AS more travelers prepare for their Holy Week exodus given the easing of mobility restrictions, AirAsia Philippines increased its flight frequency in anticipation of the influx of travelers estimated at over 131,000 to fly in and out of NAIA Terminal 4 not just for the Holy Week but for the rest of April.
AirAsia Philippines has increased its weekly flight frequencies this April by 30 percent month on month to cater to more Filipinos leaving the metropolis for the religious observation of the Holy Week and the summer season sojourn they all sorely missed because of the lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Top destinations such as Caticlan has increased to 41x weekly from 34x in March; Iloilo has also increased to 28x from 14x; Tacloban to 28x from 23x; Tagbilaran to 18x from 14x; Bacolod to 18x from 11x; Puerto Princesa to 10x from 9x; Davao 14x from 11x; Cagayan 11x from 9x; Kalibo to 18x from 11x; and Cebu 26x from 21x weekly.
Top destinations with the highest number of travelers include Caticlan (Boracay) with 37,881, Tacloban with 13,737, Panglao with 13,303, Cebu with 12,778 and Kalibo with 11,754 guests already booked to fly over the upcoming peak travel period.
“We recognize the significance of the Holy Week celebration for Filipinos. As our Catholic brothers and sisters observe this religious practice, we at AirAsia continue to offer a safe and attainable travel experience essential for those flying to their provinces this holiday season. We commit not only to the highest health standards, but also to the highest security protocols especially now that all destinations in the country have relaxed interzonal travel regulations,” AirAsia Philippines Head of Communication and Public Affairs and Spokesperson Steve Dailisan told FrontpagePH.com.
Having transferred recently to NAIA Terminal 4 for its domestic operations, AirAsia Philippines has dedicated 12 check-in counters and four self check-in kiosks located at the entrance of the terminal. This is put in place to ease the potential long queues of guests flying to 13 different AirAsia Philippines destinations.
Returning to its original home at the NAIA Terminal 4 – a single-level terminal – gives AirAsia Philippines’ guests greater convenience for travelling as the move eases the fast-growing foot traffic at the NAIA Terminal 3. However, the airline is still reminding its guests to be at the airport three hours before their scheduled departure to ensure a smooth facilitation of check-in procedures particularly during peak times.
“Our main goal in the gradual increase of our flight frequency is to offer our brand of inclusive flying to more Filipinos as we embark on our path to recovery. We are also excited as we will open our newest destinations – Dumaguete this week and our Roxas flights by June. 2022 indeed is the year of recovery not only for the aviation industry but also for all industries related to it,” Dailisan added.
The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) expects passenger traffic at the newly opened Terminal 4 to reach 1.5 million annually once airlines start operating again at full capacity.
To ensure safety and security of all guests, AirAsia Philippines is implementing strict health and safety protocols at NAIA T4. Guests will still be required to wear a face mask at all times and the checking of valid IDs and vaccination cards especially for destinations which require it, will be mandatory for entry.
AirAsia Philippines is also advising its guests to download airasia Super App for contactless facial check-in and boarding, and to maximize the capability of the travel and lifestyle app aside from online booking and check-in features.