AirAsia to start regular flights from Clark in October
August 19, 2011 at 06:56
This is an article repost.
MANILA, Philippines—The local unit of Malaysia’s AirAsia Berhad, dubbed as “mother of all budget airlines,” officially landed in the Philippines as it took delivery Monday of the first of several planes to be based in Clark Freeport in Pampanga.
AirAsia Philippines, a joint venture between a local group—Antonio “Tonyboy” Cojuangco Jr., Michael Romero and Marianne Hontiveros—and Malaysia’s Tony Fernandes, aims to become one of the leading players in the country’s competitive air travel sector.
According to company officials, AirAsia is scheduled to start regular flights from Clark by October this year once it receives the required government permits.
The officials, in a briefing on Monday, said the airline would start with popular regional destinations such as Singapore, Hong Kong and Macau.
“This is a proud moment for AirAsia Philippines as the arrival of the new aircraft signifies our first step in introducing ourselves to the nation,” said Hontiveros, AirAsia Philippines’ president and CEO.
AirAsia Philippines expects to take delivery of its second plane by the fourth quarter of this year, while two more are scheduled to arrive by next year.
The company intends to turn Clark, which it earlier chose as its home in the Philippines, into a major hub in Asia-Pacific.
Hontiveros said the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) could become a jump-off point for passengers from other countries who might want to fly to other destinations within the range of the Philippines.
AirAsia’s fleet is made up mostly of Airbus A320 aircraft, which can fly for only about four hours at a time.
She said Filipino passengers would be able to take advantage of AirAsia’s regional network to reach more destinations.
Romero, the joint venture’s vice chairman, said the company aimed to have a total of 13 to 15 new planes in three to five years. “But if you look at the way AirAsia has expanded in other countries in the region, they usually reach their five-year targets in as fast as two years,” Romero said.
AirAsia Philippines is the group’s third subsidiary in Southeast Asia, next to AirAsia Indonesia and AirAsia Thailand.
Hontiveros said the company also aimed to turn the DMIA into a hub for long-haul flights to destinations such as Europe and the United States.
AirAsia Philippines’ sister company, AirAsia X, has direct flights to London and Paris.
Romero said the Philippine unit was not ruling out the possibility of mounting long-haul flights of its own, particularly to the US.
Clark International Airport Corp. president and CEO Victor Luciano said AirAsia Philippines was expected to be one of the biggest players in the country’s competitive airline industry. “We want (AirAsia) to propel Clark to new heights in years to come,” Luciano said.
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By: Paolo G. Montecillo
Source: The Philippine Star, Aug. 15, 2011
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Related story:
Air Asia Takes Delivery of First Airbus: Air Asia (Philippines) Inc. owners Dr. Mikee Romero, Tony Boy Cojuangco and Maan Hontiveros welcomed the first of the four brand new Airbus 320-200 aircraft at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in Clark, Pampanga on August 18, 2011. The Airbus 320-200 was flown directly from the Airbus headquarters in Toulouse, France for Air Asia Inc. The new aircraft will feature an all-Filipino crew and will service the Clark to either Hong Kong, Macau and Singapore and vice versa routes (sic). CEO Maan Hontiveros said they will make Clark a major travel hub in the country that will not only improve tourism but also create hundreds of jobs. Air Asia Inc. is a member of the Air Asia Group which had been voted the best low-cost carrier for three in a row from 2008 to 2010.
Source: The Philippine Star – Business, Aug. 18, 2011
