AirAsia to discontinue Clark-Seoul flights

ANGELES CITY, Pampanga — Philippines AirAsia Is discontinuing flight services to and from Clark International Airport in Pampanga and Incheon International Airport in Seoul, South Korea, citing low passenger demand.

“Clark-Incheon flights aalisin na... It wasn’t doing well,” Philippines AirAsia chief commercial officer Gilbert Simpao told reporters at a press briefing here.

The last service flight of the route will be on March 28.

The flights to and from Clark and Seoul were only launched in January 2019. Flight schedules are six times per week; every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

The AirAsia official, however, clarified that discontinuing the Clark-Seoul service is not due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the East Asian country.

The Philippines on Wednesday implemented travel restrictions on parts of South Korea and prohibited Filipino tourists from visiting the country amid the COVID-19. 

As airlines await formal guidelines to carry out a travel ban, Isla said AirAsia has not yet reduced its operating flights to and from Korea.

Simpao noted that the carrier flies Manila-Seoul 14 times a week, Cebu-Seoul 10 times per week, Kalibo-Busan thrice a week, and Kalibo-Seoul 14 times per week.

On Sunday, South Korea raised its alert on COVID-19 to the highest level due to the rapid surge in number of cases.

South Koreans were the country's top tourists in the country in 2019 with more than two million visitors. — RSJ, GMA News