Airphil Express to acquire 20 aircraft in next 3 years
Using its P10-billion expansion program, budget carrier Airphil Express will acquire 20 aircraft in the next three years to service both its domestic and regional operations, an airline official said Friday. This move is intended to meet the growing demands of people to travel by air, said Airphil Express executive vice president and COO Cesar Chiong. âOur forward booking is very strong and we expect to close the year with compelling numbers," Chiong said, noting that the low-cost carrier already âexceeded its revenue expectations" for September and October. âAfter our maiden flight to Singapore, we will fly to other regional routes like Hong Kong and Thailand in the coming months," he said. Airphil Express, formerly Air Philippines, had its debut flight from Manila to Singapore on Wednesday. The carrier will fly 14 times to and from Singapore. âThis new air transport link is a strong indicator of the growing connectivity between our two countriesâ¦. This will spur business and trade, strengthen the bonds among Southeast Asians, and facilitate cultural interaction," said Consul General Neil Imperial of the Philippine Embassy in Singapore. Apart from Airphil Express, Philippine Airlines, Singaporeâs Jetstar, and Cebu Pacific fly on a daily basis to and from Singapore. Airphil Expressâ Manila-Singapore flights leave at 4 p.m. while the airlineâs Singapore-Manila flights leave at 8 p.m. The low-cost carrier will add Cebu-Singapore (vice versa) routes on Dec. 1. â JE/OMG, GMANews.TV