Manila (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) - AirAsia Inc., the Philippine affiliate of Malaysia's AirAsia Group, has chosen Clark in Pampanga as its hub in the country, the company said in a statement.
The airline, which was launched in December 2010, will be basing its operations at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport when it starts operating international flights from the airport in the fourth quarter.
Clark beat Subic International Airport at the former US naval base in Subic, Zambales, which was also bidding for the right to host the budget carrier's local operations.
Last year, AirAsia Berhad chairman Tony Fernandes said that "cost" would be the primary consideration in the airline's choice of its Philippine hub.
"Our choice of Clark underlines the airline's commitment to developing transportation and tourism hubs outside Manila," AirAsia Inc. chief executive Marianne B. Hontiveros said. "This is part of our plan to contribute to the development of the country as a whole."
"AirAsia Inc. is excited to start contributing to the economy of Clark and the rest of the country by boosting tourism and offering job opportunities to Filipinos," she added.
Clark is located north of Manila and is accessible to 23 million people from the National Capital Region and Central and Northern Luzon.
It is also where the airline's sister company, Malaysia-based AirAsia Berhad, has been flying to and from Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu since 2005.
"We plan to make Clark the hub for flights to popular destinations including Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Thailand, Korea and Japan," Hontiveros said. "Travel will become much easier and more affordable for tourists and overseas Filipino workers."
Hontiveros, Antonio O. Cojuangco Jr. and Michael L. Romero own 60 per cent of AirAsia Inc. in equal partnership. The remaining 40 per cent is owned by AirAsia Berhad.
Clark will become the 13th hub of the AirAsia Group in the region, which currently includes AirAsia, Inc., AirAsia Berhad, AirAsia Thailand and AirAsia Indonesia. The group's 12 current hubs are Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching and Penang in Malaysia; Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai in Thailand, and Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, Medan and Bali in Indonesia.
