AirAsia Zest seeks more flights to Macau

Rappler.com

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

AirAsia Zest seeks more flights to Macau
The airline applies for additional entitlements of 720 weekly seats between Manila and Macau

MANILA, Philippines – AirAsia Zest, jointly owned by AirAsia Philippines Inc and Zest Airways Inc, has asked the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) for additional seat entitlements for flights between Manila and Macau.

AirAsia Zest has filed an application before CAB for the allocation of additional entitlements of 720 weekly seats between Manila and Macau.

Presently, there are air services between Macau, Manila, and Clark. The Manila services are operated by AirAsia Zest, Cebu Pacific Air, and Philippine Airlines with a total of 19 upcoming frequencies per week. The Clark services are operated by Cebu Pacific Air with 4 frequencies per week, the Civil Aviation Authority of Macau (CAA) said.

The Philippines and Macau inked a new air service agreement raising seat entitlements between the two countries by 56% to 7,020 per week from the current 4,500, CAB executive director Carmelo Arcilla announced in June.

In case all 7,020 weekly seats become fully utilized by the carriers, the new agreement contains a provisional clause that will automatically raise the weekly seat entitlement to 10,000 seats without need for further negotiation, Arcilla said.

Apart from Macau, AirAsia Zest also flies to Kalibo, Puerto Princesa, Cebu, Davao, Tacloban, Tagbilaran, and Cagayan de Oro, including international points in Asia like China and South Korea.

AirAsia Philippines and ZestAir, owned by former Ambassador Alfredo Yao, formed a strategic alliance in March 2013 rebranding both airlines as AirAsia Zest. With this partnership, AirAsia Philippines acquired 85% economic interest, around 49% voting rights, and 100% interest in Yao’s Asiawide Airways Inc.

Yao’s Zest Air, in exchange, got US$16 million and 13% interest in AirAsia Philippines. AirAsia is looking at further increasing its stake in Zest Air after it got approval from the House of Representatives.

Air talks

The Philippines pursued a new round of air talks with Macau to amend the air pact signed last year as it is set to become a gateway to Hong Kong, as well as other cities in China.

The country signed air service agreements with France in January, Singapore in February, New Zealand in March, and Myanmar and Canada in May.

In 2013, the Philippines signed agreements with Japan, Macau, Brazil, Australia, Israel, and Italy.

Air talks with Malaysia scheduled April 3 and April 4 were called off as authorities in Kuala Lumpur were preoccupied with the search of the missing Beijing-bound Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.

The Aquino administration is pursuing air talks as part of its open skies policy.

Under Executive Order No. 29, airports other than the Ninoy Aquino International Airport would be opened to more foreign traffic.

The new air agreements will help address the country’s target of attracting 10 million tourists by 2016. – Rappler.com

Add a comment

Sort by

There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.

Summarize this article with AI

How does this make you feel?

Loading
Download the Rappler App!