Philippine government not interested to take over ailing airlines

Cutting costs: Planes are seen at the Manila Airport. Local airlines have been shedding thousands of jobs as they operate very few flights, hence incur billions of pesos in losses. — AP

MANILA: The government will not take over the operations of domestic airlines skidding due to the global tourism slump amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said.

Dominguez told members of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) during the 46th Philippine Business Conference and Expo that the government and airlines had been in “deep” talks for about half a year now or since the pandemic grounded travel here and abroad.