ROUTES ASIA: AirAsia’s Filipino Division Announces Base

AirAsia Incorporated, the new Philippine-based affiliate of AirAsia Group, has selected Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Angeles City as its base. The airport, also known as Clark International, is located around 50 miles (85km) north of the country’s capital city Manila and is already served by the airline’s sister carrier AirAsia Berhad from Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu.

“Our choice of Clark underlines the airline’s commitment to developing transportation and tourism hubs outside Manila. This is part of our plan to contribute to the development of the country as a whole,” said Marianne B Hontiveros, Chief Executive, AirAsia Inc.

Clark is strategically located just north of Manila and is easily accessible to 23 million people from the National Capital Region and Central and Northern Luzon. AirAsia Inc plans to start international flights in the fourth quarter and according to Hontiveros, links to “popular destinations including Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Thailand, Korea and Japan” are planned. “Travel will become much easier and more affordable for tourists and overseas Filipino workers,” she added.

Source: Flightbase (April 14-20, 2011)

Confirmation of the start-up’s plan marks the opening of the 13th base in the AirAsia network, adding to Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching and Penang in Malaysia; Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai in Thailand; and Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, Medan and Bali in Indonesia.