Airasia Group CEO Tony Fernandes is hoping for the full development of infrastructure at the Clark international airport to boost Asean travel. “The answer is Clark for the Philippines but while waiting for that to happen we will begin a line of smaller infrastructure with the tertiary airports we have in the country,” said Fernandes.
Fernandes said the Philippines is the best kept secret of the ASEAN and described the year as a turning point for the airline in the country. On Tuesday, Fernandes graced the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the founding of AirAsia with the launch of the “I Love Asean” aircraft at the Villamor Airbase with Asean ministers led by His Excellency Dr. AKP Mochtan, and AirAsia Philippines CEO Captain Dexter Comendador.
“We are an Asean airline, this is a tribute to the Asean. We congratulate Asean for 50 years of peace and now look forward to 50 years of economic growth,” Fernandes said the success of AirAsia. AirAsia aircrafts showcase designs inspired by textiles of the 10 Asean nations: the Batik Cetak from Malaysia, Poom Khao Bin from Thailand, Ulos Batak from Indonesia, Tapis from the Philippines, Tong Dong from Vietnam, Kbach Chan from Cambodia, Lao Phouthai from Laos, Chate from Myanmar, the Jongsarat of Brunei and Vanda Miss Joaquim from Singapore. The Malaysian airline also launched the AirAsia loves Asean, a series of initiatives focused on education, talent development and the economy to celebrate 50 years of the Asean.
Initiatives comprise the AirAsia Asean university partnership, Asean entrepreneurs day, Asean journalists camp and all stars exchange program. AirAsia launched commercial flights from Clark in March 2012 before transferring its hub to Metro Manila following a strategic partnership with a local carrier in 2013. AirAsia has since been operating on a much larger scale with additional fleet of aircraft from Metro Manila and has expanded its domestic and international network with flights from hubs in Manila, Cebu, and Kalibo. Clark International Airport is batting to become the gateway to the north in the next five years with massive infrastucture plan to catapult the area into the next major hub for travel.
The Master Development Plan includes the building of a new passenger terminal with an eight million-passenger capacity being implemented by the Department of Transportation.