December 10, 2024 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Low-cost carrier AirAsia Philippines expects to fly at least 7.5 million passengers in 2025, confident that rising demand for air travel would sustain its upward trajectory.
AirAsia Philippines is on track to expand its passenger volume by nine percent to 7.2 million this year, from 6.6 million in 2023, lifted by steady bookings for domestic and international flights.
The airline most popular for budget fares has flown seven million travelers as of November and expects a major boost in passenger numbers once the holiday season is done.
AirAsia Philippines is projected to reach 7.5 million passengers next year, as the carrier reaps the benefit of expanding both its fleet and network. The airline scaled up its fleet by 78 percent, to 16 Airbus A320s in 2024, from nine in 2023.
On top of this, AirAsia Philippines maintains a respectable presence in some of the most popular destinations in the country, including Caticlan (Boracay) and Puerto Princesa. The carrier is also booking more passengers in non-leisure routes like Bacolod and Tacloban.
Internationally, AirAsia Philippines is hoping that the demand turnout for travel favorites Hong Kong, Incheon (Seoul), Macau and Tokyo is sustained in 2025.
AirAsia Philippines CEO Ricardo Isla said the airline would aim for stability next year, uncertain whether additional aircraft or new routes would be brought in.
Right now, the AirAsia Group is undergoing a system-wide reorganization, with Capital A Bhd. moving to dispose of its aviation business to AirAsia X.
This transaction, Isla said, is expected to be concluded in the first quarter of 2025. Afterward, the path would become clearer for AirAsia Philippines to craft its expansion pipeline, particularly on fleet growth and route addition.
Moreover, Isla said the airline is evaluating how it can minimize the impact of price hikes at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) tied to its P170.6-billion rehabilitation. For now, Isla believes it would be wise for AirAsia Philippines to temper expectations, especially as the carrier is based in NAIA.
“We are being hit by increases in airport fees. We have to be practical and agile. We cannot just launch to all these new destinations without fixing the basics,” Isla said.
NAIA is undergoing a 15-year facelift at the hands of the New NAIA Infrastructure Corp., led by San Miguel Corp., but the upgrade is requiring extra costs from airlines and their passengers.
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