Airline News
EU to lift ban on Philippine carriers?
April 27th 2015
Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) spokesman, Eric Apolonio, said a five-man team from the European Commission and the European Aviation Safety Agency were in the Philippines last week to assess the safety measures the CAAP and the airlines had undertaken to lift the European Union (EU) ban imposed in 2010 after the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) downgraded the country. Read More »
The restrictions on flag carrier, Philippine Airlines (PAL), and low-cost carrier, Cebu Pacific Air, were lifted in 2013, but the EU ban still prevents AirAsia Inc., AirAsia Zest, Air Philippines Corp., Island Aviation Inc., Magnum Air (Skyjet Inc.), Southeast Asian Airlines (Tigerair Philippines) and Southeast Asian Airlines International Inc. from operating in EU airspace, or codesharing with EU carriers.
PAL produced black ink in 2014, with a $2.9 million net profit for the year ended December 31, the carrier’s first profit in over three years. PAL has gone through stringent rehabilitation, which included shedding almost 40% of its workforce and making significant cuts to its domestic and international networks.
PAL is building its future on a thorough re-fleeting programme. It has introduced the B777-300ER to its fleet and resumed service to New York last month. Philippine media has suggested PAL is looking to launch Auckland this year, though PAL president, Jaime Bautista, said he was still studying the numbers for the route and it was too early to comment.
