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The Philippines and Türkiye signed a memorandum of understanding doubling the weekly Istanbul–Manila flights to 14
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For services between destinations other than Istanbul and Manila, airlines will also receive unlimited frequency rights, providing more flexibility to expand the air network and add new destinations between the two countries
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The PH Department of Transportation said the agreement is seen to strengthen competition among airlines and provide more and cheaper flight options for travelers to Türkiye, Europe, Middle East, and other destinations
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The Türkiye Directorate General of Civil Aviation said the agreement is expected to contribute significantly to the development of passenger transport between Türkiye and the Philippines, and strengthening of tourism, trade, and economic relations, and the diversification of air connections
The Philippines and Türkiye have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) doubling the weekly scheduled passenger service on the Istanbul–Manila route to 14 flights.
The MOU was signed on August 13 by Acting Transport Secretary Giovanni Lopez and Turkish Civil Aviation directorate general Prof. Kemal Yüksek, following a two-day air consultation talks in Istanbul.
For services between destinations other than Istanbul and Manila, airlines will also receive unlimited frequency rights, providing more flexibility to expand the air network and add new destinations between the two countries, according to a statement by the Türkiye Directorate General of Civil Aviation (SHGM). The agreement also allows airlines to conduct co-terminalization operations, provided they do not exercise cabotage rights.
In a separate statement, the Philippine Department of Transportation (DOTr) said the unlimited frequency rights include all secondary airports in the country, including Cebu, Davao, and Clark.
“The expansion of the bilateral air services agreement between the Republic of Turkey and the Republic of the Philippines marks a significant milestone in our state-level partnership,” Yüksek said.
“This accord solidifies our strategic alignment, aiming to expand sovereign trade corridors, catalyze state-to-state tourism, and deepen institutional ties to bridge our geographical distance with enduring diplomatic foundations. We express our formal appreciation to Secretary Giovanni Lopez for his ministerial dedication and leadership, which were instrumental in securing this successful sovereign outcome,” he added.
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For his part, Lopez said: “As partners, we have always demonstrated that constructive dialogue, mutual respect, and a willingness to understand each other’s perspectives are the foundations of successful negotiations. I am confident that this consultation will continue in the tradition and result in outcomes that are balanced, equitable, and beneficial to both the Philippines and Türkiye.”
DOTr said with more flights to Istanbul, an important international aviation hub, connections to Europe, Middle East, and other western countries will be more accessible for Filipinos.
More flight options
The agreement is also seen to strengthen competition among airlines and provide more and cheaper flight options for travelers to Türkiye, Europe, Middle East, and other destinations.
SHGM, meanwhile, said the agreement is expected to contribute significantly to the development of passenger transport between Türkiye and the Philippines, the strengthening of tourism, trade, and economic relations, and the diversification of air connections.
It added that both parties also expressed a shared commitment to reconvene in the future – in light of evolving market conditions and rising passenger demand – to continue discussions on the gradual expansion of traffic rights between the two countries.
