Aviation rating downgrade hurting RP tourism sector

ASIDE from the airline industry, the downgrading of the country's civil aviation rating from category 1 to category 2 is also hurting the tourism sector badly.

In an interview with Sun.Star Davao, Domingo Duerme, vice president for Mindanao of Philippine Airlines, said the country is suffering major setbacks in the promotion of tourism abroad due to the "downgrade".

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For its part, the flag carrier intends to re-service some of its European routes that it abandoned after the airline suffered severe losses during the 1997 financial crisis.

But with the downgrade, the European Union banned all PAL flights from entering their air space.

"It's hampering the growth of our tourism industry. The safety of our airlines here are above good, the question is with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines," Duerme said.

In its latest disclosure, the country's flag carrier is expecting severe losses if the country's rating with the safety standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (Icao) remains downgraded to category 2 for the next 18 months.

Aside from Europe, the airline is also planning on expanding routes in North America, an impossible feat with the category 2 rating.

Under Category two, PAL will be barred from increasing flights to US and its territories and will not be allowed to change the type or number of aircraft used on these routes.