Gov’t alarmed by tour cancellations due to EU ban on carriers
MANILA, Philippines - The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines should promptly resolve the European Union’s (EU) ban on Philippine air carriers, since the move has already triggered "an alarming number of tour cancellations from Europe," the Tourism department said in a statement yesterday.
Last March 31, the EU included the Philippines in its 13th updated list of countries with carriers banned from that region’s airspace, as a precautionary step based on the US Federal Aviation Administration’s downgrading of the country’s safety rating to Category 2 and the International Civil Aviation Organization’s concern on aviation safety regulators.
| European tourists in the Philippines in January 2010 | ||
| EU country | Tourism arrivals | January '09 vs '10 (%age increase) |
| United Kingdom | 7,837 | 18.% |
| Germany | 5,161 | 0.6% |
| France | 2,537 | 11.9% |
| Sweden | 2,048 | 15.0% |
| Netherlands | 1,579 | 12.4% |
| Denmark | 1,491 | 3.5% |
| Austria | 1,249 | 17.0% |
| Spain | 912 | 8.7% |
| Belgium | 763 | 25.0% |
"Major European travel operators from Germany, UK and France have regretfully informed us their booking cancellations. The entire industry is affected, as European arrivals account for a significant percentage of our target in the first quarter. In January 2010, air arrivals from European countries already posted an 11% growth," the statement quoted Tourism Secretary Joseph "Ace" H. Durano as saying.
The department noted that tourist arrivals from Europe started the year on a promising note last January (see table).
Tours which were cancelled were mainly for the April-August period, the department noted. "The longer we remain in the blacklist, the harder it would be for us to recover from these significant losses. If we resolve this matter by the second quarter, we can expect a recovery in the third and fourth quarters," Mr. Durano said.
While Philippine carriers have not been flying to EU states since 1999 even before the ban, the EU’s prohibition has prompted travel insurance firms in Europe to advise travel operators that tour packages to the Philippines which include domestic air travel will not be covered. Hence, tour operators had to cancel bookings due to the difficulty of selling travel packages to the country which include inter-island travel by air.
"It’s a very sad day for us. All our blood, sweat and tears in building up the European market in your country are all down the drain," an executive of a major French travel operator said in the same statement.
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There is nothing sinister
There is nothing sinister about this ban. The aviation safety standards cover a wide range. It covers the technical aspects of the planes themselves: maintenance schedule, repairs and parts being used. It covers the qualifications of the maintenance people as well as who have access to the airport facilities and planes. It covers as to what kind of safety protocols are being implemented in various facilities from food handling, airport workers and screening of passengers, etc. It doesn't help that just a few weeks ago a van-full of would be passengers were approved by some retired general to board a plane destined to work illegally in some foreign country. They were caught before they boarded the plane. This kind of corrupt and lax practice is the opposite of what is required to meet the international aviation safety standars.
Airline Safety
i just would like to add that safety standards of philippine air carriers are at par or even better than other international airlines. filipino pilots are trained by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). for Airbus pilots, they are trained and certified qualified by Airbus Industries; the same for Boeing pilots. so, relax while you're being flown by Filipino pilots. furher, maintenance procedures follow local, ICAO and FAA standards. cheers!!!
EU Ban
@bistro, i am also thinking aloud on the possibility that the EU ban on philippine air carriers might have something to do with the NAIA3 project of FRAPORT, a German company. FRAPORT did not even recover a single centavo from its multi-million dollar BOT scheme which they wrote off. the contract was voided after the supreme court declared that the it was disadvantegeous to the government. whatttttttt? the government did not even spend a single centavo on NAIA3! kaya walang gana mga foreign investors sa atin, walang guarantee ang contract lalo na pag nagpalit ng administration.
not only EU...
Hay nakuh... matagal nang issue yan di lang EU ang nag BAN ng AIRLINES natin matagal na ring BAN yan sa UAE... paano naman kasi mga namamahala sa atin mga hunghang... kaya ayun BAN...
Dami kayang reklamo katulad nalang ng schedule mo ng FLIGHT late ka lang ng 10 or 5 minutes para sa check-in in fact ang alis talaga 45 minutes pa pero dahil daming naglalagay sa mga letseng mga staff ng AIRPORT natin ayun di ka na pasasakayin dahil yung slot mo naibigay na sa iba na nagbayad, sasabihin lang sau "LATE KA NA at CLOSE na ang timings ng CHECK IN"... wala namang problema sa PLANES kaso ang mga namamahala puro GUNGGONG, BOBO at lahat mukang PERA... ilang beses na akong pabalik balik ng pinas wala pa ring pagbabago lalo pa nagiging worse ang industry natin sa sakayang panghimpapawid... buti nga.
EU Bans Philippine Air Carrier
I think we should look into something that might have influenced the decision of EU. We should have considered the big German company that build Airport:FRAPORT
Rules
What makes you think a country can follow strict rules and regulations for proper aircraft maintenance when they cant follow simple rules of driving a vehicle like stopping at a posted stop sign or (my favorite) stopping for a pedestrian in a marked crosswalk.
This is about the failure of
This is about the failure of this government to comply with the international aviation safety standards. If we want to be an international player then the government can't continue to be inept. It needs to meet the international safety standards. It is not complicated - every country play by the same rules.
the real issue in aviation
We seem to be lost in translation here ladies and gentlemen.
What is a stake here IS NOT MERELY tourists coming into the country BUT SAFETY of air travelers- na hindi lamang concern ng Europeans na sasakay sa Philippine carriers kundi nang lahat ng tao, lalo na tayong mga Pilipino na frequent air travelers mismong ating Bansa.
The reason for banning Philippine carriers in Europe- which we never do anyway since 1999 is the downgrading of FAA of Philippine carriers to category 2.
Ano po ba ang ibig sabihin nito: (1) hindi pinagkakatiwalaan ng Europa ang SAFETY standards ng Philippine carriers (Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Zest Air) at dahil hindi pinagkakatiwalaan (2) either di nila papayagan ang mga eruplanong ito sa Europe at baka bumagsak sa kanilang mga buildings at bahay o hindi nila papayagan ang mga Europeans na sumakay sa eruplanong ito kung sila man ay pupunta ng Pilipinas.
Pero hindi ibig sabihin hindi sila pupunta sa Pilipinas. Kasi mula sa Heathrow, maaaring naming sumakay ng ETIHAD AIRWAY via Abu Dabi and isang Briton patunong Singapore at mula Singapore, sasakay ng SINGAPORE AIRLINES papuntang Manila or SILK AIR PAPUNTANG Cebu. Pero since walang ibang international airlines na may rotang Manila-Cebu ang Briton na ito ay maaring magbarko na lang habang nasa loob ng Pilipinas.
Sa madaling salita, ang issue dito ay SAFETY ng PAL, CEBUPAC, ZEST AIR at maaring pati mga airports nation.
Ano ang maaring nagging sanhi kung bakit nagka-ganito (1) May nanay na nagreklamo na hindi pinasakay ang kanyang autistic na anak ng Cebu Pacific (2) May nag arumentado sa PAL flight to Manila na nagbasag ng salamin ng erupolano pero bale wala lang (3) may batang walang ticket pero nakapasok sa airport at nakasakay sa eruplano.
Sa mga pangyayaring yan na nasa international papers, ano kaya magiging assessment ng FAA? Media palang yan.
In the practical sense, when FAA required the Philippine Civil Aviation Authority (formerly Civil Aeronautics Board) to produce safety standard reports ng mga Philippine carriers, hindi makalabas, ano kaya ang dahilan?
Sino ang magtitiwala sa aviation industry natin kung ang pagtatalaga ng mga taong dapat ay highly qualified at technically competent pero walang political backer ay hindi tatanggapin at at kukunin ay yung may political connections.
Hihintayin pa ba natin na may magka-banggaan sa ere ng mga eruplano sa Philippine airspace o may mag-crash na eruplano para lang ma-realize nating kung ano ba ang issue na ito sa EU Ban?
Ang problema kasi sa ating mga Pilipino PANAY POLITIKA tayo.
People in Philippine aviation industry should be hired not because of Political connections but because of technical or administrative competency and merits because they do not only produce results but they ensure the safety of all.
I dont think PAL, CEBPAC and ZEST are remiss becuase they know they can not compromise safety of their passengers.
Kung di nyo pa rin naiintindihan ang issue na ito, ito pa ang ibang sample: imagine kung one day kailangan kang operahan sa puso PGH pero ang cardiologist mo ay nakapasa lang sa med school dahil binayaran ang dean, nakapasa sa PRC dahil binayaran ang exam, naging cardiology fellow dahil anak ng senador na may hawak ng health committee at appropriations committee. Aasa ka pa bang mabubuhay sa operating table?
Paano kung ang naka duty sa air control tower ay tanga , bobo at antukin pero naruon dahil siya ay inaanak ng DOTC secretary? Sasakay ka pa ang eruplano?
May mga opisina na pwede pakialaman ng politico pero never, never sa mga public safety facilities like airports and seaports dahil BUHAY ang nakataya dun.
The EU ban simply wants to say: Hoy Philippine Aviation Authority, pwede po ba ninyo na i-ensure muna ang safety ng Philippine air travel bago namin kayo papasukin dito at bago naming pasakayin ng eruplano niyo ang mga Europeans! Yan po ang mensahe ng ban na ito at walang kinalaman sa Turismo.
the real issue
We seem to be lost in translation here ladies and gentlemen.
What is a stake here IS NOT MERELY tourists coming into the country BUT SAFETY of air travelers- na hindi lamang concern ng Europeans na sasakay sa Philippine carriers kundi nang lahat ng tao, lalo na tayong mga Pilipino na frequent air travelers mismong ating Bansa.
The reason for banning Philippine carriers in Europe- which we never do anyway since 1999 is the downgrading of FAA of Philippine carriers to category 2.
Ano po ba ang ibig sabihin nito: (1) hindi pinagkakatiwalaan ng Europa ang SAFETY standards ng Philippine carriers (Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Zest Air) at dahil hindi pinagkakatiwalaan (2) either di nila papayagan ang mga eruplanong ito sa Europe at baka bumagsak sa kanilang mga buildings at bahay o hindi nila papayagan ang mga Europeans na sumakay sa eruplanong ito kung sila man ay pupunta ng Pilipinas.
Pero hindi ibig sabihin hindi sila pupunta sa Pilipinas. Kasi mula sa Heathrow, maaaring naming sumakay ng ETIHAD AIRWAY via Abu Dabi and isang Briton patunong Singapore at mula Singapore, sasakay ng SINGAPORE AIRLINES papuntang Manila or SILK AIR PAPUNTANG Cebu. Pero since walang ibang international airlines na may rotang Manila-Cebu ang Briton na ito ay maaring magbarko na lang habang nasa loob ng Pilipinas.
Sa madaling salita, ang issue dito ay SAFETY ng PAL, CEBUPAC, ZEST AIR at maaring pati mga airports nation.
Ano ang maaring nagging sanhi kung bakit nagka-ganito (1) May nanay na nagreklamo na hindi pinasakay ang kanyang autistic na anak ng Cebu Pacific (2) May nag arumentado sa PAL flight to Manila na nagbasag ng salamin ng erupolano pero bale wala lang (3) may batang walang ticket pero nakapasok sa airport at nakasakay sa eruplano.
Sa mga pangyayaring yan na nasa international papers, ano kaya magiging assessment ng FAA? Media palang yan.
In the practical sense, when FAA required the Philippine Civil Aviation Authority (formerly Civil Aeronautics Board) to produce safety standard reports ng mga Philippine carriers, hindi makalabas, ano kaya ang dahilan?
Sino ang magtitiwala sa aviation industry natin kung ang pagtatalaga ng mga taong dapat ay highly qualified at technically competent pero walang political backer ay hindi tatanggapin at at kukunin ay yung may political connections.
Hihintayin pa ba natin na may magka-banggaan sa ere ng mga eruplano sa Philippine airspace o may mag-crash na eruplano para lang ma-realize nating kung ano ba ang issue na ito sa EU Ban?
Ang problema kasi sa ating mga Pilipino PANAY POLITIKA tayo.
People in Philippine aviation industry should be hired not because of Political connections but because of technical or administrative competency and merits because they do not only produce results but they ensure the safety of all.
I donth think PAL, CEBPAC and ZEST air are remiss in their duties and responsibilities becuase they will never compromise safety of passengers, biktima lang din sila dito.
Kung di nyo pa rin naiintindihan ang issue na ito, ito pa ang ibang sample: imagine kung one day kailangan kang operahan sa puso PGH pero ang cardiologist mo ay nakapasa lang sa med school dahil binayaran ang dean, nakapasa sa PRC dahil binayaran ang exam, naging cardiology fellow dahil anak ng senador na may hawak ng health committee at appropriations committee. Aasa ka pa bang mabubuhay sa operating table?
Paano kung ang naka duty sa air control tower ay tanga , bobo at antukin pero naruon dahil siya ay inaanak ng DOTC secretary? Sasakay ka pa ang eruplano?
May mga opisina na pwede pakialaman ng politico pero never, never sa mga public safety facilities like airports and seaports dahil BUHAY ang nakataya dun.
The EU ban simply wants to say: Hoy Philippine Aviation Authority, pwede po ba ninyo na i-ensure muna ang safety ng Philippine air travel bago namin kayo papasukin dito at bago naming pasakayin ng eruplano niyo ang mga Europeans! Yan po ang mensahe ng ban na ito at walang kinalaman sa Turismo.
Pati na pagutang
Ang isipin niyo kapag pati export, import at pag-utang o foreign aid ay mapwera ang Pilipinas, at saka pati visa ay hindi na bigyan ang Pilipino dahil kurap ang mga opisyales. Baka sakaling titino tayo, kahit pabalat-bunga man lang. Ano sa palagay nyo Ma'am?