CAB issues temporary permit to AirAsia Phils

MANILA, Philippines - All systems are go for AirAsia Philippines, the joint venture company between a local group led by Antonio “Tonyboy” Cojuangco and port operator Michael Romero, and international budget airline giant AirAsia.

Company officials told The STAR that the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) has finally issued a temporary operating permit to AirAsia Philippines, that will allow the latter to finally proceed with the start of its regular commercial flights from Clark beginning next month.

The TOP will serve as AirAsia Philippines’ provisional authority in the meantime that it is seeking the issuance of a certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN) also by the CAB.

AirAsia Philippines plans to increase its fleet size to 14 to 15 aircraft in three to five years.

Company part-owner and vice-chairman Michael Romero following the arrival of AirAsia Phils.’ first Airbus 320 aircraft from Toulouse, France recently, said that one more A320 will be arriving in November and another in January 2012.

All of the 14-15 planes will be under lease-to-own arrangement with Airbus. The lease of one plan costs around $50 million.

Romero said that plans are for AirAsia Phils. to have flights from Clark in Pampanga to Hong Kong, Singapore, and Macau initially.

AirAsia Phils. is 60 percent owned by Romero, businessman Antonio “Tonyboy” Cojuangco, and Marianne Hontiveros in equal shares, and 40 percent by AirAsia Berhad through its wholly owned subsidiary AirAsia International.

The Philippine subsidiary is the fifth member of AirAsia Group, which now counts AirAsia Berhad (AirAsia Malaysia), AirAsia Thailand, AirAsia Indonesia, and AirAsia Japan.

AirAsia Phils. president Hontiveros emphasized that the Philippines has great potential in tourism, as the country has so much to offer. “With AirAsia Phils., we hope to increase the number of tourist arrivals. This is good for the community in Clark as well as Nortthern and Central Luzon as they can beenfit in various areas including hospitality, retail and entertainment,” she said.

The aircraft which landed last Aug. 15 is the first among four aircraft that will be delivered to AirAsia Phils. in its first year of operation. It plans to use the first aircraft to fly to Singapore, Macau, and Hong Kong, while the second one will ply the routes to Bangkok, Incheon, Kalibo near Boracay, and Puerto Princesa.

Meanwhile, Romero said he expects big things from their partnership with AirAsia Intl. “In fact, we expect that our five-year targets can be achievable in two or two and a half years,” he emphasized.

He also stressed that flying through AirAsia Phils can connect passengers to 65 different destinations across the world via AirAsia’s vast international network.

Hontiveros for her part said that the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in Clark could become a jump-off point for passengers from other countries who might want to fly to other destinations within the range of the Philippines.

She likewise revealed that the company also aims to turn the DMIA into a hub for long-haul flights to destinations such as Europe and the United States.

AirAsia Philippines’ sister company, AirAsia X, has direct flights to London and Paris.

Romero said the Philippine unit was not ruling out the possibility of mounting long-haul flights of its own, particularly to the US.

Clark International Airport Corp. president and CEO Victor Luciano said AirAsia Philippines was expected to be one of the biggest players in the country’s competitive airline industry. “We want (AirAsia) to propel Clark to new heights in years to come,” Luciano said.