Astro Air International ready to launch flights

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A new airline in the Philippines is set to enhance tourism, trade, and investment partnerships between the Philippines and Taiwan. Following the successful launch of the Clark-Taipei route operated by Air Asia Philippines last December, Subic-based Astro Air International is hoping to replicate Air Asia’s success by launching its own services from Kalibo and Clark to Taipei.

Astro Air is one of the latest CAAP-certified air operators in the Philippines. The management team of the airline announced their intentions in a meeting with Ambassador Raymond Wang at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines last November 19, 2012. The office plans to partner with Astro Air to bring the Taiwan-Philippines relationship to even greater heights particularly through tourism. Airline management is confident that the new route launches won’t just boost tourism but business linkages between the two countries as well.
astro air philippines
Photo Copyright: Astro Air International

Both parties agreed that in order for new entrants in the Taipei-Philippines market to be successful, aeronautic policy negotiations between the two countries must be reopened. Tourism to the Philippines is on the rise and so far Taiwan represents about 5% of the total incoming tourist arrivals to the country with that number rapidly increasing each year.   

The airline was expected to launch flights in January 2013 but the company is still waiting for the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines to give it permission to fly the new routes. The airline intends to use two MD-83 aircraft to service the new routes.

Astro Air International shares many similarities with the failed Spirit of Manila Airlines that was barely known in the Philippine airline industry and suffered negative reviews for frequent cancellation of flights, poor service and an ineffective website. In addition to utilizing ex-Spirit of Manila aircraft, the airline also employs ex-Spirit of Manila management and intends to fly to some of their destinations. Hopefully under new ownership, Astro Air will follow a more successful flight path and not end up as merely a spirit in the Philippine skies. 


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10 comments:

  1. AnonymousMay 12, 2013 at 5:15 AM

    Corrections:

    Astro Air International is NOT the reincarnation of the unsuccessful Spirit of Manila Airlines (SOMA). The only 'link' between Astro & SOMA is the MD83 plane which was used by SOMA during its heyday. SOMA was a mismanaged company headed by a certain Matibag. Astro Air is managed by another group of Chinese-Filipino businessmen. These are two different & distinct airlines companies. We just hope Astro will fly successfully and not go down the drain like SOMA.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Darryl WilsonMay 12, 2013 at 2:22 PM

      Thanks for clarifying. We made some adjustments to the article to be more specific. But it seems that the two airlines share more than just the same aircraft. Would you happen to know the name of the different owners of the two entities? While they may seem distinct on technicalities, the game plan seems all far too familiar and similar.

      Delete
  2. AnonymousSeptember 11, 2013 at 3:56 PM

    Do you know if SOMA really operate B737? Or never fly at all.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Philippine Flight NetworkSeptember 12, 2013 at 12:44 AM

      According to the image link below, SOMA really did have a Boeing 737.
      Image: http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c124/alfinsky/SpiritOfManila737.jpg

      Here is the registration information:
      http://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-b737-23234.htm

      Delete
    2. AnonymousJanuary 16, 2017 at 2:13 PM

      they have b737 but no engines due to lapse of the management

      Delete
  3. AnonymousOctober 26, 2013 at 5:18 AM

    SOMA was formerly ambitious to own it. The aircraft was already at the paintshop, applying the SOMA livery in 2011 but it never got delivered to date. The only thing sure so far is this airline now operates the 2 MD-83's formerly owned by SOMA. As far as I knew, 3 out of 4 of SOMA's management heads moved forward to Astro Air. Even hiring the former employees of SOMA to the new airline:

    http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/ain-air-transport-perspective/2013-08-12/former-spirit-manila-preps-relaunch

    ReplyDelete
  4. JammingfinchforkJanuary 29, 2016 at 2:55 PM

    The planes, in fact two of them now, have sat idle on the tarmac at Subic Airport since 2013. It would be interesting to know what the prolonged hold up is?

    ReplyDelete
  5. The Daily TenFebruary 27, 2016 at 10:42 PM

    does this airline actually exist?

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousSeptember 7, 2016 at 11:04 PM

    Do you accept On the job trainees?

    ReplyDelete
  7. UnknownJanuary 17, 2017 at 10:18 AM

    Is the company getting A320 in coming months of 2017

    ReplyDelete

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