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INCREASED air cargo and competitive services are
expected once the full liberalization of air freight
service in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean)
becomes effective, most likely in November.
The
Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) said last week the Asean
Air Freight Services Agreement may be signed in November
at the Senior Transport Officials Meeting/Asean
Transport Ministers Meeting.
Porvenir
Porciuncula, CAB deputy executive director, urged
member-countries during the Asean Air Transport Working
Group Meeting last month in Palembang, Indonesia, to
open up all the points for the air freight services
agreement so as to be consistent with the objectives of
the full liberalization of air freight services and free
flow of services for Asean integration.
“If this
is signed, there will be more air cargo capacity and
competitive services within the region. Our carriers
will have to compete with more air cargo carriers in the
region,” said Porciuncula.
The
Philippine delegation to the meeting was led by
Porciuncula, with observers from Philippine Airlines and
Cebu Pacific.
During
the meeting, the submission by RP nominating PAL and
Pacific East Asia Cargo Airlines as the official
Philippine carriers to operate the agreed services on
the specified routes under the 2002 Asean memorandum of
understanding on air freight services was also noted.
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