Philippines AirAsia
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Founded | 16 December 2010; 13 years ago (2010-12-16) | ||||||
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Commenced operations | 28 March 2012; 12 years ago (2012-03-28) | ||||||
AOC # | 2009003[1] | ||||||
Operating bases | |||||||
Frequent-flyer program | BIG Loyalty Programme[2] | ||||||
Fleet size | 25[3] | ||||||
Destinations | 29 | ||||||
Parent company | AA Com Travel Philippines Inc.[4] | ||||||
Headquarters | Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines | ||||||
Key people | Ricardo P. Isla (President & CEO)[5] | ||||||
Website | www |
Philippines AirAsia, Inc. is a Philippine low-cost airline based at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay, Metro Manila.[6] The airline is the Philippine affiliate of the Malaysian AirAsia. The airline started as a joint venture among three Filipino investors and AirAsia Investments Ltd. (later AirAsia Aviation Limited), a subsidiary of AirAsia Berhad.
History
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/RP-C8978_%2836296170080%29.jpg/220px-RP-C8978_%2836296170080%29.jpg)
AirAsia Philippines was formally launched on 16 December 2010.[7] On 15 August 2011, AirAsia Philippines took delivery of its first brand-new Airbus A320 aircraft.[8] The airline planned to start operations by 2011[7] but was delayed due to the long duration of processing the new requirements instituted in 2008.[9]
On 7 February 2012, the airline received its air operator certificate.[9] The airline commenced operations on 28 March 2012 by launching flights from its base at Clark International Airport to Kalibo and Davao City.[10] It partnered with Victory Liner, one of the largest provincial bus companies operating in the Philippines, to provide free shuttle service for inbound and outbound passengers of Clark International Airport.[11] Within that year, in addition to its first two destinations, AirAsia Philippines launched flights to Puerto Princesa, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taipei.[12]
On 11 March 2013, an agreement was made between AirAsia Philippines to swap shares with Philippine-based airline Zest Airways.[13] Zest Airways received a mix of $16 million cash and a 13% share in AirAsia Philippines, while AirAsia Philippines now owns 85% of Zest Airways, with 49% of its voting rights. The deal closed on 10 May 2013. The agreement also gave AirAsia Philippines access to Ninoy Aquino International Airport, allowing further growth of its route network.[14] By October 2013, AirAsia Philippines closed its Clark base to reduce further losses, and moved its operations to NAIA, initially at Terminal 4.[15] It later moved its international flights to Terminal 3 by 2014.[16]
In 2015, AirAsia Zest merged with AirAsia Philippines. Following the merger, the newly consolidated airline was renamed as Philippines AirAsia.[17] It operated under the former AirAsia Zest air operator's certificate, resulting in the airline's IATA code change from PQ to Z2, while the ICAO code remained unchanged. The airline then continued to expand its network by adding more destinations, reopening their operating base at Clark on 28 March 2017,[18] and the launch of more secondary bases in the Philippines.[19] On 1 July 2019, it launched flights to Osaka, its first destination in Japan.[20]
The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected Philippines AirAsia's business. Plans for Philippines AirAsia to debut in the Philippine Stock Exchange within 2020 was deferred in March, with the airline management deciding to focus on expanding its domestic operations after a government ban on China and South Korea in response to the worsening health situation threatened 30% of the airlines' revenue.[21] It also retrenched 624 employees due to the pandemic.[22]
As travel restrictions eased in 2022, Philippines AirAsia started to rebuild its network by adding more flights, launching flights to Dumaguete and Roxas City,[23] and resuming most international flights starting 27 May 2022.[24] On 1 February 2023, it launched daily flights to Tokyo.[25] As China, being an important market for tourism in the Philippines, lifted travel restrictions, Philippines AirAsia resumed flights to Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Macau from February to March 2023.[26]
On 1 July 2023, Philippines AirAsia transferred its domestic operations at Ninoy Aquino International Airport from the highly congested Terminal 4 to the larger Terminal 2, while international flights remained at Terminal 3.[27]
Corporate affairs
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/36/RP-C8967_and_RP-C8945_MNL_2024-07-21.jpg/220px-RP-C8967_and_RP-C8945_MNL_2024-07-21.jpg)
Philippines AirAsia is headquartered at the RedPoint office at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay, Metro Manila. RedPoint has been the airline's headquarters since October 2019; the airline was previously headquartered at the Salem Complex near NAIA Terminal 4.[28]
The airline is a joint venture between three Filipino businessmen and AirAsia. 60% of the airline is owned by Filipino investors Antonio O. Cojuangco, Jr., former owner of Associated Broadcasting Company and owner of Dream Satellite TV, Michael L. Romero, a real estate developer and port operator, and Marianne Hontiveros, a former music industry executive and TV host.[29] The remaining 40% is owned by AirAsia Investments Ltd. (later AirAsia Aviation Limited) of Malaysia.[7] The Public Service Act of the Philippines, prior to its amendment in 2022, only allowed a foreign direct investment of up to 40% in Philippine-registered airlines.[30]
In June 2019, Romero's F&S Holdings bought the shares owned by Alfredo Yao and Hontiveros, thus becoming the new majority shareholder in the company. Four months later, Romero acquired Cojuangco's shares, becoming the sole local owner (and parent company) of the airline.[4] In June 2023, F&S Holdings sold all of its shares to AA Com Travel Philippines for an undisclosed amount.[4]
Destinations
Fleet
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0c/RP-C8950_TAC_%28006%29_2023-11-19.jpg/220px-RP-C8950_TAC_%28006%29_2023-11-19.jpg)
As of August 2024[update], Philippines AirAsia operates the following aircraft:[3]
Aircraft | In service | Orders | Passengers | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Airbus A320-200 | 25 | — | 180 | 7 aircraft stored.[3] |
Total | 25 | – |
Sports teams
- AirAsia Philippine Patriots (ASEAN Basketball League, 2010–2012)
- AirAsia Flying Spikers (Philippine Super Liga, 2014)
See also
- List of airlines of the Philippines
- List of airports in the Philippines
- List of companies of the Philippines
- List of low-cost airlines
- Transportation in the Philippines
References
- ^ "ACTIVE/CURRENT AOC HOLDERS" (PDF). Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines. 30 May 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
- ^ "Join BIG! AirAsia BIG Loyalty Programme". Archived from the original on 26 May 2008.
- ^ a b c "AirAsia's Capital A Eyes 50 New Aircraft For Philippines | Aviation Week Network". aviationweek.com. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
- ^ a b c Mercurio, Richmond (6 June 2023). "Romero family exits airline business". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ^ Valdez, Denise A. (31 July 2019). "AirAsia PHL names new CEO". BusinessWorld.
- ^ "AirAsia launches Philippine joint venture | The Manila Bulletin Newspaper Online". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on 17 December 2010. Retrieved 2 June 2011.
- ^ a b c Rimando, Lala (16 December 2010). "Asia's largest budget airline, Filipino partners take on local industry". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
- ^ Galang, Bernard (16 August 2011). "AirAsia first comm'l plane arrives at DMIA from France". People's Journal. Archived from the original on 16 April 2013.
- ^ a b "New kid on the block: AirAsia Philippines flying soon". Rappler. 7 February 2012. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
- ^ Suarez, K. D. (28 March 2012). "Philippines' AirAsia finally takes off". Rappler. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
- ^ Navales, Reynaldo G (8 April 2012). "Victory Liner, AirAsia provide free shuttle for Clark passengers". Sun.Star Pampanga. Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
- ^ Clark International Airport Corporation (n.d.). Annual Report 2012 (PDF) (Report). p. 4. Retrieved 21 November 2022 – via Clark International Airport Corporation.
- ^ Dumlao, Doris C. (11 March 2013). "AirAsia to acquire 40% of Zest Air". Inquirer Business. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
- ^ "AirAsia now controls Zest Air". ABS-CBN News. 24 May 2013. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
- ^ Rivera, Danessa O. (13 September 2013). "Airasia Philippines moves operations hub to NAIA-4". GMA News. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
- ^ Agcaoili, Lawrence (11 September 2014). "AirAsia transfers 3 int'l flights to NAIA 3". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
- ^ "Philippines AirAsia Organizational Structure". AirAsia. Archived from the original on 28 February 2017. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
- ^ Dela Paz, Chrisee (28 March 2017). "From 2 jets to 70: AirAsia returns to its Clark roots". Rappler. Archived from the original on 5 November 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
- ^ Salcedo, Dirk Andrei (11 August 2018). "Philippines AirAsia to launch Cagayan de Oro hub". Aviation Updates Philippines.
- ^ Arayata, Ma. Cristina (30 March 2019). "AirAsia Philippines to launch Manila-Osaka route on July 1". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
- ^ Camus, Miguel (2 March 2020). "COVID-19 crisis puts AirAsia IPO plan on hold". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
- ^ Arayata, Ma. Cristina (25 November 2021). "AirAsia PH to welcome back over 400 hibernating staff". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
- ^ a b c Piad, Tyrone Jasper (19 March 2022). "AirAsia adds more domestic flights as demand surges". Inquirer.net. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
- ^ "AirAsia relaunches overseas routes with Kinabalu flight". PortCalls Asia. 31 May 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
- ^ "AirAsia launches Manila-Tokyo flights". PortCalls Asia. 2 February 2023. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
- ^ a b c d "AirAsia Philippines set to resume flights to China". BusinessWorld. 6 February 2023. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
- ^ "Domestic flights back at NAIA Terminal 2". CNN Philippines. 2 July 2023. Archived from the original on 5 July 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
- ^ "AirAsia unveils sprawling RedPoint office in the Philippines". AirAsia Newsroom. 9 October 2019. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
- ^ "AirAsia insider: Marianne Hontiveros". Macroaxis. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
- ^ Atienza, Kyle Aristophere T. (22 March 2022). "Duterte signs law allowing full foreign ownership in key sectors". BusinessWorld. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
- ^ "Philippines AirAsia Adds Manila – Nagoya Service From late-Oct 2024". Aeroroutes. 31 July 2024. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ "Philippines AirAsia Resumes Osaka Service in Dec 2022". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
- ^ "PHILIPPINES AIRASIA SCHEDULES TOKYO SERVICE FROM FEB 2023". AeroRoutes. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
- ^ Padronia, Earl Kim; Lorenciana, Carlo (16 August 2022). "AirAsia reopens Cebu hub, eyes more flights from MCIA". SunStar. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
- ^ a b Balinbin, Arjay L. (22 January 2020). "AirAsia set to fly to Zamboanga, General Santos and Dumaguete". BusinessWorld.
- ^ Vibal, Leana (9 December 2022). "This Low-Cost Airline Is Flying Direct to Kaohsiung in 2023". SPOT.ph. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
- ^ Liu, Jim (23 January 2020). "Philippines AirAsia resumes Manila – Ho Chi Minh City service from late-March 2020". routesonline.com.
External links
Media related to Philippines AirAsia at Wikimedia Commons
- v
- t
- e
- Group destinations
- Tony Fernandes (CEO)
- Kamarudin Meranun (Chairman)
(year began operating
with AirAsia Group)
- Thai AirAsia (2004)
- Indonesia AirAsia (2005)
- AirAsia X (2007)
- Philippines AirAsia (2012)
- Thai AirAsia X (2014)
- AirAsia Cambodia (2024)
(year of operating
with AirAsia Group)
- FlyAsianXpress (2006–07)
- AirAsia Japan (2012–2013/2017–2020)
- AirAsia Zest (2013–2015)
- AirAsia India (2014–2022)
- Indonesia AirAsia X (2014–2019)
- Queens Park Rangers (2011–present) (English football)
- Petaling Jaya Rangers (2011–present) (Malaysian football)
- Team Lotus/Caterham F1 Team (2010–2014 defunct) (motorsport)
- Caterham Racing GP2 (2011–2014 defunct; sold to Status Grand Prix) (motorsport)
- Ongetta 125cc Team (2010) (motorsport)
- Ajo Motorsport 125cc-Moto3 (2011–2013) (motorsport)
- Caterham Moto2 (2014 defunct; rebranded as SIC Racing Team in 2015 and switch to Moto3) (motorsport)
- Indonesia AirAsia Flight 8501 (December 2014; 162 fatalities)
- See also
- Tune Group (parent company)
- Italics indicates defunct companies