Cambodia, RP to have direct air flights early next year

November 18, 2009

PHNOM PENH (Xinhua) - Cambodia and Philippines have already signed deal to have direct air links between the two countries and hoped the direct flights will be commenced early next year, a government official said Wednesday.

Soy Sokhan, undersecretary of state of Cambodia's Civil Aviation Secretariat said that both countries signed memorandum of understanding on the matter last September, aimed at boosting tourism sector.

He said according to the MoU, seven flights per week are expected to fly directly from Manila and another seven flights from other cities in the Philippines to Cambodia.

Cebu Air of the Philippines and Cambodia Angkor Air are eligible to this MoU.

He added that Cambodia at present has three international airports: Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville.

Philippines is one of the regional tourist destinations among the ten member states of Association of South East Asian Nations.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has announced an open sky policy in order to attract more foreign tourists visiting his country.

RP-Cambodia air talks yield 8 flights for Clark

Wednesday, June 25, 2008
By Reynaldo G. Navales
Sun-Star Pampanga (The Philippines)

CLARK FREEPORT -- About 32 flights a week have been granted to the Philippines during the recently concluded RP-Cambodia Air Talks held in Manila.

Eight of the 32 flight entitlements have been allocated to the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA), which is now becoming the country's premier gateway.

The Philippine and Cambodia air panels met last June 19-20 in Manila. The Philippine Panel was represented by Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) Undersecretary for Civil Aviation Doroteo Reyes II, while Cambodia was represented by Secretariat of State Civil Aviation (SSCA) Deputy Director General Rumchek Sovary.

Clark International Airport Corporation (Ciac) officials who sat along with the Philippine Air Panel during the review of existing Air Services Agreement (ASAs) were successful in negotiating for entitlements in Clark.

The entitlements will prepare the DMIA to become the main international airport.

Ciac president and chief executive officer (CEO) Victor Jose Luciano said this is a welcome development.

"These new entitlements will further boost the ongoing developments taking place at the airport as more flights are being mounted so as to accommodate more passengers," said Luciano.

Ciac executive vice president (EVP) and chief operating officer (COO) Alexander Cauguiran sat as a member of the RP panel that represented Ciac in the RP-Cambodia Air Talks held in Metro Manila.

Cauguiran said the air talks were aimed at strengthening mutual trade in economic, tourism and aviation relations between the Philippines and Cambodia.