-
Civil Aeronautics Board Resolution No. 69 provides guidelines for operating triangulated international flights
-
A triangulated international flight is an operation by a scheduled international air carrier from a point outside the Philippines to two points in the country for the disembarkation and quarantine of passengers
-
The operation of triangulated flights aims to maximize arrival capacity of flights, accommodate more returning Filipinos to the country, and use available quarantine facilities in other gateways
-
An application is needed for airlines wishing to operate triangulated international flights
-
The IATF earlier posed no objection to the Airline Operators Council proposal for triangulated international arrival flights that CAB may approve on a per airline basis
The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) released guidelines for the operation of triangulated international flights, a measure meant to maximize the arrival capacity of flights and accommodate more returning Filipinos to the country.
CAB Resolution No. 69, adopted and effective on October 4, provides guidelines for all air carriers operating scheduled services in the Philippines that intend to operate triangulated international flights.
A triangulated international flight refers to an operation by a scheduled international air carrier from a point outside the Philippines to two points in the country for the disembarkation and quarantine of passengers, the number of passengers for such points to be determined by pertinent authorities. The flight between the first point and the departure point must be a direct continuation of the carrier’s international operation, and no cabotage should be exercised between the two points.
The guidelines were issued after release of an Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) resolution dated September 30 registering non-objection to the Airline Operators Council’s proposal for triangulated international arrival flights that may be approved by the CAB on a per airline basis.
CAB said the operation of triangulated flights aims to maximize the arrival capacity of flights, accommodate more returning Filipinos to the country, and utilize the available quarantine facilities at other gateways.
This comes as flights have been significantly limited since last year due to travel restrictions imposed globally and locally due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The air carrier should have the appropriate route and traffic rights to the triangulated points. In case such route and traffic rights are wanting from the pertinent air services agreement, the air carrier operating these flights must secure provisional approval from the pertinent aviation authorities in accordance with Resolution No. 69.
An airline wishing to operate triangulated international flights should apply for an Authority to Operate Triangulated International Flights in addition to and/or separate from the usual procedure for application for authority to operate commercial flights.
In the operation of triangulated flights, the airline should comply with requirements for operation of regular commercial flights and with all the pertinent rules or protocols as may be mandated by the IATF and the local government unit of the destination.
The carrier should ensure its arriving passengers have complied with requirements on testing and quarantine protocols in all points of arrival. Moreover, the airline should promptly inform all its passengers of the nature fo the flight, the rules, protocols, and conditions and/or other necessary information.
The airline must also comply with the international arrival passenger capacity granted by airport authorities or the local One Stop Shop (OSS).
Carriers that will operate triangulated international flights without authority and/or operate more than the allowed number of passengers per flight to any point of arrival as monitored by airport authorities or the OSS-Management of Returning Overseas Filipinos will be penalized under Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2021-01 and other relevant rules, laws and regulations.
