- Direct flights between Manila and Brussels may soon be a reality
- President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Brussels airport officials paved the way for the route’s opening when they agreed on December 13 to work on mounting direct flights between the Philippine and Belgian cities
- Philippine Airlines says it is “really interested” in providing accessibility for Filipinos to the whole European nation and in bringing more tourists from Europe to the Philippines
Direct flights between Manila and Brussels may soon be a reality, according to the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS).
This comes after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Brussels airport officials agreed on December 13 to work on mounting direct flights between Manila and the Brussels, the OPS said a statement.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations- European Union (ASEAN-EU) commemorative summit.
The proposal for the direct flights came from Brussels airport officials who showed interest in gaining a foothold in the Philippines. Brussels is the economic capital of Belgium and site of the Council of Europe, the European Commission and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization headquarters.
Arnaud Feist, chief executive of Brussels Airport Company (BAC), said the Manila-Brussels direct flight is a “win-win” for both the Philippines and Belgium. BAC is a private company that owns and runs Brussels Airport.
“We are working on the opportunity to have a direct flight between Manila and Brussels… And we think that basically there is a win-win for both countries to be connected directly,” Feist said.
Marcos, for his part, said opening a non-stop flight to Brussels serves as an opportunity for Filipinos who want to explore what Belgium and the rest of Western Europe have to offer. He also hinted at the hub potential of Manila, pointed out that it is within a few hours’ flight from all Southeast Asia capitals.
“That’s something that we would like to take advantage of and explore in terms of making the areas more accessible… I think there’s a great deal of opportunity that would be advantageous for the both of us,” Marcos said.
Philippine Airlines (PAL) officials said they are “really interested” in providing accessibility in connecting Filipinos to the whole European nation and in bringing more tourists from Europe to the Philippines.
“That’s really the vision that we are excited to see. We want to improve the economic activities in the Philippines and also here,” said Stanley Ng, PAL president and chief operating officer, who attended the meeting.
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