Zest Air to be rebranded

MANILA, Philippines – Zest Airways Inc. is gearing up for a rebranding to reflect its partnership with Philippines AirAsia.

PH AirAsia entered into a deal with the Yao family for a stake in Zest Air in May this year.

Maan Hontiveros, president and CEO of PH AirAsia, said Zest Air will be rebranded in September or October upon approval by the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAP) and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).

“We want Zest to be able to carry AirAsia brand and colors. It’s just awaiting approval from CAB and CAAP,” she noted.

Hontiveros said the rebranding will involve combining the names of both airlines, changing the logos on planes as well as the uniforms of crew members.

“We are standardizing our operations and our look, even the uniforms you will see a change in Zest moving towards the red color. We would like to be able to project belonging to one family,” she said.

Hontiveros however clarified that operations will remain separate. Only certain functions like commercial marketing are likely to be combined. “There are certain functions that can be done. Backroom operations, for instance. HR, people development, those things.”

The rebranding comes after CAAP suspended the operations of Zest Air on August 16 due to safety breaches. CAAP reinstated Zest Air’s permit to fly 3 days later. – Rappler.com