Air Asia starts flying to Iloilo

Philippines Air Asia is expanding its presence in Visayas, announcing yesterday it would start flights between Manila and Iloilo on Oct. 1 this year.

The budget airline, which competes with Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific Air in both domestic and certain regional routes, said it would operate three flights per day using a 180-seat Airbus A320.

“The addition of Manila–Iloilo route will further expand our domestic footprint in the Visayas region following our expansion in Cebu via the launch of international and domestic flights,” Philippines Air Asia CEO Dexter Comendador said.
The airline, which captures about 10 percent of the local market, has been widening its operations in Visayas.

Last year, it expanded its Cebu hub with direct flights to Taipei and Singapore. Flights between Cebu, Davao, Boracay and Palawan were launched in April 2017.

Philippines Air Asia has a fleet of 15 Airbus A320s.

Further growth is expected in 2017 as the carrier adds flights and boosts ancillary or non-ticket revenues.

Comendador said in June that Philippines Air Asia was targeting revenue to hit P13 billion in 2017, up by about 20 percent over the P10.8 billion it booked in 2016.

“This will be the best year in our existence,” Comendador said. Philippines Air Asia started in 2012 and it has grown organically and via acquisitions.