EAGA Airlines Ready To Complement Efforts For Sub-Regional Connectivity

KOTA KINABALU (Malaysia), April 25 (Bernama) -- Airline industry leaders from Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines (BIMP) are calling for collaborative efforts between the private sector and government institutions to fast track and enhance air transport connectivity within the sub-region. During the recent First Equator Asia Air Access Forum and Airline CEOs Summit in Davao City, Philippines, executives from Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines, MASWings, SEA Air and Mid-sea Express expressed their respective concern in taking on the BIMP routes, specifically infrastructure support, market availability and cost of doing business. A Mindanao Development Authority statement said the airline summit served as a venue for all players, airline stakeholders and travel industries to discuss and thresh out strategic recommendations aimed at improving air connectivity within the sub-region. Of the concerns raised, business cost was considered the most pressing issue as it required policy interventions. Meanwhile, Transportation and Communications Under-Secretary Jose Perpetuo Lotilla reassured industry players that the Philippines was currently working on improvements to facilitate more flights from the country to other BIMP destinations. "We need to come up with the right regulations and infrastructure and we are happy to say that these are already being demonstrated. Infrastructure programmes are already being rolled out to improve our air transportation sector," Lotilla said. Malaysia's Ministry of Transport also proposed for East Asean Growth Area (EAGA) countries to come up with a flowchart of their respective application processes and streamline best practices that will be identified. Industry players remain optimistic on achieving better air linkages as MASwings Managing Director Capt Mohd Nawawi Bin Awang revealed during the summit that the company was looking into reviving the Davao-Manado flights. "We are looking at the market very closely. We want to ensure sustainability. We do not want to go here for 3-5 months and then be gone," Awang said. The sustainability of such flights has been one of the hurdles of several airline companies that took the BIMP routes, including Bouraq and Sriwijaya Airlines which have stopped flying due to low load factor. Industry players also encouraged local government institutions to take part in creating more market for BIMP-EAGA routes, promoting their respective cities to neighboring BIMP destinations and vice-versa. -- BERNAMA