Brunei-Davao City Flights In The Pipeline

Bandar Seri Begawan - Direct flights between Brunei and Davao City may materialise early next year, a top Philippines government envoy recently said.

Retired general Efren Abu, the country's special envoy to the Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines-East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), said the government has initiated steps to enhance physical linkages of Mindanao to the rest of the growth area's member countries.

"Royal Brunei Airlines hinted that' they will start early next year although we asked them to start (in) December," the former chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines was quoted in the Philippines media as saying.

In 2003, President Gloria Arroyo urged His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam to open direct flights between Brunei and Davao City because of their proximity.

Brunei is only 45 minutes by air to Davao City. Aside from Brunei-Davao flights, Abu also announced the impending resumption of the Zamboanga-Sandakan and the Davao-Kota Kinabalu-Brunei Darussalam air routes.

Presidential Assistant for Mindanao Jesus Dureza said Mindanao's current trade and tourism linkages to EAGA are being sustained by direct sea links between Zamboanga and Sandakan of Sabah, Malaysia as well as direct flights between Davao and Manado in Indonesia.

Dureza said the Zamboanga-Sandakan route would be serviced by local airline Asian Spirit and FilipinoRussian joint venture Mosphil Aero, which launched its domestic operations (Zambonga-Jolo) last week.

Abu said the Davao-Manado air route would soon increase to two flights a week.

To lure airline operators in the EAGA, Abu said the government reduced all air service fees by 50 per cent for airlines travelling to Mindanao and Palawan from Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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