Capital A, the operator of low-cost air carrier AirAsia Philippines, is currently working on getting regulatory permits to finally introduce its ride-hailing platform to Filipinos.
Airasia Philippines spokesperson and head of communications and public affairs Steve Dailisan said the company plans to bring its ride-hailing platform airasia Ride in the country to cater to the increasing demand for cheap and reliable means of transportation in the country, especially in Metro Manila.
“We are confident that we will be able to replicate the success of the airasia Ride in Malaysia here in the Philippines. Just like Malaysia, we have a large commuting populace that is in dire need of available and affordable transportation options,” Dailisan said in an interview.
“The focus now of the airasia Super App is securing all necessary permits, meeting regulatory requirements, and activating an introductory fleet. We will be updating you soonest on the timeline of the launch of airasia Ride,” he added.
The airasia Ride, which can potentially break Grab’s dominance of the Transport Network Vehicles Service in the country, was first introduced in Malaysia in August last year as part of Capital A’s digital transition and diversification efforts.
Singapore-based Grab has been the country’s dominant ride-hailing player since Uber’s exit in 2018.
Formerly known as the Air Asia Group, Capital A operates low-cost air carrier Air Asia Philippines. It entered the local e-commerce market with the airasia Super App in April 6, 2022.
Travel rebound
Meanwhile, in Tuesday’s episode of Straight Talk, an online show of the Daily Tribune, Dailisan said about 85 percent of the airline’s domestic capacity has been restored.
“Right now, we operate about 90 flights a day. Our domestic capacity is around 80 to 85 percent pre-pandemic, but international is taking a while because there are countries that have yet to fully open,” he said.
AirAsia Philippines ended September with an average 85 percent passenger load for both domestic and international travel, and increased prospective bookings for the “Ber” months, dubbed as the longest holiday celebration in the Philippines.
Steady flight
AirAsia projects steady growth in flight bookings, especially with more international borders now opening with eased restrictions and convenience in travel requirements.
The Airasia Ride, which can potentially break Grab’s TNVS dominance in the country, was first introduced in Malaysia in August 2021 as part of Capital A’s digital transition and diversification efforts.
Top domestic destinations booked by Filipino travelers in the last quarter include Caticlan passenger load; Tagbilaran with 60 percent; Tacloban with 55 percent; Puerto Princesa with 50 percent, and Cebu with 40 percent.
For international flights, Seoul, Osaka, Bangkok, Taipei and Kuala Lumpur are the most booked destinations.
AirAsia, awarded the World’s Best Low-Cost Airline by Skytrax for 13 years, achieved top 7/7 rating from experts at airineratings.com for upholding the highest levels of safety and operational integrity.
The airline reminds the public to strictly adhere to minimum Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases safety protocols.
“The good thing is, many Filipinos are excited to travel again. For us at AirAsia, we make sure to offer our guests convenient and safe travels so that more people will be enticed to fly with us,” Dailisan said.