Budget carrier adding more flights ahead of peak summer months

AirAsia Philippines is increasing domestic and international flights ahead of the busy summer season this year.

The budget airline, part of Malaysia’s Air Asia Group, announced more flights in hubs outside Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport, which suffers from congestion issues.

Routes such as Clark-Iloilo, Clark-Tacloban and Cebu-Puerto Princesa will be upgraded from three flights a week to daily flights.

Cebu to Kuala Lumpur will also be increased from three flights a week to four starting March 29 this year.

“Our adjustments are well guided by data and I am very optimistic about the tourism boost this will bring to our country in the summer months,” AirAsia Philippines CEO Ricardo Isla said in a statement.

AirAsia Philippines is adding routes in step with earlier-outlined expansion plans.

Among these is a plan to double its fleet to around 50 planes over the next few years.

The plan will be supported by a roughly $200-million initial public offering in late 2020 or early 2021, said Rep. Michael Romero, whose family recently secured a controlling stake in Air Asia Philippines.

The budget airline has been gaining market share against rivals Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific while narrowing financial losses.

In an earlier stock exchange filing, Air Asia Philippines’ Malaysian operator, Air Asia Group Berhad, said losses during the quarter of 2019 amounted to P367 million, lower by 78.4 percent from P1.7 billion during the same period in 2018.

The decline came as revenues surged higher by 40 percent to P6.22 billion.

AirAsia attributed the gains to strong demand. It carried 2.1 million passengers during the period, up 33 percent, as it added more flights and aircraft.