Airport welcomes improvement in air service access rights

Media Release I 13 March 2014

Auckland Airport welcomes improvement in air service access rights to New Zealand

Auckland Airport welcomes the Memorandum of Understanding between New Zealand and the Philippines that will see significant improvements in air service access rights between the two countries and congratulates the New Zealand and Philippines Governments for securing it.

The Memorandum of Understanding, which was signed yesterday by representatives from the New Zealand and Philippines Governments, agrees to an expansion of air service access rights and increasing the number of flights between the two countries from three to up to 21 a week.

Glenn Wedlock, Auckland Airport’s general manager aeronautical commercial, says the agreement is a positive step forward that creates opportunities for new services between the two countries.

“This Memorandum of Understanding has significantly expanded the air service access rights from what they were previously and now provides a realistic opportunity for direct daily services between our two countries.”

“As well as this, the Memorandum of Understanding allows for third country code sharing. This is an important improvement as it provides further opportunities for airlines from both New Zealand and the Philippines to grow travel markets between the two countries through agreements with airlines from third countries.”

“There is a strong trade relationship between New Zealand and the Philippines. When combined with the Filipino community in Auckland and the growing Filipino leisure travel market, we see a real opportunity arising from air services between our two countries.

“There are already over 40,000 annual passenger movements between New Zealand and the Philippines, but if we look to Australia, where there are direct services, that figure is nearly 500,000. Improving New Zealand’s air connectivity with the Philippines could well deliver significant value to New Zealand,” says Mr Wedlock.

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed in Wellington at a meeting that was attended by delegations representing the aeronautical authorities of New Zealand and the Republic of the Philippines.

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