Local budget carrier to fly to Middle East

MANILA, Philippines - Clark-based international budget carrier Spirit of Manila Airlines Corp. was allowed by aviation authorities Tuesday to fly to three Middle Eastern and two Asian destinations. In a statement, the firm said the Civil Aeronautics Board had approved a request to fly to Macau in China, Taipei in Taiwan, Kuwait, Bahrain and Dubai in the Middle East. Spirit of Manila, headed by former PAL executive Juan C. Paraiso III, was set up by people in the aviation industry. The approval will make Spirit of Manila the second Philippine carrier to fly to the Middle East. Philippine Airlines used to ply the route, but has since stopped the service that it considers unprofitable. Officials of Spirit of Manila declined to say how the carrier will manage to make money from the route, given that Middle Eastern carriers are heavily subsidized and get fuel at a discount. "[The firm] cannot release its strategy [on how it compete in that region yet.] We still have to go through a lot of processes before we can dwell on that," Spirit of Manila Spokesman Eric B. Apolonio said in a telephone interview. The firm said the approval "will strengthen Spirit of Manila’s presence in Clark, giving more available flights to [Filipinos working abroad] and travelers that are based in Central and Northern Luzon, and make the Philippines an even more attractive destination for tourism and trade." The government earlier cited the shortage of low-cost tickets to Middle Eastern countries and the absence of local carriers that serve the route. Arab employers will only shoulder the fares of prospective workers at a discount. The company said the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark, Pampanga is strategically located to accommodate travelers from Northern and Central Luzon, home to some 2.1 million Filipino migrants. Tirso G. Serrano, Manila International Airport Authority assistant general manager, said Spirit of Manila would have to offer flights from Manila eventually. "This is definitely positive as it would provide options to [migrant workers]. It would be a natural consequence for [Spirit of Manila] to eventually apply for landing and takeoff clearance from the country’s premiere gateway. — Don Gil K. Carreon, BusinessWorld