Direct flights to KL to boost Philippine tourism

ANGELES CITY—Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. said the direct flights of Philippines’ AirAsia from the Clark International Airport to Kuala Lumpur provide what he described as a “tremendous boost” to the tourism sector.

Jimenez said the latest route being served by the low-cost carrier owned by AirAsia Inc. was one of the advantages being reaped under the pocket open skies policy of the Aquino administration.

“For a long, long time, we had just one door[way] (referring to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport). Clark has been helping decongest Manila,” he told reporters after the Independence Day rites here.

The Clark airport, located just outside Angeles City, spans 2,300 hectares and operates with two runways, which the US Air Force abandoned when it pulled out in 1991.

AirAsia’s daily Kuala Lumpur flights began on June 9. The budget airline aims to draw clientele from the 24.5 million tourists that Malaysia hosts annually as gateway to 77 international destinations, said Maan Hontiveros, AirAsia Inc. chief operating officer, during the company’s inaugural flight launch in Clark.

AirAsia Inc. is 60 percent owned by Hontiveros, Antonio Cojuangco and Michael Romero. Malaysia’s AirAsia International Ltd., a subsidiary of AirAsia Berhad, owns 40 percent of the firm.

“We’d like the tourists to come in droves to the Philippines and enjoy our sights. Toni Fernandes, AirAsia Berhad founder, said the Philippines is the last missing piece of the puzzle (of vacation destinations in Asia),” Hontiveros said.

AirAsia has been flying daily to Davao City, Puerto Princesa City and Kalibo via the Clark airport since March 28.

Eduardo Malaya, Philippine ambassador to Malaysia, said AirAsia’s Clark-Kuala Lumpur flights are also expected to “balance the figures,” a reference to the need to improve Filipino trips to Malaysia.—Tonette Orejas