PH Air Carriers PAL, Cebu Pacific Eye Additional Daily Canada Flights

Two Philippine air carriers have sought to file additional flights to Canada after the bilateral air-services talks between the two countries were concluded in May this year.

Canada and the Philippines formally entered into an agreement in May 29 (video) to double the number of flights between the two countries to boost investment and tourism. The allowed number of direct flights each week is now 14 from the previous seven.

Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific, in separate regulatory filings to the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), want the additional seven new frequencies to their respective flight allocations to the North American country.

Only PAL currently has the distinction to fly to and from Canada with flights seven times in a week. Three of those flights, according to portal Philippine Flight Network, continue to Toronto.

"Other options to fly between the Philippines and Canada involve a stopover in cities like Hong Kong, Tokyo, Seoul or Taipei. Consequently, a flight between Winnipeg and Manila usually requires a stopover in Vancouver and an additional point in Northeast Asia if the passenger does not fly direct from Vancouver with Philippine Airlines."

"We will certainly want to be competitive in terms of allocations with other carriers, incumbent of otherwise. So yes, we are very keen on flying to Canada," local news media BusinessMirror quoted Jorenz Tañada, Cebu Pacific Spokesman.

Pascal Belanger, vice president for the Winnipeg Airports Authority, said at least 35,000 people travel between Winnipeg and Manila annually.

"Manila is our largest international market, if you take out other Caribbean and Mexico destinations. So I think for us to provide direct access to that country will actually be tremendous for the existing Filipino community," CBC quoted Belanger.

"There are ways to get here but they aren't extremely convenient because they take time and obviously the big asset would be to have a direct service between us and the Philippines."

"The Filipino community in Canada has grown significantly in the last 10 years. We look forward to offering CEB's low cost services to Filipinos in Canada and their families back home," Tañ ada said.