New air deal to allow more low-cost flights to Philippines
By Karamjit Kaur, Aviation Correspondent
A BOOST in Singapore-Philippine air links has paved the way for more low-cost flights between the two countries.
Airlines from the two sides currently operate more than 100 flights a week between Singapore and various points in the Philippines - the maximum allowed under the previous air deal inked in August 2001.
Following two-day talks held recently, both governments have agreed to let Singapore carriers run an extra 16 Airbus 320 services a week to and from Manila.
The same goes for Philippine carriers.
The airlines will also have greater access to and from other cities in the Philippines, such as Cebu, Davao and Clark, Singapore's Ministry of Transport said in a statement yesterday.
The deal is unlikely to benefit Singapore Airlines (SIA), which currently services the Singapore-Manila market three times a day, using the bigger Boeing 777s.
Low-cost carriers Tiger Airways and Jetstar Asia, as well as SIA subsidiary SilkAir, operate A320 aircraft.
Mr Leslie Ng, who heads Jetstar's commercial division, said the airline, which has a daily flight to Manila, is keen to increase frequency. He said: 'Demand is strong on the route, so we are definitely looking to mount more flights.'
With the expanded air agreement, both Jetstar and Tiger Airways said they would consider any new opportunities that come along.
SilkAir also has services to Cebu and the southern coastal city of Davao.
Air traffic between Singapore and the Philippines has grown by an average of 17 per cent a year since 2004.
Despite the global economic and travel slump, total traffic between the two countries last year grew by 12 per cent, compared with the figure in 2007.
'This is no mean feat,' said the ministry, considering that international passenger traffic in the Asia-Pacific fell by 2.2 per cent over the same period.
Much of the growth came not from the leisure segment, but from business travellers. The rising number of Filipinos working in Singapore has also boosted growth, said SA Tours spokesman Ruth Lim.
She added: 'Another growing segment is people from here travelling to various parts of the Philippines for missionary or humanitarian work.'
The expansion of Singapore-Philippine air ties is part of a bigger plan that has gained traction in recent years - to open up Asean skies.
Following a liberalisation of Singapore-Malaysia air ties, for example, low-cost carriers now fly between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, as well as Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia.
Next month is set to see a further round of expansion as budget airlines start flying to Penang, Langkawi and Malacca, among other destinations.
To celebrate, Tiger Airways is giving away 80,000 free seats to Penang and Langkawi, and Malaysia's AirAsia, $1 flights to Langkawi.
Taxes and other charges are about $50 for a return trip.
As the economic downturn makes regional travel more attractive for budget-conscious travellers, increased flights within Asean will boost tourism and reap benefits not just for Singapore but other countries as well, observers said.
Of the 10.1 million visitors who came to Singapore last year, more than 3.5 million - roughly one in three - hailed from South-east Asian countries.
karam@sph.com.sg
This article was first published in The Straits Times.
