ETA Air moves base to Cebu, starts flight service on March 5

A NEW airline has set up its office in Cebu and moved its base of operations to the Mactan-Cebu International Airport.

The Eagle Trans Asia Airways (ETA Air) would serve missionary routes or places where other airlines weren’t servicing, said Nino Luis Jamili, president and chief executive officer of ETA Air.

ETA was founded in 2006 and had its base of operations at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Jamili said it transferred its base to Cebu this year because of the strategic opportunities Cebu was offering.

He said that aside from MCIA being a fully operational airport, only few international flights were operating from Cebu until recently.

Another factor he cited was Cebu’s being the biggest benefactor of the recently signed Open Skies policy.

“Eagle Trans Asia Airways (ETA Air) will be the first premier international Philippine Major Airline to be based in Cebu , Philippines. Cebu, home to over 600 investment locators, many of which are manufacturers/exporters and tourist/leisure operators,” said Jamili during its soft opening last Friday at the MCIAA.

start

Jamili said the airline would start operations servicing the Visayas routes at the MCIA on March 5.

Its fleet include the 19-seater LET 410-UVP-E twin-engine transport aircraft and the 32-seater Dornier 328 aircraft.

“The birth of another Airline office based in Mactan Cebu International Airport signifies that there is really good opportunities here, ikalipay kaayo namo kini kay nagkahulogan kini og dugang mga turista ug kita sa Airport ug mga LGUs.” said Nigel Paul Villarete, MCIA general manager.

Villarete said any airline would be welcomed at the MCIA as long as they would follow safety regulations and have the necessary permits.

The ETA Air office is at the Pre-Departure Hall, Domestic Passenger Terminal of the MCIA.

According to its website, ETA Air will be a scheduled and non-scheduled commercial carrier like Philippine Airlines or Cebu Pacific, but initially it would be charter non-scheduled airline and a wholesale air transportation provider. This means that it would not sell individual tickets or freight per kilogram directly to the public.

MARKET

Its market will be the government agencies, corporations, cargo consolidators, freight forwarders, travel agencies and wholesale tour operators.

It claims to be the only Philippine carrier with a reserved permanent Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessities to be issued by the Philippine Civil Aeronautics Board and an Air Operating Certificate (AOC) to be issued by Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines to operate internationally and domestically, they will be release simultaneously with the signing on the revision of the Air Services Agreement between Papua New Guinea and Philippines.

The airline claimed in a statement that its charter routes weren’t covered by bilateral agreements for commercial carriers giving the airline flexibility to fly to any destination at the time set by the firm or person that charters the aircraft.

The airline has four phases of operations – the first two phases involve passenger and cargo flights between Cebu and Manila and other domestic routes and regional airports in Asia.

This phase also includes opening international flights between Cebu, Manila and the Pacific Region.

Airline officials also plan to have in its fleet four Airbus 300s for its international flights./Correspondent Norman V. Mendoza