CEBU PACIFIC (CEB) expressed optimism the government could make public health protocols simpler to boost the recovery of the aviation sector which was the hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.
CEB chief commercial officer Xander Lao said passengers now are more concerned with the travel regulations. “Before the pandemic, what's important to the passengers is the cost of the airfare, which is affordable. But now, the passengers' concern is more on the travel regulations,” he told the Philippine News Agency in an interview.
Lao also noted that protocols, as well as registration apps, varied in many local governments and he said one way to simplify things is by allowing passengers to just show their vaccination cards.
Another thing that Lao hopes the Marcos administration would continue is the investments in airports, and the training of air traffic controllers. “We need to increase the capacity so that more flights can be accommodated to and from the country,” he said.
Lao acknowledged the previous administration’s aid to the airline industry. “At the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the government deferred the local carriers’ payment for parking, landing, and take-off at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, as well as all the airports operated by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines. The waiving of fees is certainly appreciated,” he said.
He said at present, CEB has already reached 100% of its pre-pandemic domestic capacity. “International (capacity), however, is difficult (to achieve 100%) because this depends on regulations. Hong Kong, for example, is open, but requires quarantine. How could someone want a vacation with quarantine?” he asked.
CEB currently has less than 50% of its pre-pandemic international capacity. Lao even said that CEB used to fly five times a day to China. Now it services the Chinese route only once a day. “This will be very dependent on how countries reopen,” he said. (Maria Cristina Arayata)
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