“The Age of Middle Eastern flights to Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in Clark Freeport is coming.”
Thus said Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) President and CEO Victor Jose I. Luciano in the recently concluded RP-UAE Air Consultation Talks held in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates last January 22 and 23.
Luciano said Clark, the home of the DMIA, racked the biggest allocation during the air consultation talks conducted in Abu Dhabi, Dubai with 42 frequencies per week and at the same time designated airlines enjoys a full Fifth Freedom Traffic Rights except the United States, Canada and Japan.
“The age of Middle Eastern flights is coming to DMIA and this will be good to our 2 million Filipinos in the middles east of which 40 percent of them are from the Northern Philippines,” Luciano stressed.
In the case of the UAE, the two delegations agreed to allocate the above 42 additional weekly frequencies to and from Clark as follows: 14 frequencies for Category 1 Route 1 to which Emirates Airlines is entitled to; 14 frequencies for Category 1 Route 2 entitled to Etihad Airways; and, 14 frequencies for Category 1 Route 3 allotted for Air Arabia.
The delegations agreed that the designated airlines of the UAE shall have the right to exercise full fifth freedom traffic rights only up to 14 weekly frequencies between any intermediate point or points and DMIA (Clark) only, and any point or points beyond, except Japan, the USA and Canada.
The delegations agreed to allocate these fifth freedom traffic rights on 14 weekly frequencies to and from the DMIA (Clark) as follows: seven (7) frequencies for Category 1 Route 1 (Emirates Airlines), and, seven (7) frequencies for Category 1 Route 2 (Etihad Airways).
The Philippine delegation advised that the DMIA will become A380 compatible in 2010, a point, Luciano stressed, has been made and evidenced by the landing of the Airbus A380 during its proving flight to the DMIA In October 2007.
“It is the only airport in the Philippines to accommodate the Airbus 380 at DMIA,” Luciano added.
The two delegations also agreed to allow the designated airlines of each side to operate up to 600 tons per week per direction to and from Cebu International Airport.
Five additional weekly frequencies were allowed on each side to and from Manila, while 21 additional weekly frequencies for each side were allowed to and from Cebu International Airport. Twenty one (21) additional weekly frequencies for each side to and from points in the Philippines other than Manila, DMIA and Cebu International Airport.
Luiciano also commended the efforts of the Philippine Air Panel headed by Transportation and Communication Undersecretary Dorotheo Reyes II in racking more flight frequencies for Clark especially to DMIA being pump-primed as the International Gateway of the country envisioned by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Luciano and Executive Vice President Alexander Cauguiran are among the members of the Philippine Air Panel during the RP-UAE Air Consultation Talks held in Abu Dhabi. The UAE delegation was headed by Director General of the General Aviation Authority Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi.