AirAsia Philippines has reopened its second operating hub in Cebu, launching direct flights to five domestic and international points from November.
The move, announced 8 September, comes as the wider AirAsia Group moves towards a network operator model, with multi-hub operations across its various units in Southeast Asia.
From 15 November, AirAsia Philippines will operate to three new domestic points – Davao, Caticlan and Iloilo – as well as to Macao and Kuala Lumpur, where the AirAsia Group is headquartered. The airline already serves Cebu from its main hub in Manila, with several daily flights.
AirAsia Philippines will be sole operator on its pair of international routes, while its domestic routes will face competition from larger rival Cebu Pacific and national carrier Philippines Airlines.
AirAsia Group commercial chief Amanda Woo states: “The reopening of the Cebu hub signals AirAsia Group’s strong commitment to the Philippines, exploring new gateways that will drive great economic opportunities.”
AirAsia says it expects to grow its operations at Cebu “in the coming months”, but did not reveal further details. The southern Philippines city is one of the major operating hubs for Cebu Pacific, which itself is pursuing network growth from outside of Manila.
