Gov’t implementing measures to make local airfare affordable —DOTr

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) said Saturday that the government is already enacting measures to lower the prices of plane tickets for local destinations.

In a joint statement by the DOTr and the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), they said that they are taking note of the worries of travelers about the high fares for domestic flights.

“Alinsunod sa direktiba ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. at ng Acting DOTr Secretary Giovanni Lopez, isinasakatuparan na ang iba't ibang pamamaraan upang mapababa ang presyo ng airline tickets sa mga local na destinasyon,” the statement read.

(In accordance with the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and Acting DOTr Secretary Giovanni Lopez, different measures are being implemented to reduce the price of airline tickets to local destinations.)

“Ang presyo ng isang airline ticket ay nakasalalay din sa ilang kadahilanan,” it added.

(The price of an airline ticket also depends on several factors.)

According to the DOTr and CAB, the first consideration is the size of the plane and its passenger capacity. The larger the plane and the more passengers it can accommodate, the lower will be the price per passenger, as more passengers will generate revenue.

“Kung mas kaunti ang pasahero, mas mataas ang gastos bawat pasahero at magiging mas mataas ang pamasahe,” the statement read.

(The fewer passengers, the higher the cost per passenger and the higher the fare.)

DOTr and CAB said some airports in the country, including those in Catarman, Siargao, Antique, and Busuanga, can only be used by small aircraft due to their short runways.

“Ang DOTr at ang CAAP ay tinutugunan ang suliraning ito sa pamamagitan ng pagpapahaba ng mga runway upang ito ay makapagserbisyo ng malalaking jet aircraft,” it said, adding that the project was already accomplished at the airport in Antique, and about to be finished at the Busuanga airport.

(The DOTr and CAAP are addressing this challenge by extending runways to accommodate larger jet aircraft.)

“Isusunod na din ang iba pang mga airport sa bansa,” the DOTr and CAB said.

(Other airports in the country will follow suit.)

Further, DOTr and the CAAP are eyeing smaller airports in able to be "night capable,” or having day and night operations, to accommodate additional flights and lower the fares.

“Gayunpaman, patuloy na binabantayan ng DOTr, sa pamamagitan ng CAB, ang kabuuang pamasahe ng mga airlines - lalo na sa domestic routes, kabilang ang Manila-Catarman, upang matiyak na nananatiling patas at makatwiran ang singil,” it said.

(However, the DOTr, through the CAB, continues to monitor the overall fares of airlines - especially on domestic routes, including Manila-Catarman, to ensure that charges remain fair and reasonable.)

Prior to this, three major airline companies in the country vowed to remove their top two most expensive price buckets (fare classes) to lower airfares, according to Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco.

This is in response to complaints received by DOT from local tourists that it is more expensive to travel to destinations in the Philippines than to go abroad. —VAL, GMA Integrated News