DAVAO CITY — The local business community is aiming to convince AirAsia Group Chief Executive Officer Tony Fernandes to consider making the city’s airport as its Philippine hub and to launch a Davao-Kuala Lumpur service.

Arturo M. Milan, trustee of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (DCCCII), said they will put forward the proposal when Mr. Fernandes comes to town for the 2017 Davao Investment Conference (ICon) on July 21-22.

“We need to seize the opportunity,” Mr. Milan told BusinessWorld in a text message.

Mr. Milan, head of this year’s ICon organizing committee, said there is a significant potential business and tourist passenger traffic in the Davao-Kuala Lumpur route, given that the two countries are part of the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area.

“We just need a critical catalyst to develop, especially the economic cooperation and an air link will be crucial,” he said.

Mr. Fernandes is scheduled to deliver a speech at the Davao ICon later this week, and is expected to make an announcement at a press conference.

“Although we still do not know what he will announce, we just hope that he will agree to our appeal,” Mr. Milan said.

In April, AirAsia Philippines announced the launch of several new domestic routes, including between Davao and Cebu, Clark, Boracay and Puerto Princesa.

PAL TARGETS FIL-AMS
Meanwhile, Philippine Airlines, Inc. (PAL) is hopeful the backlash from its Davao flights arising from the Marawi crisis and the declaration of martial law in Mindanao will eventually soften as it held Friday a promotional event targeting the Filipino-American market.

“We want to drive home the message that it is safe to travel here in Davao City,” PAL head of external communications Maria Cielo Villaluna told BusinessWorld on the sidelines of the 11^th Ambassadors’ Tour Philippine Reception held at the SMX Convention Center in SM Lanang.

Ms. Villaluna said PAL remains confident in the teamwork between the government and the private sector in the travel and tourism sector.

“We value our market here in Davao and what better way to impart the message that it is safe to travel by showing our presence here,” she said.

The 11th Ambassadors’ Tour, with more than 180 participants composed of US-based Philippine consuls and their entourage, is intended to entice Filipino-Americans to visit both Metro Manila and Davao.

PAL currently has at least seven flights a day between Manila and Davao.

“We are the only carrier that flies from California to the Philippines. From New York, taking our flight is the fastest also because we stop only in Vancouver,” PAL President and Chief Operating Officer Jaime J. Bautista told reporters.

Ms. Villaluna said PAL saw a 15% increase in passengers flying to Davao after President Rodrigo R. Duterte, who comes from the city, won in July last year, but the volume has thinned following the May 23 declaration of a 60-day martial law in Mindanao.

“In fact, there was a clamor for more flights but because of this martial law situation, hindi maiiwasan na may konting agam-agam (we can’t avoid some reluctance),” she said, which is why they are making a push to bring back confidence.

“We just hope that the (martial law) declaration will be lifted soon. Of course the President knows best when to lift it, but we hope that the condition normalizes so that people will again fly and visit the Philippines, and get all the tourists that we need for our economy,” Mr. Bautista said. — Carmelito Q. Francisco and Maya M. Padillo

CEBU PACIFIC is planning to mount flights to Haneda airport in Japan, should there be additional entitlements for the route.

Cebu Pacific Vice-President for Corporate Affairs Paterno S. Mantaring, Jr. said there is strong demand to operate the Manila-Haneda flight given the proximity of the airport to Tokyo, compared to Narita airport.

“We want to expand our operations to Japan and we want to operate to Haneda but right now we can’t get any allocation entitlements from the government,” Mr. Mantaring told reporters in a recent media briefing.

“We’re asking for holding of air talks between the Republic of the Philippines and Japan so that we can add entitlements,” he added.

The Gokongwei-led airline has been asking for air talks between the two countries since two years ago, and recently renewed its request during the latest air panel meeting.

“We’re waiting for the government of Japan to respond to that request… hopefully in the coming months,” Mr. Mantaring said.

Currently, Cebu Pacific — which has 400 flight entitlements between Manila and Tokyo — offers flights to Tokyo via Narita as well as services to Fukuoka, Nagoya and Osaka in Japan.

Among the domestic airlines, only Philippine Airlines offer direct flights to Haneda.

“I think there is demand [for the Manila-Haneda flights]. It’s near the city so it’s easier for the traveling public, unlike Narita [Airport] which is 60-70 kilometers (kms.) away from the city,” Mr. Mantaring said.

Haneda Airport is the closest airport to Tokyo City, with a distance of only around 15 kms.

Last year, Japanese tourists were the top four market for the Philippines recording 535,238 arrivals, next only to Korea (1.48 million), United States (869,463) and China (675,663).

Aside from Japan, Cebu Pacific earlier said it is also interested to increase the frequency of its Manila and Sydney flights, noting sustained demand for this route.

Cebu Pacific offers flights to over 60 destinations including Dubai, Tokyo, Beijing, Bali and Australia, among others.

The Gokongwei airline is targeting to ferry 20 million passengers this year. In 2016, it carried 19.1 million passengers, up 4% from the 18.4 million passengers flown in 2015. On average, Cebu Pacific flights were 86% full during the year. — Imee Charlee C. Delavin