AirAsia Philippines eyes Beijing route

MANILA -- As China would open a new international airport in Beijing this year, AirAsia Philippines is now eyeing to service the route, an executive told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Tuesday.

"We'd like to fly there, but we still need to get slots from Beijing and Manila," said Dexter Comendador, AirAsia chief executive officer.

The AirAsia Group has routes to Macau, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Shenzhen. Earlier this year, meanwhile, AirAsia Philippines has launched routes between Kalibo, Aklan and three Chinese destinations -- Macau, Kunming, and Chengdu.

He also bared his plan to increase AirAsia Philippines' flight frequencies to China this year.

Comendador earlier told the PNA that next to China Airlines, the AirAsia Group is the second largest airline in terms of passengers being carried to China.

However, AirAsia Philippines could not offer flights to Beijing, since the Beijing International Airport (PEK) is already congested, he said.

The executive noted that to go to Beijing is not a problem, but AirAsia Philippines needs the terminal slots and takeoff slots both in China and in Manila.

PEK is apparently the busiest airport in Asia, servicing about 100 million passengers a year. It is the main international airport in Beijing.

China targets to open the Beijing Daxing International Airport by September, with the goal of easing congestion in PEK.

Located on the border of Beijing and Langfang, Hebei Province, the new airport is expected to cater to 45 million passengers annually by 2021.

Beijing also has the Nanyuan Airport, but it serves as the main hub of China United Airlines. Reportedly, it will be closed once the Beijing Daxing International Airport is completed. (PNA)

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https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1068600
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