AirAsia Zest looking to increase carriage to South Korea, Malaysia

Photo by Mehdi Nazarinia / Wikimedia Commons

AirAsia Zest, the Philippine unit of Malysian-based AirAsia Berhad, is confident that its request for additional flights to South Korea will be approved by the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB).

AirAsia Zest CEO Joy Caneba told reporters from the Inquirer that the carrier would like to increase their number of flights from its main ports of origin in Manila, Cebu and Kalibo, to Incheon and Pusan in South Korea.

“We are the market leader in Kalibo and there is no reason for us not to get it. We have been very focused on the Korean market and we have the support of the whole AirAsia Group that operates into Korea,” Caneba said.

The company’s remains optimistic despite opposition to an earlier request for additional seats to the specific destinations.

AirAsia Zest originally requested the CAB to reallocate in their favour 3,000 seat entitlements issued to Air Philippines, sister company of flag-carrier Philippine Airlines.

AirAsia Zest’s request to the CAB was filed on October 17, and was initially set for decision in early November.

However, opposition from Air Philippines prompted the CAB to reschedule the hearing to December 10, 2014.

Meanwhile, in another request filed with the CAB, AirAsia Zest also requested for an additional 1,260 seats per week to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The CAB is positioned to decide on the request by December 11.