Allowing seven flights from Manila to Reykjavik, both direct or through connecting hubs, each week.
Last August 18 and 19, representatives from the Philippine and Icelandic governments sat down for the first-ever Philippines–Iceland Air Negotiation Talks in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez led the Philippine delegation that also included other officials from the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), Philippine Embassy in Oslo and Honorary Consul of the Philippines to Iceland.
Iceland was represented by Kristin Helga Markúsdóttir, Deputy Director General ng Icelandic Transport Authority and Vala Hrönn Viggósdóttir, legal advisor ng Ministry of Infrastructure.
There, both sides agreed to sign an Initial Air Services Agreement (ASA), which, as defined by the Iceland government, “provide for mutual authorizations for scheduled flights between contracting parties with or without stops in third countries.”
Through this deal, there will be up to seven flights each week or one flight daily, both for passenger and cargo, connecting the Philippines and Iceland and boost tourism, trade, investment, at people-to-people exchanges.
The air traffic rights will give flexibility to airlines based in both countries to establish and develop air services based on demand and commercial viability.
The said document was signed by Assistant Secretary Edgar Badajos of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) of the Philippines and Sigríður Eysteinsdóttir, Director and Chief negotiator for Air Services Agreements at Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Iceland.
In a statement, Lopez told that the agreement will serve as the foundation for the Philippines’ future air transportation relationship and will provide airlines a framework to explore new opportunities for connectivity between the two countries and regions.
“Today, we are not simply concluding our first air negotiations. We are opening a new chapter in Philippine-Iceland relations in the field of civil aviation,” he adxed.
Meanwhile, Eysteinsdóttir said: “We are very pleased with what we have achieved together. Our discussions have helped us to better understand each other’s priorities and find a way forward.“
The DOTr, meanwhile, stated that it will continue coordination with their Icelandic counterpart and other aviation stakeholders for the implementation of the agreement.
“May this agreement serve as the beginning of a long and productive partnership, one that will create opportunities for our airlines, benefit our traveling public, and bring our peoples closer together,” added Lopez.
According to Iceland, it has so far concluded agreements that allow flights to over 120 countries.
“Most of them are bilateral, but there are also several multilateral agreements, including the Air Transport Agreement with the United States which covers Iceland, Norway and the Member States of the European Union (EU) and the Agreement on the establishment of the European Common Aviation Area (ECAA) which covers Iceland, Norway, the Member States of the EU, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo,” it elaborated.
They also noted that the aviation industry is one of Iceland’s basic industries, citing that a “strong network of ASAs promotes increased competition and more favorable airfares, and ensures Icelandic air carriers’ access to international markets.”
