Philippines’ AirAsia
launches first flights to Davao and Kalibo
CLARK, PAMPANGA, 28 March 2012
—Philippines’ AirAsia began serving the Filipino people today,
launching its maiden flights from Clark to the popular tourism
destinations of Kalibo (Boracay) in the Visayas and Davao in Mindanao.
The twin launches took place today at the Clark International Airport and was witnessed by Department of Transportation
and Communications Secretary Mar Roxas II and other government officials.
The
first Philippines AirAsia flight, PQ7001, left for Kalibo at 7 a.m.
Onboard were 143 guests, including 18
children with hearing impairment and Down Syndrome, who flew for the
first time accompanied by their parents and teachers for on educational
trip to Kalibo.
“Philippines’
AirAsia maiden flights are pioneering routes - our Clark to Davao and
Clark to Kalibo flights will
make air travel for Northern and Central Luzon passengers more
convenient and comfortable. They can even be spared from the traffic of
EDSA and the long queues of NAIA,”
AirAsia Inc. CEO Maan Hontiveros said at the send-off ceremonies in the Pre-Departure Lounge of Clark International Airport.
Aside
from Roxas, among those who attended the twin launches were AirAsia
Group CEO Tony Fernandes, AirAsia Deputy
Group CEO Kamarudin Meranun, AirAsia X CEO Azran Osman-Rani, President
Director of AirAsia Indonesia Dharmadi, AirAsia Inc. Chairman Antonio
Cojuangco, AirAsia Inc. Vice Chairman Michael Romero, AirAsia Regional
Head of Commercial Kathleen Tan, Clark International
Airport Corporation President Victor Jose Luciano, Davao Mayor Sara
Duterte, airport officials and representatives from Civil Aviation
Authority of the Philippines and Civil Aeronautics Board.
Duterte and Luciano joined the other passengers on the first flight to Davao that left Clark at 10:10 a.m. and
arrived in Davao at noon.
“The
prospect of Philippines AirAsia starting its flights is truly exciting.
Philippines is a robust and growing
market. We are here because we are confident of its growth. With our
pioneering flights and with the options we offer, millions of Southeast
Asians will finally be able to easily access the Philippines from
various parts of the Asean region,”
AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes said.
For
her part, Hontiveros said: "Today is a source of national pride for us,
Filipinos, as we send off our all-Filipino
crew and start our pioneering flights that will improve domestic air
connectivity. We picked Davao, because it is an important gateway to
Mindanao, and Kalibo, because of Boracay, which is an international
popular tourist spot. Today is just the start for
AirAsia revolutionizing air travel in Philippines.”
Philippines’
AirAsia Inc., which has an initial investment of P468 million,
currently has two brand new Airbus
A320s for its daily flights from Clark to Francisco Bangoy
International Airport in Davao and its twice daily flights from Clark to
Kalibo International Airport. It has ordered two more aircraft to be
delivered within the year. It also hopes to tap into the
underserved Northern and Central Luzon market and provide Metro Manila
passengers a viable low fare flying alternative.
“Beyond
servicing the needs of Northern and Central Luzon passengers and
pioneering the new routes, we are here
to revolutionize domestic and international air travel,” Hontiveros
said. “Our brand of air travel will be characterized by transparency,
efficiency and high value service.”
AirAsia
Inc. is a Filipino Low Cost Carrier (LCC) established to serve the
Philippines’ regional and domestic
air travel market. For inquiry and to receive real-time updates on
latest promotions, interact via facebook.com/AirAsiaPhilippines and
twitter.com/AirAsiaPh.
ABOUT AIRASIA INC.
As
part of its commitment to develop tourism and transportation outside
Metro Manila, AirAsia Inc. set up its
hub in Clark, Pampanga in 2011. In the same year, Filipinos welcomed
the airline’s brand new Airbus A320s operated by an all-Filipino crew,
signifying greater opportunities for travel, leisure and tourism
industries in the country.
AirAsia Inc. is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission in March last year to engage primarily
in the business of air transportation in the Philippines and abroad for passenger and cargo.
AirAsia
Inc. is a 60-40 joint venture between Filipino investors Antonio O.
Cojuangco, Michael L. Romero and Marianne
“Maan” B. Hontiveros, and Malaysia’s AirAsia International Ltd., a
wholly-owned subsidiary of AirAsia Berhad, which has won SkyTrax’s best
low cost airline for three consecutive years. (Skytrax is the world’s
largest airline and airport review site.)
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