PAL, Easytrip ink partnership

MANILA, Philippines - Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Easytrip Services Corp. (ESC) have forged a partnership to allow Easytrip subscribers to earn miles that could be converted to domestic or international flights each time they pay toll.

Speaking during the contract signing for the partnership held yesterday, ESC president and CEO Eugene Antonio said the tie-up with PAL is the first of its kind to help encourage more motorists to go for cashless transactions when passing through the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) and Cavite-Manila Toll Expressway (CAVITEX).

Under the partnership, the Easytrip customer would get PAL Mabuhay Miles each time they use either their Easytrip tag or EasyDrive sticker tag to pay toll at NLEX-SCTEX and CAVITEX.

Attached to the vehicle’s windshield, the Easytrip tag is an interoperable service for electronic payment of toll.

The EasyDrive sticker tag which is also installed on the vehicle’s windshield meanwhile, uses Radio Frequency Identification technology to enable the electronic toll payment system.

Subscription to Easytrip comes with a card that can be used for reloading and payments for toll, as well as to partner establishments such as gasoline stations and selected restaurants.

Easytrip users who earn PAL Mabuhay Miles could convert such to domestic or international flights of their choice.

To be able to earn miles, Easytrip users would have to register by visiting www.easytrip.ph/rewards or call the Easytrip hotline 555-7575.

Antonio said the company owned by Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., the tollway arm of infrastructure conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp., and French firm EGIS Projects, decided to partner with PAL to get more motorists to choose electronic toll payments over cash payments and support the growth of the business.

“It is crucial to give discounts to give value to electronic (tollpayments) users,” he said.

He said most of the motorists passing through the tollways still pay with cash and Easytrip has achieved 26 percent penetration so far.

Through the partnership with PAL, he said the aim is to bring the penetration rate to a higher 40 percent.

 “We expect that to happen in 12 to 18 months,” he said.

He said there are 240,000 Easytrip tag users at present, with about 68 to 70 percent of them active during the last three months.