Philippines’ AirAsia to fly to Puerto Princesa

http://www.mindanaoexaminer.com/news.php?news_id=20120307095714

Philippines’ AirAsia to fly to Puerto Princesa
Wednesday, March 07, 2012 10:57:14 PM

MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / Mar. 7, 2012) - Philippines AirAsia, the country’s newest low cost carrier, on Wednesday announced that it will soon fly from Clark International Airport in Pampanga province to Puerto Princesa International Airport in Palawan province.

“We have decided to open the Puerto Princesa route earlier than we had planned because of the overwhelming demand,” AirAsia Inc. Chief Executive Officer Marianne B. Hontiveros said in a statement sent to the Mindanao Examiner.

“Its new found fame as one of the new seven wonders of nature has generated a lot of interest from both local and international tourists,” she said.

Just last month, it launched two daily flights departing from Clark International Airport to Kalibo International Airport and to Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao beginning on March 28.

And effective April 15, Philippines AirAsia’s twice daily flights to Davao will be reduced to once daily to make way for the Puerto Princesa route.

Philippines AirAsia will offer guests who hold bookings for the redirected flight an alternative travel option at no additional cost to mitigate the inconvenience caused as a result of this frequency reduction.

All affected guests will receive an e-mail stating options that are available to them, including a full refund, a one-time free move of their flights or obtain a credit shell option which is a system that retains the amount of money which can be used for later transactions. The credit shell will be valid for up to 3 months from the date of issue. This is to be done by contacting Philippines AirAsia call center at +63 2 588 9999. Operating Hours is Monday to Sunday – 0800hrs to 2100hrs (GMT +8), it said.

“We’re a new player and we have to be sensitive to market demand. Palawan is a beautiful destination that travellers from Northern and Central Luzon would want to see. It is a market with lots of potential, popularity and highly likely for us to anticipate additional frequencies,” Hontiveros said.

“These changes will improve domestic connectivity. When we have more planes, we will explore adding frequency to Davao,” she added.

AirAsia Inc. set up its hub in Clark in 2011 and in the same year it also unveiled 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 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.