The Philippines and Turkey have agreed to expand air services between the countrues in a bid to serve the rising tourism and trade.
Transportation Undersecretary Roberto Lim and Turkish Civil Aviation Acting Director General Dr. Kemal Yüksek signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that improves the air services regime between the Philippines and Turkey following air consultations between the two countries last month in Istanbul, Turkey.
The Philippines’ and Türkey’s aviation services will both benefit from continuing this regime, Lim said.
The air talks resulted in a doubling of passenger air services for both for the Philippines and Turkey on the Manila-Istanbul, v.v. route – from the previous seven flights per week on each side to 14 flights per week – that may be operated by the designated carriers of the contracting parties.
The Philippine Air panel successfully persuaded the Turkish side to operate half or seven of the total Turkish entitlements to Manila on a co-terminal basis with Cebu.
Starting this IATA Summer Season 2023, Turkish Airlines (TK) will be allowed to fly 12 times a week from Manila to Istanbul, five of which will also have a stop in Cebu as a co-terminal before flying back. This will increase to 14 weekly flights in IATA Summer Season 2024, seven of which TK should co-terminalize.
Philippine Airlines, the designated carrier of the Philippines, will continue to codeshare with TK on the latter’s Istanbul-Manila, v.v. flights.
Further, to help stir the growth of direct traffic, both sides agreed to allow third country codesharing, in which Philippine and Turkish carriers can put their airline code and sell flights on third-country carriers that have the right to operate and carry traffic on international routes that include the territories of the Philippines and Turkey.
The MOU likewise taps into Turkey’s potential as a trading partner, improving the air services agreement’s all-cargo regime by removing the route limitation and increasing the entitlements.
From three flights weekly between Manila to Istanbul, the flights have been increased to seven between all points in Turkey and all points in the Philippines.
Finally, a proposal to update the air services agreement’s carrier designation provision to align with the Philippines’ amendment of the Public Service Act was also received by the Turkish Air panel, which committed to advise the Philippine side after a review.
The Philippine Air Consultation panel is composed of Undersecretary Lim as Chairman, Civil Aeronautics Board Executive Director Carmelo Arcilla as Vice Chair, and Foreign Affairs OIC-Assistant Secretary Roussel Reyes, Tourism Undersecretary Shalimar Tamano, Trade Assistant Secretary Mary Jean Pacheco, and Labor Assistant Secretary Lennard Serrano as members.
The Philippines and Turkey first executed an air services agreement in 2010.
