Airlines group welcomes gov't move to reduce domestic airfare

MANILA, February 3 ------ The Air Carriers Association of the Philippines (ACAP) has welcomed the government's move to make domestic air travel more affordable and accessible.

ACAP Executive Director Jose Enrique Perez de Tagle said the group is open to collaborating with government and other stakeholders on practical, long-term solutions to reduce overall costs and improve infrastructure and connectivity. "We share the goal of growing tourism and keeping people and goods moving across the country," he told the Philippine News Agency on Sunday night.

Domestic passenger volumes, he said, are now higher than pre-pandemic times, showing a healthy market that benefits local tourism. The ACAP, however, underscored that fares are only part of travel costs. "Structural cost pressures such as airport charges, taxes, and infrastructure limits affect the economics of domestic flights," the group said.

Both the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) and the ACAP noted that in some airports with short runways, airlines operate turboprop aircraft with fewer seats. This results in higher costs per seat, making it challenging to sustainably and affordably serve some domestic markets, according to ACAP. "Together, we can build a more resilient and affordable domestic air transport system," ACAP said.

The CAB issued a statement last Friday, saying that measures are in place to lower the cost of domestic airfares. These measures include the extension of runways to accommodate larger jets, and making the airports night-rated to accommodate more flights.

Source: pna.gov.ph