Neha Jain: http://philippinesaviationnews.blogspot.com/m4

1. Manila airport to drop general aviation

The Philippine authorities are looking at moving general aviation out of Manila's Ninoy Aquino International airport in two years' time, in an effort to create space on the airport's congested runways.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) plans to transfer general aviation to other national airports outside Manila, says a senior source in the CAAP.
"Our director-general has already met with the airport, and has decided that this will happen in two years," he adds.
Manila's airport, which has three terminals and two runways, will continue to serve general aviation for the time being, says the source.
Airlines in the South-East Asian country have previously called for the airport to ban general and business aircraft from operating on its runways to help ease congestion.
Philippine low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific says it had to delay almost 6,800 flights in 2010 as a result of air traffic issues in Manila. The hold-ups totalled about 633h.
Air traffic congestion in Ninoy Aquino International can cause delays "from 4min to 81min per flight", says Cebu Pacific's vice-president for flight operations Victor Custodio.
"International airports such as Singapore do not have pilot schools or general aviation operating out of their country's premiere gateways. We see the CAAP's efforts to lessen air traffic in Manila as a very positive move that can only gain positive results for all passengers.

2. Jet plans to expand domestic, global operations from April-May
MUMBAI: Jet Airways plans to expand its domestic and global operations from April-May when it also proposes to launch a flight to Manila.

"We are looking at a 15 per cent capacity addition on our domestic sector from the summer schedule. Besides, we are also mulling increasing the capacity on international routes by 5-7 per cent this summer," an airline source said here.

The summer schedule of airlines starts from March 29. As part of this capacity addition programme, the airline may launch a service to the Philippines capital with an Airbus A-330 aircraft, the source said, adding this could start either from Mumbai or Delhi.

"We are leasing two Airbus A-330 aircraft next month and plan to deploy one of them in the proposed Manila route. The other one is expected to be used for servicing the Gulf sector including Dammam," the source said.

Jet Airways currently has 12 A-330s in its fleet, besides Boeing 777s, 737s and turboprop ATR planes.

On the domestic front, the airline is also mulling enhancing connectivity to the northeast by operating a few hopping flights in the region, the source said.

"We will also enhance connectivity to the northeast with a few hopping flights in the region."

Jet would permanently station an ATR to service these hopping flights, they said, adding Dimapur, Silchar and Bagdogra would be among the destinations to be serviced by the turboprop aircraft.

Besides, the premier private carrier also plans to upgrade its operations out of Pune and by replacing ATR with a Boeing B-737 aircraft to cater to the growing demand on sectors like Pune-Bangalore and Pune-Hyderabad.

3. General in fake pilot license mess is new P-Noy appointee

THE retired military general involved in the fake pilot license scandal at the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), not only got his license back but is now a member of the Aquino administration.

Former Major General Romeo Dones Alamillo, a member of Philippine Military Class of 1974, was appointed by Pres. Noynoy Aquino to the board of the Philippine Veterans Investment Development Corporation -- Investment Authority (PHIVIDEC-IA), last March 1.

Prior to this, Alamillo also served as consultant to the CAAP and assistant chief of the Flight Standards Inspectorate Services (FSIS) during the term of director general Ruben Ciron, another former military official from the PMA Class of 1968.

Alamillo, sources told People’s Tonight, was hired by Ciron on the recommendation of Ciron’s mistah, retired Col. Eduardo Batac, the current spokesman of the Department of National Defense and previously chief of the FSIS.

The FSIS is tasked to investigate cases involving the issuance of fake pilot licenses. Batac and Alamillo, as co-terminus employees at the CAAP, left the agency together with Ciron last year, when director general Alfonso Cusi took over.

Cusi for his part, was replaced last January by current director general Ramon Gutierrez while former commercial pilot captain Elmer Pena, replaced Batac as FSIS chief.

Alamillo yesterday confirmed that there was an adverse report against him filed by CAAP special investigator Cesar Jose M. Lucero before Cusi.

The five page report, dated August 12, 2010, informed Cusi that Alamillo, with the approval of CAAP check pilot, Capt. Rodolfo Repasa, submitted “contradictory information” and other misleading information.

It recommended for the CAAP not to renew Alamillo’s license and for the filing of criminal and administrative cases against Repasa and sanctions against the CAAP personnel at the San Fernando airport and officials of Far East Aviation, a pilot school, for allegedly colluding with Alamillo and Repasa.

Alamillo, however, told People’s Tonight yesterday that a fact finding committee established by Cusi also last year cleared him of all the charges hurled by Lucero.

Lucero, he said, was “motivated by vendetta” owing to the many changes they proposed at the CAAP during Ciron’s tenure and which was not allegedly acceptable to CAAP regular employees.

As proof, Alamillo said the CAAP, under Gutierrez, issued back his license last January, a fact confirmed by Pena yesterday.

Pena added the replacement of Alamillo’s license was based on the documents currently in his possession.

He admitted he was not aware that there was a fact finding committee established to probe Alamillo. Neither was Pena aware that there was an adverse report filed by Lucero against Alamillo.

“But if there would be documents that would come out justifying for the revocation or confiscation of his (Alamillo) license, then we would do so. A license after all, is just a privilege.

4. CEB supports CAAP's move to decongest NAIA
By EDU LOPEZ
March 3, 2011, 1:24am
MANILA, Philippines – Cebu Pacific is backing a plan by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

“Air traffic congestion (ATC) in NAIA can cause delays from 4 minutes to 81 minutes per flight. An aircraft assigned for a roster of flights experiencing delays due to ATC can end up with a domino effect of delays, to the disadvantage of the passenger,” said CEB VP for flight operations Capt. Victor Custodio.

“International airports such as Singapore do not have pilot schools or general aviation operating out of their country’s premiere gateways. We see CAAP’s efforts to lessen air traffic in Manila as a very positive move that can only gain positive results for all passengers,” Custodio added.

In 2010 alone, CEB recorded almost 6,800 minor and major delayed flights caused by air traffic in Manila. The accumulated delay caused by ATCs last year was approximately 38,000 minutes or 633 hours.

“Despite this, we are happy to note that we ended the year with an 88% on-time performance. This was largely because of the team effort we at Cebu Pacific have exerted to bring our passengers to their destinations on time,” Custodio said.

CAAP Director General Ramon Gutierrez said that NAIA runways were already congested with regular flights.

An option was to allow provincial airports to house aviation schools, a move which could also augment the provincial airports’ revenues.

This can free up runway capacity at Ninoy Aquino International Airport, and lessen air traffic congestion.

Cebu Pacific currently operates over 260 flights daily to 16 international destinations and 33 domestic destinations. It flew almost 10.5 million passengers in 2010, exceeding targets with a 19% increase over 2009. Its international passengers also grew by 38% in 2010.

NEHA JAIN

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