Philippines AirAsia to resume international flights by 1Q22

Philippines AirAsia intends to restart international flights by the first quarter of 2022 after resuming domestic services in the fourth quarter of 2021, says chief executive officer Ricky Isla.

He told The Philippine Star newspaper that the airline’s priority is to rebuild its domestic network from Manila Ninoy Aquino Int’l, manage capacity, and control costs. “What is important is (that) we have to maintain our cost of operations. That’s the reason why we’re concentrating right now mostly on our Metro Manila hub.”

The airline will look to restart flights from its hub at Clark in mid-to late 4Q21. “We will most likely reopen with our Clark trips towards the peak season of November and December,” he told The Philippine Star. “The best time is when there is already what you call a good herd immunity in Manila and Central Luzon like Clark. Then we will be confident that we will be extending also our Clark hub as our point of destination,” he said.

The AirAsia Group unit has been conducting only essential flights recently in light of the government’s directive to place the capital Manila, officially called the National Capital Region (NCR), under quarantine with heightened restrictions from July 30, 2021, to August 5, 2021, and enhanced quarantine from August 6 to 20, 2021. This has meant that only people authorized to be outside their residences were allowed to travel into and out of the NCR, including Cavite, Bulacan, Laguna, and Rizal. Inbound travel to Iloilo City, Iloilo Province, and Cagayan de Oro City was also suspended from August 1 to 7, 2021, to manage the spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19.

From August 21, 2021, the airline is scheduled to resume domestic services from Manila to 12 domestic cities, namely Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro Laguindingan, Caticlan, Cebu, Davao, General Santos, Iloilo, Kalibo, Puerto Princesa, Panglao, Tacloban, and Zamboanga, the ch-aviation schedules module shows.

From October 1, it is scheduled to resume services to seven domestic points from Clark, including Cagayan de Oro Laguindingan, Caticlan, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Puerto Princesa, and Tacloban, according to ch-aviation data.

Isla said the company also sought to strengthen its cargo business. “Cargo also has to expand its customer experience. Before, it was just airport to airport, now you have airport to your point-of-destination, and airport up-to-the-household,” he said.

Before the latest lockdown, AirAsia had carried 171,543 passengers between April and June 2021, an increase from 168,527 passengers carried in the first quarter of 2021. Year on year, this represented a 489% jump from the 29,111 passengers carried in the second quarter of 2020. The carrier has operated more than 600 chartered repatriation flights since last year.

Philippines AirAsia reported that 92% of its flight operations team, including pilots and cabin crew, plus 86% of its ground staff, have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

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