AirAsia Philippines announced it will stop its flights between Manila and China by the fourth quarter of 2024, citing low demand as a key factor. AirAsia Philippines CEO Ricardo Isla revealed that despite the airline’s overall recovery since the pandemic, the Manila-China route has not bounced back to pre-pandemic levels.
“By the fourth quarter, no more China flights for us,” Isla said during the EJAP-SMC Aviation Forum, explaining that the airline needs to prioritize profitability. In 2019, China accounted for 30% of AirAsia Philippines’ passenger traffic, but the number of routes has significantly decreased—from seven cities in 2019 to just two currently.
Isla added that while domestic traffic has almost returned to 2019 levels, international demand, particularly from China, remains a challenge, with current figures at about 65% to 70% of pre-pandemic levels.
While flights between Manila and China will cease, passengers can still book connecting flights through Kuala Lumpur. Meanwhile, the airline plans to expand to other destinations like Japan, adding routes to Okinawa and Nagoya
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