AirAsia remains optimistic on the strong return of demand for air travel amid new Delta strain

AirAsia Philippines remains cautiously optimistic on the strong return of the demand for air travel despite the discovery of a new strain of the more contagious COVID-19 Delta variant.

AirAsia Philippines CEO Ricky Isla said, “Although the discovery of the more contagious variant of Delta is definitely not good news for airline companies, we believe that Filipinos along with other citizens of the world have significantly adjusted to the challenges brought about by the global health crisis.”

The AY 4.2 variant or the ‘Delta Plus’, a subvariant of the Delta strain has been detected in most European countries particularly in the United Kingdom. Other Asian countries that reported cases of the new strain include China and Thailand. The World Health Organization (WHO)-Philippines meanwhile allayed fears among Filipinos saying that although they are closely monitoring, ‘Delta Plus’ is not yet considered a variant of concern and it hasn’t reached the Philippines as of this time.

Mr. Isla reiterated that the battle to defeat COVID-19 is a shared responsibility. He likewise reminded AirAsia guests to practice responsible travelling in the new normal which involves adherence to all requirements set by the Local Government Units as well as strict observance of the protocols implemented across all touchpoints of their journey.

To date, the list of AirAsia Philippines destinations which no longer require guests to present negative RT-PCR tests include Cebu, Caticlan (Boracay), Kalibo, Bohol, Tacloban and Cagayan de Oro, Bacolod, Iloilo.

“AirAsia welcomes the decision of our LGU partners, allowing greater mobility for fully vaccinated individuals. As we continue to experience the easing of restrictions, our guests can expect strict observance to safety protocols throughout their journey with us. Likewise, we remain committed to offering more affordable deals which allow them to see their loved ones in the provinces and visit must-see places in our network of key leisure destinations,” Mr. Isla added.

On Monday, AirAsia announced another round of its P1SO fare sale beginning 25 to 31 October with travel dates from 25 October 2021 to 29 October 2022.

AirAsia has maintained the highest standards in safety including contactless procedures during check-in, boarding, inflight and baggage collection. In fact, AirAsia Philippines was the first airline in the country to mount a flight with a fully vaccinated crew.

AirAsia today was named Best Low Cost Airline by the Business Traveller Asia Pacific Awards for its multi-layered approaches against COVID-19, taking into account the experiences of more than 30,000-plus frequent travelers and readers of Business Traveller Asia-Pacific magazine.

Just recently AirAsia also received the COVID-19 airline excellence award from SKytrax for its efforts on ensuring the safety of its passengers during the pandemic.