23 November 2007

United Kingdom forward programme for possible bilateral air services talks

The UK Department for Transport publishes a list of possible negotiations and when dates are scheduled gives these too. The 1 November 2007 update indicates that this month the UK was looking to hold talks with Jamaica, Thailand and Mauritius.

The Philippines and New Zealand sign new air services agreement

On 21 November 2007 in Singapore the Philippines and New Zealand signed their first air services agreement. The New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, who together with the President of the Philippines witnessed the signing, has announced UPDATED some of the details of the new arrangements.

News media coverage of the new arrangements has appeared in the Manila Times and Sun Star Manila.

We negotiated the text over two rounds in Wellington and Manila. Just prior to the second round the New Zealand delegation visited Clark, the former USAF base 80km north of Manila.

02 November 2007

Revised arrangements to cover Japan-Taiwan air services

An "official" 1 November 2007 report announced that revised air services arrangements have been reached. The revision was completed with an exchange of letters between Taiwan's Association of East Asian Relations and Japan's Interchange Association, the two non-governmental organizations set up by the two countries to handle bilateral affairs in the absence of diplomatic ties. On 2 November 2007 the Taipei Times reported on the new arrangements.

One implication of the new arrangements is that the JAL and ANA subsidiaries that operated services from Japan to Taiwan will be absorbed back into their parent airlines.