PHL, Japan to hold air talks in September

The Philippines will try to convince Japan next month to lift the ban preventing local carriers from mounting additional flights there.
 
In an interview Wednesday, Carmelo Arcilla, executive director of the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), said this is just one of the “several issues” they hope to resolve in the air talks scheduled on Sept. 11 to 13.
 
“We hope to resolve several issues during the talks. We assume that this is an indication that Japan is willing to increase flight entitlements,” he said.

Japan has been imposing restrictions on local carriers from the Philippines, preventing them from mounting additional flights after the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) raised several safety security concerns.

ICAO has already lifted several security concerns after the Philippines, through the CAAP, passed the audit conducted from Feb. 18 to Feb. 22, paving the way for the series of upgrades.
 
The Philippines and Japan last held air talks in 2008.
 
Arcilla said Japanese officials were reportedly satisfied with the presentation made by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) during Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's recent visit to the country.

Last July,  the European Union lifted the ban imposed in March 2010 preventing national flag carrier Philippine Airlines from entering the European airspace after 15 years. — KBK, GMA News