AirAsia to open Dumaguete, Roxas routes; restart Bali, Bangkok, Incheon flights

Following double-digit growth in bookings for summer destinations, budget carrier AirAsia Philippines plans to introduce more domestic flights in April and relaunch trips to neighboring Asian countries.

The carrier said it will restart flights to Bali, Indonesia and Bangkok, Thailand in March. It will also launch routes to Dumaguete and Roxas, and restart flights to Incheon, South Korea in April.

This comes as AirAsia recorded a 24% increase in bookings for Boracay, making it the top destination, along with Cebu, Tagbilaran (Panglao), Kalibo, and Tacloban.

“Travel is set to rebound this year and we are in full throttle to maintain the momentum. We are opening local and international routes to cater to the rising demand for travel as more countries relax border protocols,” AirAsia Philippines spokesperson Steve Dailisan said in a statement.

“AirAsia Philippines will continue to champion inclusive and safe traveling as we work together with national and local agencies on tourism recovery in the post-pandemic era,” he added.

Metro Manila was downgraded to Alert Level 2 on February 1, which has been extended until the end of the month.

AirAsia Philippines suspended operations for nearly three months in 2020, following the travel restrictions imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19.

It resumed operations in June 2020, albeit on a limited basis, depending on the prevailing travel guidelines across the flight destinations.

The carrier, along with Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines, earlier appealed for the government to provide P8.6 billion in assistance to the airline industry given losses incurred during the period. — VBL, GMA News