ROADBLOCKS TO EXPANSION

Poor infrastructure, travel warnings preventing carriers from expanding routes to provinces

POOR infrastructure and travel advisory warnings imposed on some parts of the Philippines are roadblocks for local carriers to expand their routes to the provinces.

Ryan Uy, Philippine Airlines vice president for sales, said the inavailability of slots at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport prevents carriers like theirs from adding more flights to the provinces, especially during the day.

“We need government support in our daytime (operations) for us to be able to mount flights to Davao, Cagayan de Oro, and Tagbilaran, among others. However, we don’t have the slots,” said Uy, adding that infrastructure remains a critical factor in the growth of the travel and tourism industries.

The congestion in major airports is a result of the increase in the flying public.

Aside from this, Uy also pointed out the travel advisories in some areas of the country by foreign countries as a roadblock for airlines to serve key provinces, especially in Mindanao.

“Once all these alerts will be removed and foreigners start visiting these places, then this will open opportunities for airlines to come in,” said Uy.

A report during the Routes Asia 2016 held in the Philippines last January said airline executives urged policy makers and airport authorities to respond to infrastructure needs, as it is a crucial component, not just for Philippine growth, but for the whole of the Asia-Pacific.

Air travel continues to grow at an aver- age rate of five percent since 2011 and airlines are expected to acquire 38,000 aircraft valued at $5.6 trillion towards 2034.

Seamless connectivity between key islands in the country and abroad are also critical not only for travel and tourism but also in attracting more foreign investments to enter the country.

Canadian Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Julian Payne, in a separate interview, said more flights connecting the country abroad is important for the development of ICT.

“It will be a huge advantage as far as business is concerned,” he said.

Payne is lobbying for more flights from Cebu to Canada, following the growing number of Filipino communities there as well as the presence of Canadian invest- ments in the country.

He recognized though the ongoing expansion at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) and wishes the same development is replicated in major gateways in the country.

Terminal 2 of MCIA is scheduled for completion in 2018. The new terminal will allow the airport to handle 12 million passengers from the current four million.

Tourism Assistant Secretary Daniel Mercado earlier said that airline expansions to other islands would help achieve the 7.1 percent economic growth target. He added this would also provide access to bring more economic opportunities in the countryside, as mandated by the Duterte administration.