AirAsia Philippines is anticipating a significant surge in travel demand for the remainder of 2024, buoyed by a growing appetite for vacations among Filipinos. This optimism follows a recent Klook study indicating that over 70% of Filipinos are willing to spend more on travel expenses, including flights, accommodations, and activities.
While domestic destinations remain popular for quick getaways, the study revealed a strong inclination towards international travel as well, with 76% of Filipinos expressing their readiness to venture abroad this year. To capitalize on this trend, AirAsia Philippines has partnered with travel platform Klook to promote popular tourist attractions in Japan.
The airline’s confidence stems from its impressive Q2 load factor, which currently sits at a robust 80% as of May 13th. This figure surpasses 1 million Filipino passengers who have already booked their flights for immediate travel until June 2024. Popular international destinations include Taipei, Bangkok, Narita, Osaka, and Incheon.
“AirAsia Philippines’ commitment to provide the best affordable travel deals which gives seamless access not only to Philippine destinations, but also to 10 Asean countries and 130 destinations across the region and beyond, and our high regards for safety and service excellence has always been the blueprint to boost travel excitement. We remain flexible in responding to changing market trends by innovating and providing them with the best deals that fit their travel needs,” according to First Officer Steve Dailisan, AirAsia Head of Communications and Public Affairs.
The Filipino airline anticipates exceeding its stellar Q1 load factor of 92% as Filipinos continue to book last-minute summer trips. The airline attributes this growth to its frequent promotional offers and sales, which significantly influence travel purchase decisions.
To further stimulate air travel demand, AirAsia is currently offering a one-way base fare of PHP1,750 to various destinations in Australia, including Perth, Sydney, and Melbourne. This promotion ends on 19 May 2024 and is valid for travel dates until 31 March 2025.
The airline is also ramping up domestic operations by increasing flight frequencies from the Cebu hub to Boracay and Davao to daily flights. Passengers traveling from Manila via NAIA T2 can choose from flights to Bacolod, Bohol, Boracay, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Kalibo, Puerto Princesa, and Tacloban, with frequencies ranging from 3 to 9 times daily. Internationally, AirAsia offers flights to Bangkok, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Osaka, Seoul, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Narita, and Macau, with departures ranging from 3 to 14 times weekly via NAIA T3.