Senator Nancy Binay speaks during a Senate hearing on the proposed budget for Department of Transportation on Wednesday September 13, 2023. (Photo from Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines — Local airlines will review their fare rates as passengers protest the high prices of plane tickets these days.
The issue of expensive plane tickets was raised by Senator Nancy Binay while the Senate finance subcommittee was discussing on Tuesday the proposed budget of Department of Transportation (DOTr).
“Pakibantayan din ho. Ang dami rin hong nagrereklamo ngayon. Ang mahal ng tickets for local flights,” said Binay, who heads the Senate committee on tourism.
(Please also monitor this. So many people are now complaining. The tickets for local flights are quite expensive.)
“I think may staff ako na lumipad to Aklan. Parang P16,000 ho yung binayaran nyang ticket. Sobrang mahal,” she narrated the cost her staff paid for a round trip.
(I think one of my staff members flew to Aklan. She paid something like P16,000 for the ticket. It’s really expensive.)
DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista told the committee that Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) and representatives of the aviation sector and local carriers held a meeting last week.
The issue of airfare rates was one of the agenda they discussed.
“Re-review-hin po ng mga airlines yung kanilang mga rates,” Bautista told the finance panel.
(The airlines will review their rates.)
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista (first from left) presents to Senate the proposed budget for DOTr for 2024 (September 13, 2023) (Screengrab from Senate of the Philippines YouTube channel)
The spike in airfare tickets was projected last month following CAB’s approval of a higher fuel surcharge starting this September.
During the hearing, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and Senator Grace Poe also stressed the need to open more flights, noting the “very limited” routes being offered by local carriers.
“If you have more flights available, it will be cheaper for us travelers and for our OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) that travel also,” said Poe, chairperson of Senate committee on public services.
“Syempre, pag limited, masyadong mataas (ang rates)…” she explained.
(Of course, if it is limited, then the rates are extremely high.)
“So you really have no choice also. At least, the ones that give us a better value for travel should be given priority,” she said.
Zubiri also inquired if local airlines have any plan of expanding to European destinations.
“Kasi palaging US lang e. Wala bang other destinations, for Europe, for example?” he asked.
(Because it’s always the US. Are there no other destinations, for example, to Europe?)
Unfortunately, however, local airlines do not intend to operate in Europe “because they don’t have enough airplanes,” the DOTr chief told lawmakers.
Bautista, though, noted Philippine Airlines has already ordered nine Airbus A350-1000 long-range aircraft.
The first delivery is expected in the last quarter of 2025.
“That will be the time that they will be able to maybe serve other destinations,” he said.
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