

Entertainment was provided by versatile singer Donna Cruz who belted out poignant numbers to the delight of guests. Interesting facts to consider:
•The refleeting program aside from being a strategic corporate move, is also a vote of confidence in the country.
•By 2007 CEB will have the youngest fleet in Asia.
•The Manila and Cebu hubs will see increased activity as CEB adds more local and Foreign destinations to help spark a travel and tourism boom
•CEB will remain an on-time carrier.
•With the huge investment, CEB will also help push trade since it will have a bigger capacity to move cargo.

• Pasalubong shopping at Island Souvenirs

at the moment all of cebu pacific fleets are single aisle aircrafts, im jst wondering that in the futre when they ventured to international long haul routes they will be eyeing bigger twin aisle long range aircrafts like the a330 and a-340 and b-767,777and747 and perhaps the anticipated 787

LOTS OF GOOD NEWS FOR MACTAN AIRPORT ! great ! now to answer your question skylinepigeon, CEB will be aquiring 747´s for their flights to the US according to an interview i saw on that cebu flight coverage on DVD i recommended to all forumers some time ago.
philpal

according to mr. yap the 2 passenger bridges will be attached onto the north side of the exisitng terminal dear absent minded,
philpal

These are all good news!!! I'm glad that in the future both locals and foreign passengers will have more choices on what airlines to use and that there would be more direct intern'l flights to and from Cebu . I was just almost ecstatic to find out that they already completed the aspalt overlay on Cebu's runway, that last time I flew out of it? oh my, it scared the living hell out of me because of the shaking and rattling inside the cabin as the plane cruised through that runway.
I'm not sure if this is an off topic in this thread but, I'll ask it anyway... Will someone post any pictures of Cebu's Intern'l airport? I haven't seen the International arrival/departure area, I only have a very vivid memory on the domestic side either as I didn't have much time to wander around, I'm a freak like that to even bother to wander around any airports..LOL. I understand that Mactan Cebu Inter'l's homepage is outdated. Will somebody? Anybody? Please?? :) I can guarantee if someone posted a few pics here? It would be very much appreciated. Thank you.

grand idea xDieselJockx. i'm sure we all would like to see new shots, even of the outside terminal with some planes docking. by the way what does LOL mean ?
philpal

LOL Laugh Out Loud!
LMAO Laugh MY Ass Out!
IMO In My Opinion
IMHO In My Honest Opinion
AFAIK as far as I know

pls correct if I got them wrong...

Sorry about that Richard, I have been hanging out in chat programs way too much, LOL - laugh out loud, LMAO - laughing my ass off - ROFL = roll on floor laughing - LMFAO - well this one has a little bit of vulgarity but it's Laugh my F***ing ass off, Just go figure my friend... The rest??? Our good fruity friend "Mango" explained it above. I must admit, some of it are still pretty much french to me so we all learn as we go <wink, wink and high five folks>

Thanks for the correction and some addition. At first I thought LOL is short for ULOL ha ha!

well, that is almost like a dictionary now ! thanks and salamat po !

International airport to rise in Bohol

Plans are now under way for the construction of a world-class international airport in Panglao, Bohol as part of the comprehensive program of the government to amplify accessibility to other parts of Visayas and Mindanao with the end view of boosting local and foreign tourism industry in the country.

Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) general manager and chief executive officer Robert Dean Barbers announced this development when he briefed all concerned government agencies during the initial coordinating meeting of the Panglao Tourism Infrastructure Program (PTSIP) aimed at discussing the status of the project, and delineation of responsibilities of each concerned government entities.

Government agencies that attended the meeting to signify their support and interest in the said project were the Department of Transportation and Communication (DoTC), Air Transportation Office (ATO), the local government of the province of Bohol. Moreover, Chairman of the Committee for Tourism, Bohol 1st District Representative Edgar Chatto likewise attended the meeting.

"This is welcome news amidst all the political bickering engulfing our nation. Our people are wanting for positive developments that would boost our economy. The construction of the Panglao International Airport would mean creating more job opportunities to the people in the Visayas region. We will be opening brighter prospects in order to stimulate economic activities in the surrounding provinces of Bohol. Furthermore, it would now be more accessible for tourists to visit these areas once Panglao International Airport becomes fully operational," Barbers said.

For his part, Cong. Chatto considered this project as a gift to the Boholanos. "Soon our province will be known in the world map as one of the major tourist destinations in the Philippines alongside Manila, Cebu and Davao with the development of the Panglao International Airport. Chartered flights from other countries will open new frontiers of opportunity for our tourism. I consider this a quantum leap to further attract foreign tourists to visit our country particularly the Visayas and Mindanao regions once this airport functions," Chatto said.

Barbers earlier announced that tourist arrivals in the country have been steadily rising since the first half of this year by 13 percent with Chinese tourists topping the list with an increase of 140 percent in arrivals. The Koreans ranked second followed by the Americans, Australians and Japanese tourists.

Barbers added that with the development of the airport, the island of Panglao would be another potential prime tourist destination in Asia. "Indeed, Panglao boasts one of the finest beaches in the country. Likewise it is also one of the best dive sites in the world. The Balicasag Dive Resort, which is owned and managed by the PTA, will also benefit from this project and in the process would continuously improve to better provide the ever changing and dynamic developments in our tourism industry," Barbers explained.

Up until now, the Cebu-Bohol route has been considered an obstacle to many tourists since accessibility to traverse these islands is only via sea crafts. Barbers said that with the opening of the Panglao International Airport, accessibility for inter-island transfers via air, land and sea will thus be completed and would open all avenues to visit the beautiful and exciting sites that our country has to offer.

Barbers added that the development of this airport would also bring about the construction of a comprehensive solid waste management facility in anticipation of the influx of more tourists in the island of Bohol once the airport becomes fully operational.

This is indeed a good news for the people of Bohol and the rest of the country. I was just wondering, why the Philippines gov't, local and national, would want an international airport in every corner of the Philippines? It will create new jobs and will boost the economy with in the area most definitely but why another international airport instead of a nice world class domestic airport? I think what the authorities and the RP Gov't should do is to improve the services in the 2 major gateways in the Phil(NAIA&MCIA). Physical structure isn't all that although it is important for aesthetics and for good 1st time impression. What they needed to implement is an efficient domestic/intern'l transfers and baggage handling services. Also, it would be helpful if the RP has a good communication services in terms of Tel directory assistance. When I was in the philippines few months ago, it was a pain to look for a phone number of a hotel or the airlines itself as the phone book was useless and outdated even if it is a newly published, calling the operator for a telephone assistance isn't helpful either. I think if Bohol, Cebu or any other tourist attractions have a lot to offer the world, the international community would be talking about it merely just a hear-say coupled with a good ads from the media.

I'm also wondering why there is a new thread about "airline, airplanes yada yad yada.. " when we still have the part 2 , it doesn't seems to be full yet. Is this thread entirely dedicated for Bohol solely???

I'm also wondering why there is a new thread about "airline, airplanes yada yad yada.. " when we still have the part 2 , it doesn't seems to be full yet. Is this thread entirely dedicated for Bohol solely???

Part II has over 500 posts already, that's the limit for a thread, therefore we now have Part III. :colgate:

No, this thread isn't solely dedicated for Bohol. As the name of the thread implies, it's for news and/or developments of Airlines (Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air, Air Philippines, etc.), Airplanes (Boeings, Airbuses, etc.), and Airports (excluding MNL, CEB, DVO and CRK) in the Philippines.

intern airport in bohol is no good news in my opinion. it will take away traffic from mactan, that is just now developing into a world class port of arrival, it's too close to that airport, the solid ground on which the airport is to be constructed is not very stable i read in an article before, it will be too loud for the tourists lodging in the resorts on the island who want peace during their vacations, etc. they should take the money and build that bridge from mactan to bohol, then even the population of the islands of cebu, mactan and bohol would profit, and it would make it accessible to mactans airport. besides, the bridge itself would be a further attraction.
philpal

^^ I agree, too many islands getting their own international airports is a bit too much when there are already established airports with international connections that's just a short hop away. I suggest building or maintaining international airports that serve a particular region of the country, not every island in the archipelago.

For example:
Laoag International to serve the Ilocos and Cagayan Valley regions.
Macapagal International to serve Central Luzon and Cordillera Administrative regions.
Aquino International to serve Metro Manila and Southern Tagalog regions.
Legaspi Airport to serve the Bicol region.
Mactan International to serve all of Visayas.
Davao International to serve Southern Mindanao.
Zamboanga Airport to serve Western Mindanao and Muslim Mindanao regions.
Cagayan de Oro Airport to serve Northern Mindanao, Central Mindanao and CARAGA regions.

This is just a wild guess on my part. Maybe the local government officials are thinking of a best way to kick back some cash from all these. I think that is what the problem there in the philippines, one would think of something, make some phone calls to convince this and that so and so officials, then the main authorities would agree because of promises of profit they would be getting in return , so the idea of just planning everything right to make things right always go down the drain. I've noticed that the organizational planning in different thresholds of the local and national government are always lacking so the plans aren't always complementary to each other which is needed to bring progress in the nation's progress/economy. Richard is right, Bohol is too close to Mactan-Cebu, it's not viable to open another intern'l airport there although richard, i heard that cebu governor is planning to connect cebu to other islands via bridge and Bohol would be one of them. Cebu is going to look for a possible foreign loan directly if without Manila's help. For me, just like what Richard had already mentioned, open the new $500m NAIA airport, Cebu Inter'l to expand, improve airport services from basic ones to inter'l/domestic passenger transfers. So, the bottom line is efficiency, efficiency and more efficiency...

you got it xDieselJockx,
that will benefit not only the tourists, but moreover the filipino people. after all, not even the new and most modern davao airport is not making any profit. up to date it is only NAIA and MCIA. these 2 airports are financing other updates of neighboring airports like DMIA through NAIA and smaller airstrips surrounding MCIA.
a bridge to bohol would also make accessable farm to market roads. the island bohol would immedeately be connected to an international port (cebu). good for export and agriculture and for the port too. and great for interisland convenience. after all, it is more important to serve the native population rather than the influx of tourism, which anyway will benefit through building the bridge. just imagine ! a span of bridge connecting the islands ! what a grand project ! (similar to the ones planned to negros and panay from cebu) but now i'm drifting out of this thread.....
philpal

has anyone read the press release of air phil lately ? they seem to be updating their fleet to category 3 737's. i just don't know how they plan to achieve that with year-old 737-200's they just aquired. hush kits on the 200 series are extremly fuel consumpting. i just read in the manila bullitin that oil imports have risen by 0.5 billion dollars ! despite a drop of barrel consumtion due to the torturing monopoly of the oil producing countries. i just hope the philippines does find oil in the palawan sea and elsewhere to achieve self efficiency soon. i understand the government is considering drastic measures to cut oil importation (www.gov.ph of today).....

Richard, I think the Philippines does produce oil and it's off the coast of Palawan, It was during the Marcos Regime that they explored and discovered crude oil in that area, they built a flatform or oil well in the middle of the sea to pump out oil from down the bottom of that sea. The problem is that it's production is lower/lesser than the demand or consumption so the Philippines still imports oil from the middleast. I think I heard this from Mrs Arroyo's speech somewhere. There are times where US local television network televise foreign dignitaries' delivering public speeches even if it's not directly related to the US, the most I've seen is UK's Tony Blair but I've once seen, Singaporean PM, Phil's President etc etc.
Okay, I think i'm breaking away from the main topic, Let's just cross our fingers that NAIA will open it's teminal 3, Keep terminal 1 operational so they won't worry about more expansions 8 years down the road. I've been in a few airports in US Canada, UK and Japan where they have more than 2 terminal buildings for international use along side with regional/domestic terminals. Let's not forget about MCIA, I hope that they would push through with their plans for expansion, more docking bridges and a new terminal 2 solely for international operations.

Let's just cross our fingers that NAIA will open it's teminal 3, Keep terminal 1 operational so they won't worry about more expansions 8 years down the road.
While we're at it, might as well hope for better forms of connections between the 3 terminals. :D

Most definitely Skyblade you got it! It would be nice if they actually have a rail system connecting the 3 terminals then now you can consider the NAIA at par with other asian counterparts. I was also thinking "IF" there is enough funding, they can offer comp & reloc to the residential and business properties close to the airport runway as I don't think it's safe for them to be there in the 1st place. Maybe another runway can be built parallel to the existing one to accomodate more widebodied aircrafts and the new A380? Just an idea...

Most definitely Skyblade, you got it! It would be nice if they actually have a rail system connecting the 3 terminals then now you can consider the NAIA at par with other asian counterparts. I was also thinking "IF" there is enough funding, they can offer comp & reloc to the residential and business properties close to the airport runway as I don't think it's safe for them to be there in the 1st place. Maybe another runway can be built parallel to the existing one to accomodate more widebodied aircrafts and the new A380? Just an idea...

what is comp and reloc please?

what is comp and reloc please?
Pay the businesses and residences for moving out of the area and relocating them somewhere else. With a rail connection between the terminals, NAIA would look more appealing to the traveller. :D If there's one major complaint I hear among travelers to MNL, it's the lack of some sort of permanent connection between the terminals. Indeed some of us here had the idea of a parallel runway with the existing one in NAIA though there was the prob that that area is built up.

Pay the businesses and residences for moving out of the area and relocating them somewhere else. With a rail connection between the terminals, NAIA would look more appealing to the traveller. :D If there's one major complaint I hear among travelers to MNL, it's the lack of some sort of permanent connection between the terminals. Indeed some of us here had the idea of a parallel runway with the existing one in NAIA though there was the prob that that area is built up.

Well, one runway isn't too bad... LGW has one runway, too :) And that airport has more than double the traffic of NAIA.

what is comp and reloc please?

I was just being lazy Richard, my apologies... . Reloc- relocation and comp = compensation

oh yeah, ofcorse i could have known, it's common sence. thank you xDieselJockx

Well, one runway isn't too bad... LGW has one runway, too :) And that airport has more than double the traffic of NAIA.



Where is LGW solblanc?

Where is LGW solblanc?
London-Gatwick International Airport. Well solblanc has a point, Gatwick definitely sees more action than whatever NAIA is getting and it's still running with a single runway. >>;;

Gotcha Skyblade, it just didn't don on me, it's always been London Heathrow for me is why.... Thanks much bud! ^5

Pay the businesses and residences for moving out of the area and relocating them somewhere else. With a rail connection between the terminals, NAIA would look more appealing to the traveller. :D If there's one major complaint I hear among travelers to MNL, it's the lack of some sort of permanent connection between the terminals. Indeed some of us here had the idea of a parallel runway with the existing one in NAIA though there was the prob that that area is built up.

well, part of the completion plan of T 3 was to build either a tunnel to T 2 or construct a monorail around domestic T to T 2 and T 1. but since fraport, taneka and piatco are still squarreling like children with the government about who is to pay what to whom, nothing will be completed and T 3 will be outdated and rusty by the time it is opened. i bet it will not be opened this year either, any bets against it ? rds philpal.

PTA starts working gab for Panglao Airport
By Cornelio de Guzman

The agencies concerned for the realization of the modern Panglao Airport kicked off its paper works in Manila.

General Manager Dean Barbers of the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) calls the project a priority concern of the present administration. Once completed it can be another “international airport” in the country.

Barbers briefed all concerned government agencies during the initial coordinating meeting of the Panglao Tourism Infrastructure Program (PTIP) aimed at discussing the status of the project, and delineation of responsibilities of each concerned government entity.

Government agencies that attended the meeting to signify their support and interest in the said project were the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC), Air Transportation Office (ATO), the local government of the province of Bohol.

Chairman of the Committee for Tourism, Bohol 1st District Rep. Edgar Chatto likewise attended the meeting.

“This is welcome news amidst all the political bickering engulfing our nation. Our people are wanting for positive developments that would boost our economy. The construction of the Panglao International Airport would mean creating more job opportunities to the people in the Visayas region.

We will be opening brighter prospects in order to stimulate economic activities in the surrounding provinces of Bohol. Furthermore, it would now be more accessible for tourists to visit these areas once Panglao International Airport becomes fully operational,” Barbers said.

For his part, Chatto considered this project as a gift to the Boholanos. “Soon our province will be known in the world map as one of the major tourist destinations in the Philippines alongside Manila, Cebu and Davao with the development of the Panglao International Airport.

“Chartered flights from other countries will open new frontiers of opportunity for our tourism. I consider this a quantum leap to further attract foreign tourists to visit our country particularly the Visayas and Mindanao regions once this airport functions,” Chatto said.

Barbers earlier announced that tourist arrivals in the country have been steadily rising since the first half of this year by 13 percent with Chinese tourists topping the list. There is an increase of 140 percent in arrivals. The Koreans ranked second followed by the Americans, Australians and Japanese tourists.

Barbers added that with the development of the airport, the island of Panglao would be another potential prime tourist destination in Asia. “Indeed, Panglao boasts one of the finest beaches in the country. Likewise it is also one of the best dive sites in the world.

The Balicasag Dive Resort, which is owned and managed by the PTA, will also benefit from this project and in the process would continuously improve to better provide the ever changing and dynamic developments in our tourism industry,” Barbers explained.

Until now, the Cebu-Bohol route has been considered an obstacle to many tourists since accessibility to traverse these islands is only via sea crafts. Barbers said that with the opening of the Panglao International Airport, accessibility for inter-island transfers via air, land and sea will thus be completed and would open all avenues to visit the beautiful and exciting site that our country has to offer.

Barbers added that the development of this airport would also bring about the construction of a comprehensive solid waste management facility in anticipation of the influx of more tourists in the island of Bohol once the airport becomes fully operational.

Man, I don't know if this is really a good news, "Panglao International" I guess it is both good and bad,heck,if i know, they aren't even sure about NAIA 3 opening. Who would finance these when the investors are starting to be leary about the Philippines way of dealing with business?

^^ baka paliparan ng saranggola.

what will happen to tagbilaran airport? 2 airports in one small island?

well, part of the completion plan of T 3 was to build either a tunnel to T 2 or construct a monorail around domestic T to T 2 and T 1. .
Indeed I've heard of both plans from past NAIA threads here in SSC. Dissapointing though that they didn't push through with the tunnel though...:(

^^ baka paliparan ng saranggola.

what will happen to tagbilaran airport? 2 airports in one small island?

Maybe they will close it.

big mistake panglao international. cebu airport will loose money and bohol airport will not reach break even. much too close.....

it's like clark and subic. since clark picked up, subic lost most of their flights....

I heard they're presently designing the at grade link from NAIA 3 to the cargo terminal... and look to a tunnel in the next 5 years still.

what is an "at grade" and why would they look at connecting a terminal with a cargo facility ? cargo is cargo and not baggage, or am i wrong ?

"at grade" means at surface level. And cargo refers to air cargo. Airlines make money by transporting air cargo as well as passengers with baggage. Obviously, if you want to send cargo to another place via air freight, you are not going to walk inside whichever NAIA passenger terminal to check that box in and leave. Air cargo can vary in weight and volume, and needs a dedicated terminal fro processing. Air cargo is where a lot of profits lie, as people pay more to have their goods delivered faster. As and example, AFAIK, Lufthansa carries more cargo than FedEx. And it has been very profitable.

Now, onto Panglao Airport. I read somewhere before that the old bohol airport will close when the new one in Panglao opens. And looking at the design, I honestly doubt that it will compete with mactan-cebu. Despite being "International", there is one thing that you need to be a functioning airport: airlines. This airport caters mainly to small airlines (SEAir, Asian Spirit...) and the relatively larger ones (PAL, Cebu Pacific, Air Philippines). Notice that these are all local airlines. They are the ones that will benefit. The "International" tag is just an added bonus in case Air Asia or Silk Air, or God Forbid, Emirates decides that they need to service that route. Anyway, the upgrade, especially on a new runway, is necessary to accomodate the planes of PR, 5J, and 2P. As it is, I think that PR and 2P have to weight-restrict their planes when going to airports like Bohol and Iloilo, and 5J will have to do the same when their A319s start arriving next month. Placing weight restrictions on flights is pretty much the same as placing restrictions on your profit. Aside from passengers, air cargo is very important, especially in an archipelagic country like ours.

The airports development project is a very good one, because every large island does need an airport, and passengers aren't the only things flying in this country. People use air cargo to export goods. You can make some Pineapple silk in Iloilo, and have it on a plane straight to Los Angeles via PAL. The same holds true for Virgin Coconut oil. Just because we don't notice air cargo doesn't mean it doesn't exist :) Remember, a lot of people are used to air cargo in this country. When PAL died for a week a few years back, it literally disrupted our export economy. Alternatives to air cargo, such as Ro-Ro, were either too slow, or in the case of Ro-Ro, introduced only recently.

And if any of you still think that making added gateways are unnecessary, look at the gateways they're building:

http://www.weblogimages.com/v.p?uid=rzuriqo&pid=202666&sid=uyW12pHVY5

http://www.weblogimages.com/v.p?uid=rzuriqo&pid=202667&sid=hoz85oCMR2

This design applies to the Iloilo and Bohol airports, and other airports that are going to be remodelled. Doesn't look very "International", does it? Remember, "International" just means that there's immigration and customs at the port, nothing more :)

...or God Forbid, Emirates...
ROLFLMAO :nuts:

ok solblanc,
now that was very precise. at last a clear defined statement. merci beaucoup. nevertheless : what cargo terminal will be linked to T 3 ? as far as i know the exisiting one is next to T2 and not next to T3. so how are they going to connect them?
the model of the terminal in your pic is the new BACOLOD terminal, so are they adapting it to iloilo and bohol and to possibly other airports too ?

and again dear solblanc,
what do you need immigration and customs for in a provincial airport, if there is no international link ? i guess i.e. for air freight like tuna from general santos to sandakan, or silk from iloilo to L.A. ? did i read you correctly ? please quote, i love your professional knowledge. we can all learn from that !

^^ From my understanding is that an airport to be considered "International" is that it has customs and immigration capabilities in the event a flight from overseas decides to use the said airport even though there aren't any regularly scheduled flights originating from or terminating from there.

taken from mb.com.ph

RP-India given 7 daily flights

The governments of the Philippines and India recently got seven flights daily to all four points – Calcutta, New Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai.

Ner Porciunculla of the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) said that the Indian government also gave the fifth freedom rights to fly to Bangkok.

A fifth freedom allows an airline to carry passengers or cargo from its home country to an international country and then fly on to a third country, with the right to pick-up passengers or cargo in the intermediate country.

In cargo, Porciunculla said, the Indian government is willing to have an open skies with the Philippines.

"In addition, both governments may operate 1,000 tons in its cargo," he said.

Just recently, CAB officials headed by Tomas Manalac, executive director, Carmelo Arcilla and Porciunculla went to India and negotiate for air service agreement (ASA) that will allow Philippine carriers to fly directly to India.

On the other hand, Jaime Bautista, president of PAL said, "We will consider the market. It’s a good start for our carrier."

"But first we will conduct a market survey especially on the flights going to New Delhi and Calcutta which we plan to fly," Bautista said.

Bautista said that the management is considering to code-share with the Indian carriers, saying, "Two Indian carriers have signified their intentions to code-share with them."

He did not give the names of the carriers but he said two of them signified their interest and talked with them.

It will be noted that PAL was the first international airline that began flying to India in 1946, particularly New Delhi in Calcutta, all the way to Europe.

PAL’s flight to India was stopped because foreign flights in 1954 were discontinued upon orders from then President Ramon Magsaysay in favor of rural development program.

PAL wanted to take advantage of the growing tourism and information technology in India.

Earlier, India had offered seven frequency entitlements a week to four largest airports in Mumbai, New Delhi, Calcutta and Madras, under the third and fourth freedom rights where PAL could fly passengers, mail and cargo to and from India and the Philippines.

Indian call centers, mostly located in Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai and Guagon near New Delhi employ more than 100,000 professionals who mainly answer calls from United States-based customers. (Lynda B. Valencia)

Am I missing something with the EK comment solblanc, I've never flown with them but understand them to have raised the levels of passenger service and expectation, why would it be bad for them to fly to Panglao?

@bustero: I was poking fun at EK's mammoth expansion :)

@richard fischer: kiretoce pretty much explained why customs and immigration are a nice feature. Making the airport international widens the airport's customer base. That, and it'll make it easier to charter flights from Korea, China, and Japan.

As for the cargo terminal, there was supposed to be a tunnel connecting NAIA-3 to that area, but it doesn't look like its going to happen. The MIAA is currently taking bids for the construction of a new cargo terminal. I have a feeling that the site will be the current domestic airport.

Oh, and I'm NOT a professional, I just like to read a lot :)

Ahh irony...ty!

RP-India given 7 daily flights

The governments of the Philippines and India recently got seven flights daily to all four points – Calcutta, New Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai.


Ner Porciunculla of the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) said that the Indian government also gave the fifth freedom rights to fly to Bangkok.

A fifth freedom allows an airline to carry passengers or cargo from its home country to an international country and then fly on to a third country, with the right to pick-up passengers or cargo in the intermediate country.

In cargo, Porciunculla said, the Indian government is willing to have an open skies with the Philippines.

"In addition, both governments may operate 1,000 tons in its cargo," he said.

Just recently, CAB officials headed by Tomas Manalac, executive director, Carmelo Arcilla and Porciunculla went to India and negotiate for air service agreement (ASA) that will allow Philippine carriers to fly directly to India.

On the other hand, Jaime Bautista, president of PAL said, "We will consider the market. It’s a good start for our carrier."

"But first we will conduct a market survey especially on the flights going to New Delhi and Calcutta which we plan to fly," Bautista said.

Bautista said that the management is considering to code-share with the Indian carriers, saying, "Two Indian carriers have signified their intentions to code-share with them."

He did not give the names of the carriers but he said two of them signified their interest and talked with them.

It will be noted that PAL was the first international airline that began flying to India in 1946, particularly New Delhi in Calcutta, all the way to Europe.

PAL’s flight to India was stopped because foreign flights in 1954 were discontinued upon orders from then President Ramon Magsaysay in favor of rural development program.

PAL wanted to take advantage of the growing tourism and information technology in India.

Earlier, India had offered seven frequency entitlements a week to four largest airports in Mumbai, New Delhi, Calcutta and Madras, under the third and fourth freedom rights where PAL could fly passengers, mail and cargo to and from India and the Philippines.

Indian call centers, mostly located in Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai and Guagon near New Delhi employ more than 100,000 professionals who mainly answer calls from United States-based customers. (Lynda B. Valencia)

what about that report in the papers clasifying the grounds of panglao unsuitable for airport construction due to unstable swampy soil? there was a survey and this explanation followed up in the press. did anyone read it too? is there an exisiting bridge big enough to take growing numbers of passengers to bohol, or do we then have the same situation like on mactan years before any bridge existed? waiting lines for the same time the flight from manila takes?

Okay... thats the third time I've seen that India article...


what about that report in the papers clasifying the grounds of panglao unsuitable for airport construction due to unstable swampy soil? there was a survey and this explanation followed up in the press. did anyone read it too? is there an exisiting bridge big enough to take growing numbers of passengers to bohol, or do we then have the same situation like on mactan years before any bridge existed? waiting lines for the same time the flight from manila takes?

well, to begin with, Makati was built on a swamp. :) as for the other stuff, I have no idea. I've never been outside Luzon, amazingly enough.

Cebu’s security wait time shorter than US airports
By Ruth G. Mercado August 22, 2005

Security wait at Mactan Cebu airport is less than five minutes, cutting by at least half the 10-minute security wait time benchmark of US airports.

Airport general manager Adelberto Yap said what hastens security wait and baggage checking at Mactan is increased x-ray scanning machines, more screeners and additional security lanes. Domestic and international operations each have five x-ray machines with eight screeners per x-ray working at four-hour shifts for eight hours.

The Mactan airport adopts the federal screening system where all screeners are uniformed and non-uniformed personnel of the Philippine National Police.

“We do not outsource screeners because it involves national security,” Yap said. “You can just imagine if screening is done by civilian employees. What will be their accountability to the authority?”

Yap said the lack of accountability on private screeners has made it risky to employ civilians even if they are trained, hired and tested by government security agencies. Airport officials are apprehensive they may face suits if private screeners fail to prevent terrorist attacks.

Many variables.

In recent months there have been divergent views in the US about reducing airport security wait times, touching issues on whether federal screeners are more efficient than private screeners. Because of changes in commercial air traffic patterns, some security experts believe that the way to make sure airports have enough personnel to keep security lines moving is to shift back to privately employed screeners.

It used to be that screeners at US airports were privately employed. It was only after the Sept. 11 attacks that the Transportation Security Administration was created and US Congress ordered the replacement of private screeners hired by airlines with better-paid and better-trained federal workers.

After more than a year since federal screening system was implemented, TSA said there is no clear evidence that private management shortens security wait times.

Aviation security consultant Douglas Laird said it is difficult to link short lines to private security management because “there are so many variables.”

A former Air Force pilot and a stickler for aviation safety and security Yap said anything that impinges on national security cannot be outsourced “to just anybody.” He said that screeners must have close supervision and control of the authority.

Yap whipped up a storm exactly a week ago when he announced plans of installing Peeping Tom scanners at Mactan. Using backscatter imaging, the scanners allow airport screeners to see through clothing in detecting bombs, bladed weapons or guns that may be taped, tucked and strapped to a person’s body. Human rights advocates objected to the scanners because it can show clear outlines of breasts, nipples and genitals. Government and airport authorities welcome the virtual strip and lauded Yap for his serious and definitive initiatives on airport security.

well that's interesting makati built on a swamp. did you know that ayala avenue once was a runway and the airport of manila ?

I have a question about the screaning of passengers in the Philippine airports as far as frisking and searching of carry-on luggages. Do they all do these procedures on all out-bound passengers going to all international destinations or is it more strict if its a US-bound passengers mostly? It's just so rediculous how everything works in NAIA 1, it takes almost 3 hours to do all the security checks and checking ins before boarding. If I remember it right, 1st at the airport gate x-ray&screening, at the concourse before the boarding gate - xray and frisking, then lastly before boarding where there is an extensive frisking & search on carry-ons.

Same for all but for certain US airlines, e.g. NW I remember they had an extra level after the immigration, xray and frisking. The other airlines just had two xrays screening levels.

If Makati was formerly a swampland, how is it that the skyscrapers there do not follow the Leaning Tower of Pisa?

maybe its just like Mexico City, where it was built on a lake bed, there are no leaning towers, but the whole city is subsiding...maybe that is what is happening here, i am not sure though...i could be wrong.

If makati was truly all swampland then the first layer was very thin, with a substrata of much stronger material underneath, good for building tall structures.

Philippine Airlines to start flights to Beijing
08/25 7:48:52 PM
Taken from philstar
MANILA (AFP) - Philippine Airlines (PAL) will begin regular flights to Beijing starting in November, the national carrier's president Jaime Bautista said Thursday.

PAL, which regularly flies to Xiamen and Shanghai, plans to lease Airbus 320 planes to service Beijing three times a w
eek, Bautista told a stockholders meeting.

good for them, I hope they will be on time and always safe

Philippine Airlines to start flights to Beijing
08/25 7:48:52 PM
Taken from philstar
MANILA (AFP) - Philippine Airlines (PAL) will begin regular flights to Beijing starting in November, the national carrier's president Jaime Bautista said Thursday.

PAL, which regularly flies to Xiamen and Shanghai, plans to lease Airbus 320 planes to service Beijing three times a w
eek, Bautista told a stockholders meeting.
Wooo more A320s in PAL colors! Can't wait to see em! :D (as well as the number of planes in the fleet rise m)) )

PhP4.2-B Panglao Airport project gets priority

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) will give priority to the construction of the R4.2 billion Panglao Airport in Bohol as this is a key for the development of the island into a tourism estate.

Jose V. Torralba, DoTC assistant secretary and concurrent project director of Panglao Airport Development Project said with the proposed construction of the Panglao Airport, the province of Bohol would have two airports including the Tagbilaran airport.

Torralba said the Department of Tourism (DoT) and the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) have committed to invest R4.2 billion for the construction of the airport.

Panglao Airport is part of the airport package under the so-called Central Visayas Development Projects (CVDP). Project development of the CVDP is being facilitated by the Central Visayas Project Development Coordinating Committee (CVPDCC).

Right now, Philippine Airlines flies to Tagbilaran daily in the morning and in the afternoon, thrice a week, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The construction of the airport is a welcome move for the island of Panglao community considering that Panglao island is being used as a tourism estate under the tourism master plan of the DoT.

To bring more private investors to Panglao, key infrastructure work in the form of roads and electricity was undertaken by the government.

The development goal was to transform Panglao not only as a "world class" facility but another exciting "satellite" resort destination of Cebu in Central Visayas, as envisioned in the master plan’s cluster area development strategy.

The proposed tourist estate development includes creation of hotel zone, beach resort, a marina, a 36-hole golf course with a clubhouse, sports center, an entertainment and shopping district, a handicraft village, botanical garden, a retirement village, picnic grove and medical center.

However, the implementation of such was stopped as no investors came in.

In 2000, a feasibility study by the TCGI Engineers was completed and submitted to the Investment Coordinating Committee Technical Board of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

However, the Board requested the DoTC in December 2002 that instead of constructing an airport of international standards, it must be downscaled into a domestic airport.

Just a 20-minute drive from Tagbilaran City by way of the two causeway’s linking the island with Bohol mainland, Panglao is Bohol’s largest of 76 neighboring islands and islets.

Earlier this year Skytrax announced the best Airport and Airlines in the world for this year as well as the rankings of other airlines. Here's the ranking of PAL.

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/9195/pal3ri.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Click Here For The Full Ranking (http://www.airlinequality.com/Airlines/PR.htm)

Here are the latest comments passengers of PAL gave:

http://img351.imageshack.us/img351/8835/pal5ds.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/5588/pal5xp.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Click Here for the rest of the comments (http://www.airlinequality.com/Forum/pal.htm)

Wow, we Filipino's are known to be hospitable, Apparently, our very own airline doesn't seem to portray that well.

^^ im not surprised :D

I posted a comment for PAL two years ago in Skytrax...it can be found in page 2 under the name "Joe Pallon". PAL used to be four stars in Skytrax but was downgraded to three around/more than a year ago.

taken from mb.com.ph...

Philippine tourism to benefit from Gulf Air’s new route

Philippine tourism is expected to get a big boost from Gulf Air once the airline commences new service to Dublin, Ireland and Johannesburg, South Africa, two emerging tourist markets.

Roberto Hukom, Gulf Air country manager, said regular flights from Johannesburg and Dublin to Bahrain will provide excellent connectivity to Manila, thus serving travelers from these countries to the Philippines.

Irish and South African tourists are expected to visit the Philippines and other leisure destinations in the region once the new flights are started on Dec. 2 this year, Hukom said.

The new flights will likewise service Filipino nurses and contract workers as well as businessmen going to Ireland and South Africa. South Africa also offers a huge variety of locations and activities to tourists from the Philippines.

Gulf Air will recommence the non-stop flights between Bahrain and Johannesburg after an absence of more than eight years.

Besides Manila, flights from Johannesburg to Bahrain will connect to other destinations in Gulf Air’s extensive network.

On the other hand, travelers can take their flights from the Philippines to Dublin passing through Bahrain and vice versa.

"The non-stop flights (from Dublin) will allow direct travel to the Kingdom of Bahrain and onward connections to more than 40 cities in the Middle East, Africa, the Far East and Australia," said James Hogan, president and chief executive of Gulf Air.

The non-stop flights remove the need for Irish travelers to transit through London or other European hubs.

"Our service (to Dublin and Johannesburg) is better for business, with just eight seats in first class and only 24 in business. They are wider, more comfortable, more private, more convenient and more spacious than those offered by any other airline," Hogan said.

He added that the trip is also fantastic for leisure travelers, connecting them to key leisure destinations such as Oman, Dubai, India, Bangkok, Sydney and other Asian cities like Manila.

Gulf Air passengers are offered the opportunity to experience state-of-the-art sky beds in the first and business classes, five-star chefs preparing and serving food in first-class, and sky nannies looking after young travelers in all classes.

Gulf Air introduced its qualified "five-star" chefs onboard flights in 2002 to provide first-class passengers with the choice, quality and individual attention associated with five-star hotels and international standard fine dining restaurants.

The sky nanny has become popular, specially among families traveling long haul. Each nanny is a fully qualified member of the in-flight service team, dedicated to delivering specialist care for children up to the age of 12, traveling with their parents, or as unaccompanied minors.

PAL eyes transfer to Terminal I when NAIA-3 opens
By Rainier Allan Ronda
The Philippine Star 09/07/2005

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) may transfer to Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s old terminal once the government finally opens NAIA’s new but mothballed Terminal 3.

PAL is currently based at the NAIA’s Terminal 2 while all other airlines operate at the old terminal.

Sources at PAL said the airline is not inclined to join other carriers at the new Terminal 3, which the government wants to be operational by November to replace the old terminal.

PAL wants its international and domestic operations under one roof and the old terminal — although rundown — is bigger than Terminal 2, the sources said.

PAL will need more space because it plans to reopen flights to Europe soon, they explained.

The government could also use the NAIA Terminal 2 as a domestic airport, the sources added. The existing domestic airport — like the old NAIA terminal — is rundown and has been described by media commentators as an embarrassment to the country.

PAL officials and engineers from giant plane manufacturers Boeing and Airbus Industrie toured the old terminal last week to see if it would be right for the airline’s operations.

PAL’s fleet is mostly composed of Boeing and Airbus planes. Airline officials will submit their recommendations to PAL chief Lucio Tan in the next few days.

Alfonso Cusi, Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) general manager, said the proposal opens "possibilities."

"If they choose to transfer their operations to Terminal 1 and leave Terminal 2, then we can transfer the domestic airport to Terminal 2," Cusi told The STAR.

It’s possible for PAL to transfer operations to the old terminal but "that depends on the terms and conditions," Cusi said. He did not elaborate. Cusi sees no problem if PAL does not transfer to Terminal 3, saying it would not seriously affect the new terminal’s financial viability.

Another Tan company, Asia’s Emerging Dragon Corp. (AEDC), is making a bid to operate NAIA’s Terminal 3 and has offered to buy out the stake of Philippine International Air Terminals Co. Inc. (Piatco) in the idle facility, which was built by the consortium. AEDC has offered to compensate Piatco for the cost it incurred in constructing the terminal.

Piatco is asking for over $600 million in compensation after the government expropriated the terminal in December 2004 but the government is contesting the figure.

The final figure is currently being determined by a Pasay City regional trial court, which gave the government permission to take control of the terminal.

AEDC made an unsolicited offer to build and operate the terminal but it failed to match Piatco’s offer.

It argues that it now has the legal right over the terminal following a 2002 Supreme Court ruling on a government petition that nullified Piatco’s "build-operate-transfer" contract because of provisions that the tribunal deemed were detrimental to the government.

AEDC vowed to bring in more huge investments from foreign and local businesses once it takes over the new terminal, AEDC legal counsel Perfecto Yasay said in a statement issued to the media yesterday.

Yasay said foreign business groups from Europe, the United States and China have expressed confidence in AEDC’s capability to run the terminal.

He declined to identify these investors. "They will only come in and invest hundreds of millions of dollars on condition that the government will recognize the right of the AEDC to operate and manage NAIA 3."

In a letter to Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza, Yasay had asked the government to resolve its legal dispute with Piatco, including AEDC’s claim to operate the terminal.

AEDC also views the inclusion of Piatco’s new management, Manila Hotel Corp., in the consortium with "grave concern," Yasay said.

He said Manila Hotel Corp.’s buyout of Frankfurt airport operator Fraport AG’s stake in the consortium undermines AEDC’s right to operate the terminal, being the "legitimate and unchallenged bidder of the project."

Manila Hotel Corp. gained control of Piatco after it bought the equities of Fraport as well as those of two other foreign partners of the consortium, which built the new terminal. Fraport’s decision to accept Manila Hotel Corp.’s $200-million offer for its stake in Piatco effectively ends its dispute with its local partners in Piatco and with the government.

The $650-million terminal had been mothballed since 2003 when President Arroyo revoked Piatco’s contract with the government on the grounds that certain terms were illegally renegotiated by her deposed predecessor Joseph Estrada in 1998.

Fraport, which had been seeking over $400 million in compensation for the terminal project, took its case to arbitration in Washington while Piatco has a separate arbitration case in Singapore.

Piatco’s new management and the government have begun talks over a possible settlement of their drawn-out legal battle to expedite government efforts to have it operational before the end of the year. — With Michael Punongbayan

^ I seriously want the current domestic terminal to burn down. And I hope they really open NAIA 3 Soon, it would seriously give the Philippines a better image.

Actually it is already tiring to read all these news that I dont care to read anymore he he. How I wish I have the power to open the new airport in a ZAP!!! and bring all those opposing people to a faraway deserted island.

how about alcatraz mango ?
so now PAL wants to go to buluk T 1. what a sarcastic soap opera, pilipino style. sorry guys, don´t want to offend anyone.
maybe PAL will renovate T 1 before they move in. that would not be too bad, would it ? maybe they then can prolong that tunnel to T 1 they are planning to build to T 2 from T 3. then all terminals could be connected efficiently and quick with short transfers from international to domestic flights.

The Old Terminal 1 should be destroyed "BY ACCIDENT" so that they would be forced to use the T3 alone or build another one because the first terminal is truly a shame...

you mean like what they did to the old manila international airport, which was located at the site of T 2 ? i think if they would do that again, it would be too obvious......

T1 isn't THAT bad, and if PAL wants to relocate there, the terminal will obviously be renovated and refurbished to its glory days. The good thing about that, is that there is a *little* space in which PAL can make a new concourse, if need be.

T2 was originally designed to be solely for domestic air travel. If PAL leaves it for T1, then good-- it reverts to what it was originally designed for. It was never designed for PAL's international operations in the first place (which explains the odd placement of Immigrations and Customs).

But I think that T1 would actually be good for PAL, the reason being its architecture and design are trully Filipino. Designed by Leandro Locsin, its architecture would never be mistaken for an international design. As beautiful, modern and spacious as T3 is, I see nothing Filipino in its architecture (except for the waiting and greeting areas which are culturally correct). A modernized T1 (remember they were already planning on modernizing it) would give the Philippine flag carrier a truly Filipino airport.

^^ I agree with you Mike, T1 will be a good homebase hub for PAL's operations all under one roof. T2 is indeed meant to be only a domestic terminal. Whenever (if ever!) PAL moves to T1, I sure hope they do some major renovations and improvements to the terminal as it is in horrible shape, a bad first impression to foreigners and balikbayans alike.

what do you mean by truely filipino architecture? the dominant impression is concrete, and that truely is not "filipino style" is it.....
locsin built at a time when concrete was ample and therefore affordable in the philippines. did you ever see his house? that was truely pilipino style, and that at it´s best. nevertheless, if PAL realizes it could design pilipino stye NOW that the structure has been set up, i´d agree with you boybaha.

but where to the structure of T1 could that concourse be attached solblanc?

T1 is emblematic of Philippine architecture in the 1970s and stylistically is an extension of the kind of architecture that we see in the CCP complex. Granted some of the buildings of the CCP complex took their cues from architecture from ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, the airport is an architectural sibling of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. These buildings reflected a kind of heft and physical presence that exudes solidity. While the CCP basks in marble, the poor old NAIA T1 was made to wear drab pebble-washed concrete. Nevertheless, the architectural styling is representative of the development of Philippine modernism. Other buildings that you can point to that share the same roots would be the Benguet Center, the Banko Sentral complex and the San Miguel Corporation Headquarters in Ortigas. NAIA T1 is a representative of a distinctly Philippine architecture.

Inside, this Filipinoness was extended in the rich use of wood in the ceiling treatments in the spacious great hall (we might not think of it as spacious right now because it is overcrowded, but if only one airline uses it, it definitely is a spacious hall). The ticket and baggage check area is a grand hall that would shine warmly and richly if given the proper cleaning treatments-- how many airports in the world can boast of a hall that actually does not look like a sterile business lounge, but rather a sala.

Yes in its present state, T1 is deplorable. But I think that it could be a unique and welcoming place if given a couple of million pesos in cleaning and modernizing.

^^ they shud really change that italic MABUHAY in the back of the building at least change it. its tacky n dull.

wow... okay, this is probably the weirdest thing I've heard so far... haha!

why would they want to go back to Terminal 1? if they're going to refurbish it, it has to be at a level comparable to what they've done at Changi. like a total renovation that will see basically everything replaced and redone. I mean, if they did that, yeah.. I hope they'll keep most of the same architecture. but they're gonna have to modernize everything and change it up to newer materials. that's gonna cost a ton of money PAL doesn't have... unless Lucio Tan wants to use his own money. but what's the point in that? why don't they just use NAIA-3 then?

why do they so badly want to have their exclusive terminal?

yes, especially when all passengers comming in with foreign airlines would rather connet to CEB in the same terminal than take a cab all around NAIA and check in all over again for a domestic connex. but maybe it is not that way, and they all stay in manila for some days before flying to cebu, boracay, davao, palawan anyway. whatever will happen in NAIA right now is speculative, noone really knows......

I agree with boyhaha even though it's not the most hightech and modern airport it Naia 1has a unique look and character. Kind of like a grand hotel with a tropical feel

I understand Tan's interest in keeping all PAL operations under one roof. It would be PAL's competitive advantage over all the other airlines, really, and the primary reason for his hardheadedness for not leaving T2. If PAL were the only airline in the Philippines where international passengers can switch to a domestic flight with ease, he beats out everybody else. Overseas Filipinos would have to buy a ticket from PAL to avail of that much convenience. PAL also would save a lot of money in transportation and baggage handling by concentrating operations under one roof-- enough to make being in an old building acceptable I guess. If they were to move to T3, they lose this advantage.

I of course hope that they move international operations to T3, but if they want T1 for the sake of keeping operations under one roof, more power to them. At least T1 is not removed from its primary purpose of serving international travel and T2 is returned to its original purpose. But only if T1 were given a world-class makeover, keeping as much of its good parts as possible, while obliterating all its worst qualities. Done properly, T1 can be very elegant (the wood ceilings and the marble flooring in the main hall have so much potential to look like a hotel lobby, as Marites suggested. I'm imagining the lobby of the Manila Peninsula Hotel), which in itself is a very good thing.

I don't think moving to T1 is a bad idea at all.

T1 would be a very good place to check-in and rest up before your flight, if it isn't so overcrowded. It looks very much perfect for a domestic terminal if PAL decides to stay in T2.

Anyways the current domestic terminal is horrendous. And before PAL can even realistically start saying "yeah we'll move international to T3", the bloody thing has to open first yeah? :bash:

^^ the opening bloody thing really got me here

An even better proposal would be to fast track the modernization and expansion of Clark in order to quickly transfer the majority of flights there.

PAL should either dominate T3 and others stay at Clark or visa versa. By the way, what's up with the special treatment of PAL. I also didn't know that DRAGON airways is owned by Tan. Dragon airways can be stationed in either T3 or Clark.

Then turn T1 into a HOTEL. Yes, that's right, a hotel. It would be a grand renovation.

Oh! if only hadn't been cursed by piss ass politicians!

PR is just posturing. That's how the game is played. LT knows there is no T3 without PR, no bid would have gone through without it. This was one of the original conditions in the BOT. But since GMA has rescinded it there is not BOT but the government back to running it. That gives LT a stronger position for bargaining, the ironic part is if ERAP was around this would not have been an issue. But this is one of LT's conditions for backing GMA in 2001. Basically look for PR having cheaper operations on the ground visavis any and all competitors, local and foreign.

and if you ask why PR or LT gets special treatment is because he runs the country.

Airline keen to resume operations in Bahrain
By Soman Baby, Manama, Bahrain

PHILIPPINE AIRLINES is exploring the possibility of resuming operations to Bahrain, a top official has revealed. The airline stopped its services to Bahrain during the early 1980s.

"We are keen to resume our operations to Bahrain, but we have to wait until we increase the number of aircraft in our fleet," said Philippine Airlines' Riyadh-based country manager Celso Dapo.

"Currently, we work in close co-ordination with our general sales agents, World Travel Service (WTS).

"We are keen on encouraging tourists from Bahrain to use our services for domestic travel once they reach Philippines."

Many tourists still consider Manila as the Philippines, said Mr Dapo.

"We want to tell such people that there are several islands and other beautiful destinations in the Philippines, which they should experience," he added.

Philippine Airlines currently operates three flights a week between Manila and Riyadh.

"We operate Airbus 340 services with 264 seats in three configuration -business class, premium class and economy class," said Mr Dapo.

"Saudi Arabia is the only Gulf country where we now operate to. We know that our entitlements in this region are under-utilised.

Philippine Airlines has a code-sharing agreement with Emirates and Qatar Airways.

"Philippine Airlines is slowly recovering from the financial crisis which gripped the airline for several years - but we made a net profit of $25 million last year.

WTS chief executive Hisham Al Baradie hosted a lunch in honour of Mr Dapo at La Taverna Restaurant, City Centre Hotel.

It was attended by Filipino Ambassador Eduardo Pablo Maglaya.

Manila, Beijing to resume direct air flights

MANILA, Sept. 6 (Xinhuanet) -- The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs announced Tuesday the reset of the direct air flights between Manila and Beijing, China, after 15-year suspension in view of the sharply increase of tourism market in China.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo said at a press conference that the non-stop flights run by the Philippine Air Lines (PAL) between two capitals would start on Nov. 11 and fly three times a week to serve Chinese visitors, who are expected to grow to 100 million by 2020.

The PAL suspended this direct flights 15 years ago due to decreased revenues after the last fly to Beijing in 1989.

"The re-opening of direct flights between the two capitals is symbolic and a fitting milestone as the Philippines and China continue to promote and expand our over-all ties in the 30th year of our diplomatic relations," Secretary Alberto Romulo said.

"It is symbolic of the emergence of the new golden age of partnership envisioned by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and President Hu Jintao during his state visit to the Philippines in April this year," Romulo added.

The PAL's non-stop service between Manila and Beijing would save time of Filipino and Chinese tourists and business travelers,who now have to take one-stop flights or transfer connections, usually via Xiamen or Hong Kong.

Romulo said that the resumption of Manila-Beijing non-stop flights is a major breakthrough in efforts of the Philippines to expand aviation links with China, which now include flights to Xiamen, Beijing (via Xiamen), Shanghai, and Guangzhou (charter service).

In addition, Air Philippines is also preparing for the start inOctober of the regular charter flights between Manila and Chongqing city in central China via Guangzhou.

According to the statistics of the Department of Tourism (DOT),a total of 45,789 tourist arrivals from China in the first six months were recorded, about 150 percent higher than the same period of last year.

The DOT has also projected that China could become the fourth largest source country for tourists to the Philippines by the end of the year, next to the United States, South Korea and Japan.

More flights, wouldn't that demand more airplanes, or will they just stretch out the fleet's ability to travel here and there?

its the latter. PAL is really pushing the envelope with their fleet...

its the latter. PAL is really pushing the envelope with their fleet...
Yep...fleet utilization is really high w/ PAL. :eek:

bahrain, beijing, europe next, why are they not leasing any more planes? they did last year with a new 747 and 3 replacements with A320´s. they are soon out of their debts anyway. aren´t they still to replace their remaining and aging 737-300 fleet ?

dragon air ? isn´t that airline based in hong kong ? they do not belong to mr. tan. they were part of cathay pacific, emerged to an independent airline, and rumors are again to be partly sold to air china.

Yep...fleet utilization is really high w/ PAL. :eek:

sounds scary when if you're a pessimist with PAL e.g. lack of maintenance... but they haven't had a huge crash have they in recent years? Anyone wanna correct me?

for optimists, perhaps they can call it "maximum utilisation of their resources":D

sounds scary when if you're a pessimist with PAL e.g. lack of maintenance... but they haven't had a huge crash have they in recent years? Anyone wanna correct me?

for optimists, perhaps they can call it "maximum utilisation of their resources":D

Actually, its that high utilization that makes sure that the planes are maintained efficiently. Remeber that PAL maintenance is handled by lufthansa technik, and I doubt that they would allow shoddy maintenance to screw their own name. That, and we all know that PAL isn't afraid to delay flights for maintenance purposes. (of course, this is optimistic speculation. for all I know, the entire shenanigan is a crash waiting to happen)

As for new planes, I'd wait a few years. By 2009, PAL will have exited their receivership. Once that happens, they'll be free to order new planes.

but they did get new planes this year (3xA320´s) and last year (1x747). so why should they not get any further ones, as they announced to substitute their regional fleet of 737´s for newer models within the next 2 years, remember? it was in the news.

those old 737-300 will have to be replaced soon if they have to compete with cebu pacific brand new a-319 and a-320. these planes incorporates the latest in aviation technology making them more efficient planes than pals which are more than 2 decades old, i would suggest they replaced them with newer generation 700 or 800 series or airbus 319 and 320

that´s exactly what they have planned. it was in the news some time early this year. a complete switch (10 or so aircraft) of the regional fleet consisting of 320´s and 737-300/400´s. on their website you can read about the first switch accomplished just months ago with 3 new 320`s that phased out 3 of the oldest 737´s(1 five years old, 2 almost brand new/see picture) look in the news archives of PALwebsite.

Here's an article on Seair on the August edition of the Airliner World magazine.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/Skyblade04/seaair1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/Skyblade04/seaair2.jpg

who knows what is wrong with the websites of MIAA and MCIAA ? there is no connex since some time now. are they being remodelled ? can anyone find out please ?

Russia's Transaero planning direct flights to the Philippines
09.12.2005, 09:42 PM

MANILA (AFX) - Russia's Transaero Airlines is planning to mount direct flights from Moscow to the Philippines to cash in on the growing tourism from Eastern Europe to Southeast Asia, the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper reported, quoting a senior aviation official.

The Russian airline had written the Philippines' foreign affairs department expressing its interest to fly to the Philippines, Civil Aeronautics Board executive director Tomas Manalac said.

CAB has yet to receive a formal application from Transaero, but Manalac said he knew about the interest of the Russian airline, which is why the agency would like to initiate talks with Russia to update a 1995 bilateral aviation agreement between the two countries.

The 10-year aviation deal gives carriers from both countries a flight each week.

Russia is now the Philippine tourism department's next target as the economic boom in the former Soviet state had resulted in increased incomes and more disposable resources for travel, Tourism Secretary Joseph Durano was quoted as saying.

Durano said his agency had invited 14 Russian tour operators to the Philippines for a familiarization tour of the country.

who knows what is wrong with the websites of MIAA and MCIAA ? there is no connex since some time now. are they being remodelled ? can anyone find out please ?
I don't know what's been going on with those sites but eventually I sort of gave up on them. I just wish they could bring back that one NAIA T3 site. Now that one was seriously world class and professional...

Anyhow...Transero planning flights to Manila!? :eek: Wow that's a serious surprise right there. :eek2:

maybe we forumers should write a pettition to secretary of tourism mr. durano and apply for the needs of airport websites. as there is a demand from tourists comming into the country to find their way around the terminals, with growing number of statistic accounts, just like it used to be. no reason to quit something that is helpful to everyone moving through the terminals. besides, it also is a matter of prestige and good organization of the gateway. we name it the "calling card" of a country in europe.

was there not a russian airline flying to manila some time ago? what happened, did they cancel their flights?

was there not a russian airline flying to manila some time ago? what happened, did they cancel their flights?

during the cold war? I somehow don't think so :)

oh, the MIAA website is back up. I have a feeling that its just a bandwidth thing.

not during the cold war. just recently, maybe 2 years ago ? i think it was aeroflot.
i checked the MIAA site this morning (grennwich +1 hour), and there was no connex.

PAL, which regularly flies to Xiamen and Shanghai, plans to lease Airbus 320 planes to service Beijing three times a week, Bautista told a stockholders meeting....does this answer your question?




More flights, wouldn't that demand more airplanes, or will they just stretch out the fleet's ability to travel here and there?

PAL direct flights to Beijing starts Nov. 11

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) will start its direct flights to Beijing, China on Nov. 11 as part of plans to boost revenues and take advantage of the growing domestic and international tourism in China.

PAL president Jaime Bautista said the flag carrier will start flying three times a week to the Chinese capital. In China, PAL already flies to Xiamen and Shanghai.

The growth in China has been fueled by the Department of Tourism (DoT) supported by PAL and Monitor Group, a leading global management consulting firm.

As one of the largest and fastest growing outbound tourism market globally, China is expected to produce an estimated 100 million travelers per year by 2010.

Despite the importance of the market, the Philippines only captured approximately 0.2 percent of total Chinese travelers in 2003.

Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano said the DoT designed and implemented major campaigns, namely, building an effective China organization, reinforcing the Philippines ‘brand’ driving trade participation, customizing products to meet Chinese tourists’ needs, pushing for priority policy support and driving DoT and private sector collaboration through the establishment of the China Tourism Action Group.

As an active participant in the group, PAL is now aggressively supporting the campaigns and will have its direct route from Manila to Beijing and vice-versa.

These campaigns have generated impressive results. The first half of 2005 saw 45,789 Chinese arrivals in the Philippines, already exceeding the 2004 total. May and June experienced unprecedented increases of 211.2 percent and 205.8 percent, respectively as compared to corresponding periods last year.

Thus, by the end of this year, China could become the fourth largest source country of tourism to the Philippines, joining the United States, Korea and Japan.

"The new China strategy has helped us focus our resources invested in China, allowing us to reap the market opportunities," Durano said.

On the other hand, Bautista said, "We are pleased to be engaged in this important China marketing initiative together with the DoT. Our efforts have clearly differentiated the Philippines’ positioning in the China market, and have led to visible results. This will further the tourism industry for the Philippines."

Many thanks to Chymera for posting this on the IloIlo thread.

Iloilo International Airport

Credits to the webmaster of the official Cabatuan (Iloilo) Website

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/chymera00/iloilocitypics/internationalairport/airport4.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/chymera00/iloilocitypics/internationalairport/airport3.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/chymera00/iloilocitypics/internationalairport/airport2.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/chymera00/iloilocitypics/internationalairport/airport1.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/chymera00/iloilocitypics/internationalairport/airport6.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/chymera00/iloilocitypics/internationalairport/airport5.jpg

during the cold war? I somehow don't think so :)

oh, the MIAA website is back up. I have a feeling that its just a bandwidth thing.

Actually yes during the cold war, we had diplomatic relations with Russia, and Aeroflot actually had an office and flew here. I've no idea who took the flights though!

Actually yes during the cold war, we had diplomatic relations with Russia, and Aeroflot actually had an office and flew here. I've no idea who took the flights though!
Well I'll be darned... :eek2:

Anyhow thanks sandrin and chymera for posting that! Finally I know how the new Iloilo Airport may look. :D

Yeah, many thanks for posting renderings of the new Iloilo Airport. Small (but from the looks of it expandable), simple and modern...which is perfect for Iloilo. I like the control tower...its cute.

which is perfect for Iloilo.
Indeed... Mandurriao Airport served Iloilo well but now it's time for something better. :D Can't wait to arrive in this airport when visiting my family! m))

it´s a transparent, bright glas structure, which makes´s it nice for passengers to take pictures of the aircraft on the apron and watch the air traffic on the runway. in my opinion it is the most beautiful terminal in the philippines ! MAGANDA ! when will it be opened ??

it should be adapted for further terminal constructions within the country like for cebu´s new international terminal. that will not only save costs, but have accelerate appropriate and representative international arrival upon landing in bustling cebu. it could also be utilized for DMIA, as it is planned for further growth with the possible lengthening of the bridge left and right afront the actual terminal (apron side), where docking-bridges are connected. more of these could then be attached on each side to accept more flights simultanously.

it should be adapted for further terminal constructions within the country like for cebu´s new international terminal. that will not only save costs, but accelerate appropriate and representative international arrival upon landing in bustling cebu. it could also be utilized for DMIA, as it is planned for further growth with the possible lengthening of the bridge left and right afront the actual terminal (apron side), where docking-bridges are connected. more of these could then be attached on each side to accept more flights simultanously.

Pay the businesses and residences for moving out of the area and relocating them somewhere else. With a rail connection between the terminals, NAIA would look more appealing to the traveller. :D If there's one major complaint I hear among travelers to MNL, it's the lack of some sort of permanent connection between the terminals. Indeed some of us here had the idea of a parallel runway with the existing one in NAIA though there was the prob that that area is built up.
A lot of travellers are lazy ,specially the older ones.:lol: Convenience is key. If a place is too dificult to get to and a lot of hassle no matter how beautiful , they'll probably pass on it.

I think the reason some provincial municipalities want to have an International airport is they think this will boost tourists arrivals. They'll have direct flights avoiding transfers and they want to sell their region independent and not associated with the negative media press about Manila.

A lot of travellers are lazy ,specially the older ones.:lol: Convenience is key. If a place is too dificult to get to and a lot of hassle no matter how beautiful , they'll probably pass on it.
I'm pretty much guilty on the lazy part. :P Can't forget those that have balikbayan boxes. ;) One MAJOR reason why my family doesn't fly any other airline outside of PAL is because we'd have to lug our checked luggage (which is pretty large...and annoying) and the traditional 6 balikbayan boxes if we flew into Terminal 1

true marites4,
nevertheless,PAL and other airlines will block direct flights by foreign airlines to domestic airports (unless charter), cause they loose inter-island connecting flight passengers that way. but i believe this is a wrong approach. open skies will help them all in the long run, because it accelerates much more travel, due to lower fares. CEB´s introduction of low fares did not pull away any customers from PAL, rather made flying possible for a greater riding public. (good for tourism and associated industries) so there is room for everyone. disregulation adapted 4 years ago in phil. domestic aviation brought forth a four-fold of growing passenger numbers within the archipelago ! enough for every airline and more....


I think the reason some provincial municipalities want to have an International airport is they think this will boost tourists arrivals. They'll have direct flights avoiding transfers and they want to sell their region independent and not associated with the negative media press about Manila.

true marites4,
nevertheless,PAL and other airlines will block direct flights by foreign airlines to domestic airports (unless charter), cause they loose inter-island connecting flight passengers that way. but i believe this is a wrong approach. open skies will help them all in the long run, because it accelerates much more travel, due to lower fares. CEB´s introduction of low fares did not pull away any customers from PAL, rather made flying possible for a greater riding public. (good for tourism and associated industries) so there is room for everyone. disregulation adapted 4 years ago in phil. domestic aviation brought forth a four-fold of growing passenger numbers within the archipelago ! enough for every airline and more....


Not exactly. I think Asiana or Eva or some other taiwanese/korean carrier was considering flying direct to kalibo. PR and 5J didn't seem to be bothered. I think their reactions were along the lines of "I'd like to see them try" :D

so why did they not solblanc ? or are they still in the process of corresponding with the phil. government for an agreement on the landing rights at kalibo, which is not an international airport.

Not exactly. I think Asiana or Eva or some other taiwanese/korean carrier was considering flying direct to kalibo. PR and 5J didn't seem to be bothered. I think their reactions were along the lines of "I'd like to see them try" :D
Just seeing BR and/or OZ aircraft in KBO would've been an awesome sight!

A lot of travellers are lazy ,specially the older ones.:lol: Convenience is key. If a place is too dificult to get to and a lot of hassle no matter how beautiful , they'll probably pass on it.

damn straight. i mean why would you "tiyaga" if you're a tourist:D

and I pray Iloilo's airport is finished and available for use before T3. :bash:

^^ your pray wont be listened by the god. he has foretold the human being especially I that it will incur a soft opening this december.

so why did they not solblanc ? or are they still in the process of corresponding with the phil. government for an agreement on the landing rights at kalibo, which is not an international airport.

actually, I have no idea :D the news just disappeared from the papers.

I think the reason some provincial municipalities want to have an International airport is they think this will boost tourists arrivals. They'll have direct flights avoiding transfers and they want to sell their region independent and not associated with the negative media press about Manila.
Yeah thats a major reason and its a good reason IMO, more tourists will go to the provinces because it is more accessible.

But in Iloilo's case, the old Mandurriao Airport is already overcapacitated so a new terminal will need to be opened to accomodate the demand.

Iloilo Airport will hopefully be opened in 2007 (it was extended from 2006 because of delays).

I have a Q:
what exactly does the big and small circles mean in this blue print of the Iloilo Airport?
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/chymera00/iloilocitypics/internationalairport/airport5.jpg
does it mean that the airport can accomodate 5 big planes and 7 smaller ones?

damn straight. i mean why would you "tiyaga" if you're a tourist:D

and I pray Iloilo's airport is finished and available for use before T3. :bash:
Well, I'm praying t3 will be opened before Iloilo's airport

(from Iloilo City and Province thread IV)

Iloilo Airport Development Project
The scope of work includes the 2,500 m x 45 meters runway, 48,000 sq. meters apron, 3,000 m x 30 meters access road, passenger terminal which is about 12,000 square meters, cargo terminal building, administration building, 35 meters high tower and operation building, central plant building, maintenance building and equipment, crash-fire-rescue station and equipment, and many others.

It is situated on a 200-hectare area spanning through the barangays of Cabatuan, Sta. Barbara and San Miguel towns. "It will not just be a big plane, but the jumbo jets and the biggest model of Airbuses to land in the airport," said Rene Villa, who is presidential assistant for Western Visayas.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/chymera00/iloilocitypics/internationalairport/Nipd_2.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/chymera00/iloilocitypics/internationalairport/airport011.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/chymera00/iloilocitypics/internationalairport/airport02.jpg

Wow, the Visayas region is really booming!

it will be a grand airport, but definately no A 380´s will land here. that is just science fiction, but not science fact.
philpal


(from Iloilo City and Province thread IV)

Iloilo Airport Development Project
The scope of work includes the 2,500 m x 45 meters runway, 48,000 sq. meters apron, 3,000 m x 30 meters access road, passenger terminal which is about 12,000 square meters, cargo terminal building, administration building, 35 meters high tower and operation building, central plant building, maintenance building and equipment, crash-fire-rescue station and equipment, and many others.

It is situated on a 200-hectare area spanning through the barangays of Cabatuan, Sta. Barbara and San Miguel towns. "It will not just be a big plane, but the jumbo jets and the biggest model of Airbuses to land in the airport," said Rene Villa, who is presidential assistant for Western Visayas.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/chymera00/iloilocitypics/internationalairport/Nipd_2.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/chymera00/iloilocitypics/internationalairport/airport011.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/chymera00/iloilocitypics/internationalairport/airport02.jpg

it will be a grand airport, but definately no A 380´s will land here. that is just science fiction, but not science fact.
philpal
Unless if it were some sort of diversion, operating the A380 into ILO would be awfully peculiar IMO. ;)

Does anybody know why PAL stopped flying to Chicago? I think if I may recall it right, they used to fly out here in northern midwest back in the 80's I wonder why they stopped doing that. Maybe CEb pacific can pick that route in the future. I don't know if this has been discussed before in this thread but I just wondered why there is no Phil aircarriers flying towards the east coast and back.

^^ yeah i live in chicago actually suburbs of, anyways my aunt told me that pal used to fly here and united airlines was flying over there till the late 90s, i think, i guess what happened was corporate consolidated airlines by group, and get connection w/in that group. i flew american airline once then connect me to pal in los angeles. well next time, i fly home, i know to use japan airlines since its cheaper and they gave 5 star service, they even put u in the hotel for lay over thats what my mom said n others that used jal.

JAL is cheaper? I heard Eva and Asiana offers the cheapest airfares to the Philippines. (Well, that was more of a Q than a comment). I've tried CAX or cathay, they sometimes offer a real cheap airfare and the best part is that Cathay has a real superev service and food of all the airlines I've tried flying.

" support your local dealer"
anyone ever heard of it yet ?

" support your local dealer"
anyone ever heard of it yet ?

yeah, ever heard of" my pocket hurts"? LOL. I don't mind whatever airliner my company would chose for me on a business trip but if it's for pleasure and it will come out of my own ppocket? well, the best service on my money's worth as possible.... ;)

when is it going to be finished?

when is it going to be finished?
in first half of 2007

Philippine Airlines To Compete On Manila-Macau -Analysts
By Abdul Hadhi of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES Tuesday September 20, 2005

SINGAPORE (Dow Jones) -- Philippine Airlines Ltd. (PAI.YY) won't wait long to compete with regional low cost carriers Tiger Airways and AirAsia Bhd. (5099.KU) on their proposed Macau-Manila flights, analysts say.

They say with the entry of the LCCs, an estimated 200,000 passengers will fly the route every year in the near future, and the Philippine state carrier will do whatever it takes not to be left out.

"There's strong potential for increased travel not only from tourists between Macau and Manila but also from the thousands of overseas Filipino workers based in Macau and Hong Kong," an analyst with a regional brokerage said.

Both Tiger Airways, the low-cost affiliate of Singapore Airlines Ltd. (S55.SG), and Malaysia-based AirAsia plan to start flying the Macau-Manila route from Oct. 30.

PAL currently offers code-share flights using Air Macau's aircraft three times a week, but the entry of the low cost carriers will likely push it to fly its own planes as it's the favored carrier of Filipino overseas workers around the world.

"We may need to review our stand if and when we decide to operate on that sector," a PAL spokesman said.

Tiger Chief Executive Tony Davis expects his airline to carry more than 100,000 passengers a year between the two points when its flights are in full swing.

AirAsia Chief Executive Tony Fernandes declined to comment on the potential of the route.

Meeting the challenge from the LCCs won't be easy for PAL, said Andrew Miller, chief executive of Sydney-based Centre for Asia-Pacific Aviation.

"The cost of a plane seat for a full service airline is about 2-3 times that for a LCC and you need a minimum of one flight a day to make it worthwhile for a full service airline," Miller said.

"Operating 2-3 flights a day will be better," he added.

Tiger has already filed the necessary documents and flying the route "is clearly in the public interest and will have a significant positive impact on the further development of Clark as an important regional aviation hub," Davis said.

Tiger already serves both Macapagal International Airport - the former Clark International Airport near Manila - and Macau from Singapore.

PAL appears to have accepted competition from LCCs, but for now, it appears confident of its own attraction to travelers through the Air Macau flights.

"Most of the LCCs operate out of Clark Field airport in Pampanga, which is over two hours away by shuttle bus from Manila. This is great if the passenger resides in that area, but if he is based in Manila, it's inconvenient," the PAL spokesman said.

"Only a limited number of seats on the LCC flights are allotted for the super-low fare category. The bulk of the seats are sold at higher fares, which, while still lower than fares of full-service airlines, may not be attractive enough to convince Manila-based passengers to shuttle all the way to Clark Field," he added.

In late 2004, when Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Long announced the approval of LCCs coming in through Clark Field, PAL warned that this would cripple the aviation industry and displace scores of workers.

Philippines' Cebu Pacific Gets $25.8M Loan For Refleeting
Tuesday September 20, 2005

MANILA (Dow Jones) -- Philippine conglomerate JG Summit Holdings Inc. (JGS.PH) said Tuesday that its airline unit, Cebu Air Inc., has secured a $25.8 million loan from various export credit agencies for its refleeting program.

JG Summit said it has agreed to be one of the guarantors for the transaction with the agencies, which it refused to identify.

Cebu Air, which uses the trade name Cebu Pacific, will use the loan to finance the purchase of one Airbus (ABI.YY) A319-100. The aircraft will be delivered on Thursday.

In September last year, Cebu Pacific, the country's second largest airline in terms of fleet, sales and passengers, signed a contract to buy 12 Airbus A319-100s and lease two Airbus A320s to replace a fleet of DC9 and B757 aircraft.

Airbus is set to deliver the aircraft to the budget airline from September until 2007.

Cebu Pacific last year disclosed plans to tap foreign export credit agencies to partially finance its $300 million refleeting program. It said borrowings could total $225 million.

Lufthansa gives ready assistance to arriving Filipino travelers

Lufthansa German Airlines continues to enhance the travel experience of its international passengers with the continuous extension of the airline’s Welcome Service at its Frankfurt and Munich hubs.

Passengers from the Philippines as well as Arabia, Argentina, Brasilia, China, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, South Korea, Russia, Venezuela, and Vietnam receive a warm welcome from Lufthansa staff upon arrival in Frankfurt or Munich.

Lufthansa’s Welcome Service aims to assist international passengers by providing important information about ticket inquiries, baggage claim, transit schedules, departure gates or other airport facilities in their own languages. Currently, the service is offered in 13 languages. Apart from Filipino, languages covered include Russian, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Hebrew, Portuguese, Spanish, Farsi, Vietnamese and Bahasa Indonesia.

"Our Welcome Service is just one of many innovations to make our passengers feel at home even when traveling around the world. Lufthansa strives to mesh the best international practices, the German signature for airline service excellence and the distinct local touch of each country of origin to provide passengers with a unique traveling experience," said Lufthansa Philippines General Manager Christopher Zimmer.

Lufthansa service professionals are stationed at the arrival area to welcome incoming passengers. Welcome banners in several local languages may also be found at the arrival area.

"Imagine an anxious traveler entering an unfamiliar territory. Imagine his relief as a Lufthansa staff welcomes him in his own language as he steps off the plane. That’s what Lufthansa strives to provide all passengers – service with a global feel but with a local touch," added Zimmer.

The Welcome Service is only one of several key elements of Lufthansa’s new service product "Global Feel – Local Touch".

"Lufthansa adds local flavors into all service aspects, from country-typical culinary specialties to a wide range of reading materials and audio and video programs to regional comfort articles," said Zimmer.

Whether on the ground or in the air, Lufthansa caters to the individual needs of their passengers.

"We always put a premium to our customer’s traveling comforts. From modern air fleet, world-class airports and well-appointed passenger lounges to top-of-the-line media and in-flight entertainment and services, gourmet in-flight meals, handpicked wine selections, state-of-the-art PrivateBed, and FlyNet inflight Internet portal and a whole lot more, Lufthansa guarantees on-time, reliable, convenient air travel," he added.

Lufthansa German Airlines has been serving the Philippines since 1981 and is the leading European carrier with the best onward connections from Asia to anywhere in Europe via its hub in Frankfurt, Germany.

just bumped into this :
Aside from Russia, the CAB also wants to enhance air ties with Canada within the year, Mañalac said.He said the government would like a daily-flight entitlement with Canada instead of the present four times weekly.The Philippines aviation accord with Canada was last updated in 1997.Mañalac said Canada's aviation authority recently wrote that it was studying the Philippines' proposal.

More flights to Canada would mean flights to more points in the United States, particularly in the East Coast, such as New York and Chicago, before landing in Vancouver or Toronto, he said. Philippine Airlines flies to Vancouver via Las Vegas.
Mañalac said other Philippine carriers, like Cebu Air Pacific, could consider Canada as part of a trans-Atlantic route expansion. Filipinos have become the fourth largest visible minority group Canada. Nearly half of the 327,545 Filipinos in Canada as of 2001 were living in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta.* (INQ7)

I think Canada is now becoming a better choice for a place to migrate for Filipinos. Canada is leaps and bounds ahead of the US socially and ethically.

A very good friend of mine works as a manager and salesperson for United's Cargo. He's recently vying for a job that will bring him to the pacific division. He says that United is eyeing expansion in Asia, but it will be a challenge to their financial problems. He foresees that if the Asia expansion forges ahead, United will fly to the Philippines.

I think Canada is now becoming a better choice for a place to migrate for Filipinos. Canada is leaps and bounds ahead of the US socially and ethically.

Hi dancethingy! I agree with you that Canada is ahead of the US socially and ethically. Just curious about how the economy is doing though. Coz I've spoken to three Canadians (on separate occassions) and they all complained about how hard it is to find a job there and that they were all thinking of moving to the USA. Is that true? sorry that this is off topic but I just found it odd coz I always saw Canada as stable.

I think Canada is now becoming a better choice for a place to migrate for Filipinos. Canada is leaps and bounds ahead of the US socially and ethically.


I am an example of that:D

I'm not from Canada, but i'm hoping to move there. Plus, they're more gay friendly. The economy may not be as booming as the America but at least they care for the poor. I'll research the Canadian economy and get back to ya.

[QUOTE=dancethingy]I think Canada is now becoming a better choice for a place to migrate for Filipinos. Canada is leaps and bounds ahead of the US socially and ethically.

I think it's because the US has tougher immigration rules and screening now after 9/11 attack ( case to case basis, european immgrants are given lesser hard time as usual), a filipino counter part i've met here whOM WAS on his business trip up in our main office was only given a month of stay on a tourist/business trip even if he has multiple entry tourist visa and has entered the US a couple of times before. Previously, whenever he enter the US, he would be given up to 6 mos extendable which he really never used in the past, now, it was only 1 month and can be extended to another month ( if lucky).... I heard Canada is less harder on immigration law than the US.

ei guys going back to topic.. taken from philstar.com

Cebu Pacific sets P8-B refleeting program
By Mary Ann Ll. Reyes
The Philippine Star 09/22/2005

Gokongwei-owned Cebu Pacific has earmarked $140 million or around P8 billion for the acquisition of four new aircraft this year. The country’s second flag carrier has set its sights on flying to China and to other cities in Japan.

Cebu Pacific president Lance Gokongwei told The STAR that the company will be spending a total of $670 million to acquire12 new aircraft. The amount includes expenses for spare engines, ground service equipment, and annual escalation, he said.

Next year, another six new planes will be acquired, as Cebu Pacific retires its DC-9s which Gokongwei pointed out are expensive to maintain. The company earlier leased two planes. "By the end of this year, we will have six new planes, two of which are leased, and another six new ones by the end of next year," Gokongwei revealed.

Cebu Pacific has just concluded an aircraft financing agreement with various export credit agencies for the acquisition of one Airbus 319-100. Sources said the $25.76-million borrowing accounts for around 85 percent of the cost of the plane, with the remaining 15 percent already shelled out from internally generated company funds.

Around 85 percent of the estimated $650-million cost of refleeting would be financed by debt to be guaranteed by European credit facilities Coface, Hermes, and the British Export Credit Guarantee Department.

The new planes will be primarily for domestic flights but are also in preparation for Cebu Pacific’s flying to China next year. "We already got our permit for China. In the case of flights from Cebu to Osaka, we are still studying it," Gokongwei, who is also president of JG Summit, the Gokongwei group’s holding company, said.

In an earlier report Cebu Pacific said that in July 2005, its market share of the Manila-Davao service route rose to 37 percent from 33 percent in June while that of Manila-Cebu increased to 35 percent from 29.5 percent. Gokongwei expects the acquisition of new planes to boost the company’s market share and improve the bottomline since the new airplanesare more fuel-efficient and less costly to maintain.

The refleeting program is expected to reduce fuel operating cost by as much as 30 percent. The acquisition, company officials said, is part of the airline’s expansion program as it aims to strengthen its foothold in the industry.

Last year, Cebu Pacific signed an agreement with European firm Airbus SAS for the purchase of a dozen 150-seater A319 aircraft for $670 million. The brand-new planes, scheduled to be delivered between this month and February 2007, will allow the low-cost airline to boost its position in the domestic and regional aviation industry. The delivery yesterday is the first of the 12 planes to be acquired under the agreement. It also signed a deal with Airbus last year for the lease of two, 168-seater A320s.

The Cebu Pacific deal was the biggest for the European aircraft maker in the Philippines.

The refleeting will give Cebu Pacific one of the youngest fleets in the region. "It has reached a point wherein it has become more costly to operate older planes," Gokongwei said. "With the new aircraft, we have more flexibility, lower fuel costs and can sell more seats."

Gokongwei said the new airplanes would replace the company’s current fleet of 12, 115-seater DC9 aircraft.

Cebu Pacific said the new planes could fly eight to nine hours a day from the present 6.5 to seven hours. The carrier operates the short-haul, low-fare market, in which flights average one to 1.5 hours. The airline’s competitiveness depends on the number of flights it can mount in a day.

Cebu Pacific began operations in March 1996 with seven flights a day to two destinations. It now flies 85 times a day to 15 domestic and four overseas destinations. The overseas routes are Hong Kong, Seoul in Korea, Guangzhou and Xiamen in China on charter flights. The refleeting will allow Cebu Pacific to fly to China commercially.

The new aircraft will allow Cebu Pacific to fly to nine points in Asia, Gokongwei said. "The much improved range of the A319s is a key consideration as it would open opportunities to fly to growth areas in the region," he said.

The company has also said it would pass on to customers some of the cost savings from the refleeting, especially to domestic passengers. "With the new planes, the cost of operating per seat. This would allow us to offer even more competitive rates or at least keep fares where they are now," he added.

That's really a good news with Ceb Pacif, I hope they will expand more towards the US and Canada or even to europe where there is a big market for them and is not being served by PAL

I just can't wait for the day to see a widebody in Cebu Pacific's colors. :D

Just can't wait for all international airports in the Philippines to be opened. :D

Just can't wait for all international airports in the Philippines to be opened. :D
Aren't we all excited over something in the Philippine commercial aviation scene. ;)

Anyhow, check out this Airliners.net shot of a Cebu Pacific A319!! (http://www.airliners.net/open.file/922152/M/) Beautiful...just beautiful. :runaway:

Wow...that is a great photo:okay: It has the Philippine flag on the nose and the German flag near the tail.

Yeah usually before delivery with Airbus aircraft, the aircraft is issued a reg with the country that it was produced in, in this case D-AVYG. Upon delivery, it would recieve the RP-XXXX reg. Sometimes it'd still get the reg with the country code of which the aircraft was leased from. The majority of PAL's fleet has such a thing (the 747-400s except RP-C8168 have the American N-, the A330s and A330 have the French F-, and the 737-300 and -400 usually had the Irish EI-.) Nevertheless, it'd still fly the flag of the airline's country.