AirAsia Philippines Chooses Clark as Main Hub
AirAsia Philippines, the Philippine-based affiliate of AirAsia Group, has picked Clark Philippines as its hub in the Philippines.
The airline, which declared its set up last December, will be establishing its primary base at Clarks Diosdado Macapagal International Airport. The airline has plans to start running international flights from the airport in the final quarter of this year.
“Our selection of Clark emphasizes the airlines loyalty to developing transport and tourism hubs outside Manila. This is part of our program to contribute to the evolution of the nation as a whole.
AirAsia Philippines is energized to start adding to the economic system of Clark and the rest of the country by advancing tourism and offering job chances to Filipinos, said Marianne B. Hontiveros, chief executive of AirAsia, Inc.,”
Clark is strategically situated just north of Manila and is conveniently approachable to 23 million people coming from the National Capital Region and Central and Northern Luzon. It's also where the airlines sister company, Malaysia-based AirAsia Berhad, has been flying to, from Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu since 2005.
We project to make Clark the hub for travelers to well liked destinations that include Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Thailand, Korea and Japan. Travel will become a great deal easier and more within the budget for holidaymakers and Filipino employees abroad, Hontiveros added.
Hontiveros, Antonio O. Cojuangco Jr. and Michael L. Romero own 60 % of AirAsia, Inc. in equal partnership. The remainder of the 40 % is owned by AirAsia Berhad.
With the declaration, Clark will function as the 13th regional hub of the ASEAN-based AirAsia Group, which presently includes AirAsia, Inc., AirAsia Berhad, AirAsia Thailand and AirAsia Indonesia. The groups 12 current hubs are 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.
The beginning of AirAsia Philippines can be viewed as a vote of confidence in the nations developing economic situation and as a big encouragement to the archipelagos airline and travel and leisure industries.
It will leverage on the effectiveness of AirAsia Group, that leads the low cost airline sector in Asia. The group has over 60 destinations in all 10 ASEAN countries, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Australia.
Through the groups low priced long-haul affiliate AirAsia X, its guests are able to fly to more destinations in Australia, New Zealand, China, Taiwan, India, Iran, Korea, Japan, France and the UK. AirAsia Group has a young fleet of approximately 90 Airbus A320 aircraft, while AirAsia X has a fleet of 11 Airbus A330 and A340 aircraft.
With the popularity of its low fares and extensive network of destinations, AirAsia Group has flown more than 100 million guests since its launch in 2001. ( AirAsia Philippines )
