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AirAsia Zest Mulls Bangkok Service
1st May 2014
The newest overseas subsidiary of the fast-growing airline group, AirAsia Bhd., is planning to put up a direct service between the Philippine and Thai capitals once it secures approval from the Philippine regulatory board this year.
AirAsia Zest, one of the two subsidiaries of the AirAsia group based in the Philippines, is seeking approval from the country's Civil Aeronautics Board for its application for seat entitlement between the region's two major capitals.
The low-cost airline is looking at the unused entitlements which the board has given to PAL Express, totaling to 540 seats for the said route. Bangkok will be the budget carrier's first direct service to a Thai destination. Cebu Pacific, its chief rival serves the same route.
The Philippines and Thailand have an existing bilateral air services agreement which the two countries signed in 2012 increasing seat capacity by more than 25% to spur economic activities such as trade and tourism between the two nations. With the new air pact, up to 6,880 seats available each week for the Manila-Bangkok route alone. The two countries allow airlines to unlimited frequency or seat capacity outside the two capitals.
Aside from two Philippine-based carriers, Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines (PAL), only one other airline, Thai Airways, serves the Manila-Bangkok route. Tigerair Philippines flies to Bangkok from its hub in Clark International Airport, about 50 kilometers northwest of Manila.
Bangkok is the major hub for Thai AirAsia and the long-haul brand, Thai AirAsia X. Other AirAsia carriers establishing a direct service to Bangkok includes AirAsia Indonesia and AirAsia (Malaysia).
If granted permit by CAB to fly to Bangkok, AirAsia Zest will become the fifth airline in the AirAsia group to fly to Bangkok's Don Mueang International Airport.
Thai AirAsia, the largest among the group's overseas subsidiaries has established a major hub at Don Mueang International Airport linking Bangkok to popular tourist destinations across Thailand and beyond.
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