Singapore, Taiwan to phase in open skies by 2018

SINGAPORE and Taiwan signed an open skies agreement in February this year (TTG Asia e-Daily, February 18) which will be rolled out progressively in four phases till 2018.

“Beyond 2018, all flights between the two countries that are intercontinental and beyond – fifth freedom rights – will be liberalised,” said a source at Taiwan’s Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA).

Under the current first phase, nine flights frequencies per week are allowed for flights between Singapore and Taiwan’s Taipei or Kaohsiung. The second phase, effective 2013, will raise the allocation to 14-weekly. This will be followed by increases to 21-weekly in 2016, and unlimited flights after 2018.

The CAA source confirmed that only one additional carrier, TransAsia Airways, had begun new services between Taiwan and Singapore (TTG Asia e-Daily, July 5) since the open skies deal was struck.

By Glenn Smith

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