The UAE and the Philippines have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at bolstering their bilateral aviation connections. This agreement, signed by the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and its Philippine counterpart, signifies a commitment to enhance aviation relations between the two nations. The key provisions of the MoU include an increase in the number of flights operated by national carriers, a threefold rise in air cargo capacity from 200 to 600 tonnes per week for each national carrier, and the approval for Airbus A380 aircraft operations.
The signing of the MoU took place following a series of discussions on September 19-20 in Cebu, Philippines, involving representatives from various sectors and national carriers. The document was officially signed by Omar bin Ghalib, Deputy Director-General of the GCAA and Head of the UAE Delegation, and Carmelo L. Arcilla, Executive Director of the Philippines’s Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB).
Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director-General of the GCAA, praised the UAE’s leadership for adopting an open skies policy, which has enhanced the country’s competitiveness, openness, economic flexibility, and regional and global leadership. He emphasized the GCAA’s commitment to strengthening aviation cooperation frameworks in strategic markets, which will support the operations of national carriers in international markets and facilitate their direct access to economic, commercial, and tourism opportunities.
