Thursday, May 08, 2008 [ manilatimes.net ]
THE National Association of Independent Travel Agencies (Naitas) on Wednesday deplored attempts by open skies proponents to use the overseas Filipino workers as pawns in their bid to unilaterally open up the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) and Subic International Airport to foreign carriers.
In a statement sent to The Manila Times, Robert Lim Joseph, the association’s chairman emeritus, said the alleged shortage in airline seats for OFWs is being blown out of proportion to draw the attention of the government to impose full liberalization, through Executive Order 500B, at Clark and Subic.
“We are missing a point here,” Joseph said. “The ultimate goal of any aviation policy is to promote travel and tourism. Just look at the records of these foreign airlines flying into Clark. Most of them don’t bring in tourists, but vacationing OFWs.”
He said these carriers want additional seat entitlements due to the lucrative OFW market.
“Granting for the sake of argument there is severe shortage. What will happen after the situation has been remedied and our skies have been opened to foreign carriers? Will they be bringing in tourists or just OFWs?” Joseph asked.
The association said the country might be left carrying the proverbial empty bag after the demand for airline seats by Filipino workers has eased up and bumped off of its target to register 5 million arrivals by 2010.
For 2008, the Department of Tourism targets $5.8 billion in tourist spending.
Joseph said reports that Middle East carriers have jacked up their fares—from $400 to $650 [depending on the booking; taxes, fuel surcharges applicable]—further validates the claim of aviation stakeholders that the withdrawal of European airlines and Philippine Airlines from the Middle East route would result in monopoly for the ME and Asian carriers.
“The fares were lower then because of cutthroat competition, forcing the other airlines such as PIA and Egypt Air to abandon the route. They cannot compete with the Middle Eastern carriers, who are mostly subsidized by their governments,” he said. “See what is happening today? They even were able to poach on passengers of PAL and other foreign carriers bound for Saudi Arabia and European countries like the United Kingdom, France and Germany.”
PAL is the only private-sector flag carrier in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).
Emirates, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways International and Malaysian Airlines are known to have received government subsidies.
Joseph added Middle Eastern carriers have little to offer in terms of boosting tourism, but so much to gain. He also wondered if the problem [airline bookings] was nationwide in scope. “I am just curious. Why single out OFWs from Luzon?”
Recruiters belonging to a group called FAME has asked President Gloria Arroyo to immediately open up more flights in Clark or Subic airports to Asean countries connecting to the Middle East for the benefit of OFWs living in Central and Northern Luzon. -- Francis Earl C. Cueto
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