AIRASIA PHILIPPINES said it may benefit from the AirAsia Group’s planned fleet expansion after the airline signed a $19-billion agreement with Airbus for 150 A220-300 aircraft, with an option to extend the order to as many as 300 jets, to support growing regional travel demand.
In a press release on Thursday, the group said aircraft allocation across the group, including for the Philippines, continues to be under review and can rely upon operational and market requirements.
“Specific aircraft assignments for the Philippines can be determined based on operational and market needs to make sure we maximize connectivity and efficiently serve guest demand,” AirAsia Philippines said in a Viber message.
The corporate said the planned fleet expansion is predicted to support AirAsia Philippines’ efforts to strengthen connectivity to key international destinations through its Fly-Thru program, which links passengers to regional and long-haul routes via AirAsia hubs.
Deliveries of the aircraft are expected to start in 2028.
AirAsia said the A220 aircraft will primarily serve Southeast Asian and Asia-Pacific routes, allowing larger aircraft resembling the A320 and A321 to be redeployed to medium-haul operations, while A330 jets can be used for long-haul flights to Europe, Australia, and North America.
“This plane gives us the flexibility to construct the most important and densest network, serving as an important tool for efficiency,” AirAsia Group Chief Executive Officer Bo Lingam said.
“Its range of as much as seven hours opens up entirely recent possibilities, and allows us to match right-sized capability to demand and provides our guests the flexibleness to fly each time they need through increased frequencies,” he added.
AirAsia said the A220 aircraft are expected to enhance operating efficiency and support route expansion through lower fuel consumption and operating costs.
The airline also said it plans to strengthen its domestic presence within the Philippines as a part of its broader expansion strategy.
AirAsia X Bhd. recently accomplished the acquisition of AirAsia Berhad and AirAsia Aviation Group Ltd. from Capital A, consolidating the AirAsia-branded airlines under a single platform, while Capital A will proceed specializing in its non-aviation businesses. — Ashley Erika O. Jose