Asia Pacific Airlines seeks approval to fly to Manila

By Andrew Curran.

Aero Micronesia, trading as Asia Pacific Airlines, has applied to the US Department of Transportation for a certificate of public convenience and necessity to fly cargo and mail between Guam (GUM) and Manila (MNL) via Hong Kong (HKG).

The Guam-based cargo airline intends to start with seven round-trips per week and wants to begin as soon as possible.

Critical to the application’s success is a rider that the department also deems dormant and re-allocates to Asia Pacific Airlines the limited entry Route 3 all-cargo designation and related schedule authority still nominally held by Polar Air Cargo Worldwide.

“On information and belief, and based on Polar’s own publicised schedules, Polar has not conducted scheduled services to the Philippines since at least 2020, and well beyond the 90-day dormancy limitation previously imposed on this limited entry authority,” the application states.

“Polar did not notify the department of discontinuance as required by its certificate.”

Aero Micronesia's filing is an application under 49 U.S.C. § 41102 for exemption authority, under 49 U.S.C. § 40109 for designation, and for reassignment of dormant Route 3 Authority (US-Philippines).

Asia Pacific Airlines to send B757 freighter into Manila

The airline wants to use one of its four existing B757-200 freighters and currently employed flight crews to operate the planned Guam – Hong Kong – Manila – Hong Kong – Guam rotations.

While not confirmed, Asia Pacific Airlines intends to fly in and out of Manila between 2330 – 0430 (local time) when the airport operates all-cargo operations.

“Asia Pacific Airlines foresees no issues with hiring all necessary ground handling, warehouse, ramp, security screening, fuelling, and ULD handling services at MNL for its proposed service,” the application adds

Asia Pacific Airlines currently has exemption authority to fly cargo and mail between Guam and Hong. However, the Hong Kong certificate application is still pending.

Last month, Aero South Pacific reported on another Aero Micronesia filing with the Department of Transportation seeking authorisation to fly freight and mail between the United States and any country with which the US has an open-skies or multilateral agreement.

“Asia Pacific Airlines remains in full compliance with FAA requirements and has no outstanding safety or enforcement matters that would call its fitness into question,” the latest application notes.

Asking for a re-allocation of rights awarded to Polar Air Cargo

Asia Pacific Airlines says the authority requested in its latest application is consistent with the US - Philippines Air Transport Agreement, which limits the number of US all-cargo designations on Route 3 and therefore makes Route 3 a limited public resource.

Route 3 affords broad all-cargo operating flexibility from points in the United States via intermediate points to the Philippines and points beyond.

The Hong Kong - Manila segment is separately constrained by US - Hong Kong arrangements, not by the Philippines bilateral itself, and some Hong Kong-specific issues are being addressed via a concurrent supplemental filing.

Asia Pacific Airlines concedes that Polar Air Cargo “technically remains” the US designee on the limited-entry Philippines Route 3 authority. However, the application argues Polar's right to retain that authority is forfeited by its non-use since at least 2020 “and likely many years earlier.”

“Granting the requested authority is in the public convenience and necessity,” the application says.

“Asia Pacific Airlines’ proposed service will activate presently dormant bilateral rights, provide new competitive US flag all-cargo service in the Guam-Hong Kong-Manila market, and connect Asia Pacific Airlines' established Pacific network with the Philippines and the broader Asian supply chain.”

“The service will benefit US shippers, freight forwarders, mail users, and defence-related logistics in Guam and the Western Pacific, while also improving onward cargo connections for island communities that Asia Pacific Airlines already serves.”

Asia Pacific Airlines is asking the department for “expedited approval” so that it can begin operating the flights as soon as possible.

You can read the full filing here.

Photo: AI-Generated.

Contact the writer: andrew@aerosouthpacific.com