BUDGET AIRLINE AirAsia will add Istanbul to its international destinations from Manila beginning November.
“The launch of this new route to Istanbul underscores our commitment to making world-class destinations more accessible for Filipinos,” AirAsia Philippines President and Chief Executive Officer Suresh Bangah said in a media release on Tuesday.
The airline will begin operating flights between the Philippines and Turkey four times a week starting Nov. 14. The service will be offered via the Manila-Kuala Lumpur-Istanbul route, it said.
AirAsia plans to acquire 150 additional aircraft, up to 20 of which are expected to be delivered to its Philippine unit over the next five years.
For 2025, AirAsia Philippines aims to carry more than seven million passengers by yearend, after serving more than three million in the first half.
The airline said its strongest domestic routes are to Cagayan, Cebu, and Caticlan, while its international routes with the highest volumes are to Japan, Korea, and Taipei.
In May, AirAsia said it had logged about 3.5 million advance bookings, noting that spikes in bookings usually occur in the latter half of the year or during the holidays.
AirAsia Philippines had earlier sought to increase its operational fleet to 19 aircraft in response to rising demand and the need for greater capacity. — Ashley Erika O. Jose
