DESPITE A GLOBAL economic crisis that has started to hinder the growth of air travel worldwide, the Philippines and Japan have agreed to allow more flights between them.

This, even as air traffic between the two countries has slowed since 2006, and is expected to decline till next year.

The International Air Transport Authority (IATA) yesterday reported that passenger traffic for Asia-Pacific carriers dropped 6.1% in October from the same period last year. This is slightly better than the 6.8% contraction in September, and slower than the global air traffic decline of 7.9% last month.

"This is a challenge for local carriers to develop the route and spur traffic growth, despite the economic slowdown," Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) Executive Director Carmelo L. Arcilla said in an interview shortly after the negotiations on Thursday.

Under the deal, which was scheduled to be signed by the Philippine and Japan air panels last night, Manila's international airport system was granted the equivalent of 14 coefficients weekly to Osaka or Nagoya. One coefficient is equal to one full flight by an Airbus 320 aircraft, which can carry as many as 150 passengers.

The Manila airports were also granted 10 additional flights to Fukuoka every week.

Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark Freeport, Pampanga, was given six flights to Osaka or Nagoya. All entitlements to Clark are new.