AirAsia PHL to offer more international flights in Q4

Airasia Philippines is eyeing 70 percent of its pre-Covid capacity for international routes in the fourth quarter as appetite for travel has returned.

The airline is banking on its various international routes to support this expected growth, it said on Wednesday. These include Hong Kong, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia and Seoul, South Korea.

Joining AirAsia Philippines’s roster of operating international routes starting July 1 is Manila-Singapore. It is set to fly to the Lion City four times weekly, every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Based on forward bookings made as of June 27, the airline is expecting to f ly almost 10,000 guests to Singapore in the third quarter.

AirAsia further supports the increase in its international customers with a 10 percent discount for its Manila-singapore flights for travels from July 1, 2022 to March 25, 2023.

“Our aggressiveness in expanding our domestic route network also manifests in our resumption strategy for international routes. This is in service of Filipino globetrotters and Overseas Filipino Workers who wish to explore the tourism and economic opportunities present abroad,” said AirAsia Philippines spokesperson and Head of Communications and Public Affairs Steve Dailisan.

AirAsia’s total guests flown abroad increased by 354 percent in June compared to May, the airline said in a statement. It believes that the trend will continue amid rising fuel surcharge cost.

“We at Airasia Philippines work with the Civil Aeronautics Board in the strategic application of fuel surcharge cost. We assure our guests that despite the surcharge, our base fares will remain to be the most competitive in the market, complemented by additional discount promos monthly,” Dailisan added.

In February, the airline said it expects travel demand to pick up after it recorded a 38-percent in forward bookings.