The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) confirmed on Thursday that AirAsia Philippines has cleared its outstanding debt of over ₱270 million ahead of the June 6, 2026 deadline, ensuring uninterrupted operations for the budget carrier.
CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio stated that airline representatives completed the payment on Thursday morning.
The settled balance covered unpaid airport-related expenses, including landing, takeoff, and parking fees owed to the regulatory body.
“Nag comply na sila. Binayaran na nila yung amount,” Apolonio said in an interview.
With the payment settled, the risk of operational constraints has been lifted. CAAP had previously cautioned that it might restrict the airline’s access to its managed provincial airports—which include major destinations like Iloilo and Bacolod—if the account remained unpaid.
Apolonio noted that future billing issues are less likely to escalate, credited to CAAP’s newly modernized accounting frameworks.
“Computerized na kami ngayon. Before kasi nagsimula yan manual, yung reconciliation is very difficult,” he said.
In a separate statement, AirAsia Philippines guaranteed travelers that all flights will proceed as scheduled. However, the airline slammed what it labeled as “coordinated and sensationalized reports” regarding its financial obligations, calling it a calculated smear campaign.
The budget carrier claimed it only learned about CAAP’s warning through media reports.
While AirAsia did not name specific entities, it implied that the narrative was meant to stifle fair competition.
“Such narratives serve only the interests of those seeking to limit consumer choice and create conditions that could lead to a monopoly in the market,” the airline said in a statement.
Meanwhile, AirAsia Group co-founder and adviser Tony Fernandes re-emphasized the company’s dedication to scaling up its footprint in the country and maintaining low-cost travel options for Filipinos.
“Looking ahead, we are incredibly invested in the development of new airport infrastructure across the country, including in Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) and Mactan-Cebu International Airport (CEB), which will unlock greater opportunities for growth, improve connectivity, enhance operational efficiency and enable us to lower costs even further,” Fernandes said.
Fernandes further bared that the airline plans to allocate more planes to its local subsidiary as part of a larger global growth push.
“As we expand our fleet and aircraft orderbook to become the first narrowbody global low-cost network carrier, we intend to deploy more aircraft into our operations in the Philippines. These developments will allow Philippines AirAsia to expand our network, offer even more competitive fares and continue delivering greater value to Filipino travellers,” Fernandes said.