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PHL gets aviation upgrade, can add more US routes


(Updated 8:31 p.m.) More than six years after receiving a downgrade from the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for air safety issues, the Philippines has regained the much-coveted Category 1 status from the agency, meaning Philippine carriers can now add flights and services to more points in the US.

In a statement Thursday, the FAA said the Philippines has complied with international safety standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

"With the International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) Category 1 rating, the Republic of the Philippines’ air carriers can add flights and service to the United States and carry the code of US carriers," it said.

It said the return to Category 1 status is based on a March 2014 FAA review of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.

In his official Twitter account, US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg said the "Philippines' compliance with international aviation safety oversight standards earns Category 1 Safety Rating." 

Category 1 vs. Category 2

According to its website, the FAA assigns the categories to the civil aviation authorities of countries that fly to the US, based on how well the countries' CAAs meet ICAO's standards.

A Category 1 rating means that the CAA has complied with ICAO standards. According to the FAA site, the air carriers from a Category 1-rated country "may initiate or continue service to the United States in a normal manner and take part in reciprocal code-share arrangements with US carriers."

A Category 2 rating means that the CAA did not meet those standards. A CAA rated Category 2, said the website, "cannot initiate new service and are restricted to current levels of any existing service to the United States while corrective actions are underway."

CAAP deputy director general Capt. John Andrews said CAAP first worked on getting the air safety accreditation from the ICAO and the European Union before making any headway to obtain the FAA Category 1 upgrade. 

"Hindi madali ang proseso para makuha ang Category 1. Matagal po iyan," he said in an interview on at GMA News TV's "Balitanghali."

Before the Category 1 upgrade, CAAP first worked to lift ICAO's significant safety concerns regarding the Philippine aviation industry. The ICAO concerns were subsequently addressed by the Philippines last year.

Then CAAP targeted to lift the European Union's ban on Philippine Airlines, which it succeeded in doing so in July 2013.

On Thursday, the EU ban on Cebu Pacific was lifted as well.

Now, the coveted FAA Category 1 has been restored. The current rating should be sustained as this is a continuing process, Andrews noted. 

"Ang trabaho ay hindi pa tapos. Nag-uumpisa pa lang ito kasi kung papabayaan lang po ito, babagsak na naman tayo ulit," he added. 

The Philippine rating was downgraded to Category 2 in January 2008 due to the absence of laws or regulations to oversee air carriers in accordance with minimum international standards, according to the FAA.

A Category 2 rating meant the Philippine civil aviation authority was "… deficient in one or more areas, such as technical expertise, trained personnel, record keeping or inspection procedures," the statement read.

At a press conference Thursday in Malacañang, Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma Jr. said the upgrade "demonstrates the capability of [CAAP] to implement institutional reforms to ensure that the country’s aviation industry is globally competitive and conforms with international safety standards."

Effective immediately

With the upgrade effective immediately, as Andrew noted, flag carrier Philippine Airlines said it will add more flights to the US with its newly acquired aircraft.

In a month's time, it will deploy six Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, which the airline bought for $1.2 billion, for its long-haul flights to the US. 

“This latest development allows us to deploy our modern and fuel-efficient Boeing 777-300ER fleet to the US, and enables us to explore new destination opportunities in one of the Philippines’ largest passenger markets,” PAL president and COO Ramon Ang said in a separate statement.

"I congratulate the Philippine government team...for doing a very good job. For PAL, definitely we'll be able to use our new aircraft from now on going to West Coast... Our new long range aircraft has a reach of up to East Coast," he said.

"This will mean at least a $100 million savings on fuel and another $60 million on savings on maintenance," he added.

Cebu Pacific president and CEO Lance Gokongwei lauded CAAP for keeping its promise to improve the country's aviation industry.

"The health of the regulator, and the leading carriers all bode well for the Philippines. We do need strong regulators and carriers to progress,"  he said.

Landmark development for PHL aviation

Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph "Jun" Abaya said the FAA Category 1 upgrade was a significant development in Philippine aviation industry.

“This upgrade cements a landmark era in the Philippine aviation sector… The country has made great strides in enhancing its aviation industry to one that is at par with the best in the world,” said Abaya in a separate statement.

This achievement would improve economic ties between Manila and Washington, the DOTC chief noted.

"[This] will allow airline carriers to open more direct flights to and from the US, which will boost the country’s tourism industry, help airline companies expand their operations, and improve trade and business relations between the two countries," he said.

'Economic diplomacy thrust'

In a separate statement, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Cuisia Jr. noted the FAA status has been a "major economic diplomacy thrust" of the Philippines in the US.

"With the Category 1 rating, we hope to see the expansion of flight routes in the US by Philippine air carriers. This means opening up more routes for business and tourism travel between the Philippines and the US as well as creating more opportunities for Philippine and American business,” he said.

For his part, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said: “This is good news for the Philippines and for the Filipino people. Our flag carriers can now push through with their plans to expand their operations and serve our people in various parts of the United States."

At Malacañang, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte lauded the DOTC and CAAP  "for the commitment and hard work they have demonstrated in rectifying the lapses and inaction of the past. As they have done this, so too have they instituted a truly service-oriented regime – one which is committed to its mandate of ensuring that our aviation industry meets international standards."

"This upgrade is a result of the can-do attitude that prevails in government and society today –an attitude that enables our agencies to continuously strive to ensure the safety and well-being of the wider public, as we all tread the straight path to greater progress and success," Valte said.

In a text message to GMA News Online, Cebu Pacific vice president for corporate affairs Jorenz Tañada said the good news bodes well for the Philippine aviation industry and local carriers.

"We would like to congratulate CAAP on this most significant achievement," he said.

"This can only augur well for the Philippine aviation industry in general and Philippine carriers in particular," he added. – With Danessa Rivera, Rouchelle Dinglasan, Kimberly Jane Tan, Michaela del Callar and Joel Locsin/VS/HS/RSJ/BM, GMA News
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