AirAsia Philippines is set to modernize its aging fleet starting next year to keep pace with rebounding travel demand.
AirAsia Group CEO Bo Lingam announced that the carrier will introduce new Airbus A220 aircraft to the country by late 2027, aiming to fully transition its fleet by the first quarter of 2028.
Currently, the group’s Philippine and Indonesian branches operate its oldest jets, running a fleet of over a dozen Airbus A320s that are at least 15 years old.
Lingam pointed out that these older models incur steep maintenance fees and burn significantly more fuel than the highly efficient A220s.
“And we are gonna get A220s [at] end of next year. Those will be deployed in the Philippines as well,” Lingam said.
If the rollout goes as planned, AirAsia will become the first airline in the Philippines to operate the A220.
Alongside the fleet upgrade, management is conducting a thorough evaluation of its Philippine flight routes, a process expected to wrap up within the next two to three months. Future strategy adjustments will depend on ongoing talks with local officials.
While certain domestic destinations like Bohol and Puerto Princesa are temporarily on hold, Lingam promised they will return to service shortly.
The airline also looks to restore regional routes that were previously shelved during a severe fuel crisis. Lingam highlighted how brutal the high fuel costs were for business, noting that flying simply wasn’t profitable.
“Even if the flight is full, you’re not gonna make money on that flight. Even if I raise the fare two times, people are not gonna fly,” Lingam explained.
With global fuel costs finally beginning to steady and decline, the chief executive expressed strong optimism for the airline’s growth and promised relief for travelers’ wallets.
“As fuel prices go down, we will also be revising our fares,” he added.