The air dispute between Taiwan and the Philippines has flared again. The Philippines has forced China Airlines (CAL) to withdraw from the Kaohsiung-Manila route, and Taiwan has retaliated by reducing Philippine Airlines Manila-Taipei flights from seven a week to four.
Taiwan's Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) and CAL have accused the Philippines of failing to honour an agreement reached on 28 January. CAL was forced to drop daily Kaohsiung-Manila flights just five days after relaunching the route.
According to the Taiwan CAA, the January agreement reinstates the original 1996 air services agreement, which allowed airlines from Taiwan and the Philippines to each offer 9,600 seats a week between the two countries. "The 28 January agreement fully recognises the 1996 agreement in its original condition," says Joseph Tien of the CAA's international division.
The Philippines wants talks to resume, but the CAA will not discuss the issue until after elections on 18 March, says CAL.
Source: Flight International
