Air Asia eyes more flights at DMIA

CLARK FREEPORT -- Air Asia is eyeing more flights here to Jakarta, Indonesia and Bangkok in Thailand.

This is in line with the airline’s plan to expand operations at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA).

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Air Asia chief executive officer Tony Fernandes said the move is expected to attract more tourists in visiting the Philippines.

“We are studying to have more flights at DMIA possibly via Clark-Jakarta and Bangkok. My team from Thailand and Indonesia are here to look into these opportunities that would further boost the tourism industry especially in Clark,” Fernandes said.

“We feel that Clark is the right place to be and have these flights to further develop the airport,” he added.

Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) president and CEO Victor Jose Luciano also said that Air Asia Berhad has been a supporter and CIAC’s partner for the development of DMIA since 2005.

Luciano said that Air Asia is one of the leading budget air carrier in Malaysia, which has daily flights via Clark-Kuala Lumpur and Kotakinabalu with an average of 14 flights per week.

Luciano met with Fernandes at DMIA last week where he attended a stockholders meeting in Manila.

Fernandes also said that he is supporting “Open Skies” for DMIA to open up more opportunities for Filipinos to fly in Clark as well as to attract more tourists to visit Malaysia and the Philippines.

“For me, the Philippines has the largest potential for tourism in the Southeast Asia and Air Asia is committed to support the programs for tourism,” Fernandes said.

Fernandes at the same time was impressed by the developments at DMIA especially the newly built DMIA Expanded Terminal. “I am really impressed by what I have seen at DMIA and Mr. Luciano has really done a good job.”

He said Air Asia prefers to fly at DMIA because it has reasonable parking rates and other fees.

“DMIA is an ideal place for a low cost terminal and we at Air Asia would love to fly here,” he added.

Other carriers flying out of Clark are Tiger Airways of Singapore via Clark-Singapore, Asiana Airlines via Clark-Incheon in South Korea with connecting flights to the US, Japan and China, Cebu Pacific Air via Clark-Hong Kong, Singapore, Macau and Bangkok. Cebu Pacific also flies domestic via Clark-Cebu.

South East Asian Airlines (Seair) via Clark-Caticlan, Spirit of Manila Airlines via Clark-Taiwan and Pacific Filer with chartered flights via Clark-Palau.