Philippine carriers are fully endorsing recommendations initiated by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) that call on governments to take down obstacles in the aviation industry and to boost infrastructure.
The endorsement of the AAPA resolutions was adopted during the First Philippine Aviation Day organized October 27 by the Air Carriers Association of the Philippines (ACAP) in partnership with the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
The AAPA resolutions were the result of the group’s recent 61st Assembly of Presidents.
ACAP former chairman and Philippine Airlines president and chief operating officer Jaime Bautista, in a speech during the Philippine Aviation Day, endorsed the resolutions on infrastructure, airport slots, security, environment, and passenger facilitation and privacy laws.
ACAP members include AirAsia Philippines, Cebgo, Cebu Pacific, PAL, and PAL Express.
On infrastructure, AAPA renewed the call for Asian governments to commit to further investments in efficient air traffic management, the prompt implementation of recognized international standards and procedures, and best operational practices in order to avoid congestion, delays, and inconvenience for the travelling public.
The association urged governments to “think beyond national borders and commit to the development and implementation of enhanced Asia Pacific air traffic flow management systems.”
In a speech during the same event, APAC new chairman and Cebu Pacific president and chief executive officer Lance Gokongwei said the growth of aviation “will only be as robust as the existing infrastructure can support it.”
He noted that the private and public sectors must come together and work on aligning airport capacity and traffic infrastructure with projected demand.
Infrastructure, he added, must be coupled with streamlined processing to make air travel more efficient.
AAPA called on governments and slot coordinators to optimize the use of scarce airport capacity by managing the allocation of slots in an independent, transparent, fair and nondiscriminatory manner. This is in line with the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) guidance and with established international standards and procedures, recognizing the benefits of a single, globally harmonized process involving all stakeholders to optimize efficiency and predictability of airline operations.
On security, the airline group vowed to work closely with government security agencies, airports, and other stakeholders on enhancing safe, secure, and convenient air travel.
AAPA also asked governments to commit to raising the aviation security bar by more effectively implementing ICAO global standards and quality controls. Governments, it added, should strengthen multilateral cooperation, in conjunction with ICAO, and collaborate with industry on further developing aviation security measures.
The association likewise called on governments to recognize the international legal implications arising from airlines being required to provide Passenger Name Records (PNR) data, taking into consideration the need for airlines to comply with multiple privacy laws across different jurisdictions.
In addition, AAPA said governments should, before implementing such measures, engage in greater cross-border cooperation, including the conclusion of bilateral agreements, to endow airlines with the legal certainty to provide PNR data.
It also appealed to state agencies to work with all industry stakeholders, including airlines, to allow for sufficient time to implement any new border control measures.
On the environment, AAPA reiterated the call for states to coordinate on necessary investments in aviation infrastructure to keep pace with growth in travel demand and to ensure improvements in operational efficiencies and reduction in environmental impact.
The association further called on governments to immediately adopt the ICAO Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) Standards and Recommended Practices and support associated capacity building efforts to make sure the CORSIA is implemented in a timely manner.
Aside from adopting the AAPA resolutions, ACAP called on the aviation industry to work “in a spirit of cooperation and partnership with concerned government authorities and stakeholders for the advancement of Philippine civil aviation.”
Gokongwei said ACAP envisions engaging partner stakeholders and continuously educating the public “so they are more aware of the issues and concerns that face the average traveler.” – Roumina Pablo
Image courtesy of Graphics Mouse at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
