Asiana Airlines Launching Kalibo-Seoul Incheon Route

South Korea based Asiana Airlines is planning to launch flights to Boracay Island in an effort to meet growing demand from South Korean tourists wishing to holiday at the popular Asian beach resort island.

Copyright Photo: Anhongzhou/PlaneSpotters.net
According to the latest timetables released by the carrier, service between Seoul Incheon and Kalibo will begin on July 7 with four weekly flights. Most flights will depart Incheon at 8:00am for arrival at Kalibo International Airport at 11:40am, while return flights will depart Kalibo at 12:40pm arriving back at Incheon at 6:00pm.

The new route to Kalibo becomes Asiana's fourth destination in the Philippines after Manila, Cebu, and Clark. Complimentary meal and beverage service is provided on all Asiana international flights. Flights to Kalibo will be operated by an Airbus A320-200 aircraft configured with 143 seats. Eight of those seats are configured for Business Class with personal televisions. In Economy Class, all seats are equipped with personal audio and overhead screens are provided every five rows for in-flight entertainment.

Copyright Photo: Shyaman
Flights between South Korea and Kalibo are growing rapidly with a number of local carriers already operating services to Incheon and Busan including AirAsia Zest, Cebu Pacific, and Philippine Airlines. Asiana Airlines becomes the first foreign carrier to operate service from Korea to Kalibo. The South Korean carrier joins a handful of other foreign carriers offering scheduled or chartered flights to Kalibo including China Airlines, SilkAir, Yakutia Airlines, and Malaysia AirAsia. The majority of international flights from Kalibo continue to be operated by Philippine carriers. However, the new Asiana service becomes the first route operated from Kalibo by a Star Alliance carrier.

Last month, Philippine Airlines increased the number of flights it offers between Kalibo and Seoul Incheon to twice daily flights. On April 11, the airline plans to introduce a new flight between Kalibo and Busan. The route will be operated twice weekly utilizing an Airbus A320 aircraft. On July 24, PAL intends to increase the service on the new route up to four flights weekly.

The increasing number of international flights at Kalibo International Airport is expected to significantly boost the number of tourist arrivals helping the government to achieve its goal of 10 million international tourists by 2016. Although the growth centre continues to be Boracay Island, local officials remain optimistic that tourism will spread to the entire province of Aklan benefiting the local economy and leading to job creation.

Meanwhile, airlines and local officials in Kalibo continue to press for the continued development and upgrading of Kalibo International Airport which is set to become one of the country's major international gateways. Most recently, the President of Air Asia Philippines submitted a letter to Aklan Governor Florencio Mireflores outlining the airline's intentions to develop Kalibo International Airport into a major secondary hub.

In the letter, AirAsia revealed that it was planning to invest in the airport and construct its own hangar with parking facilities adjacent to the Kalibo Airport complex. In addition, it would base crews and two aircraft at the airport with plans to operate up to 320 weekly flights to local and international destinations as early as July.

The airline already serves a number of international destinations from Kalibo including Shanghai, Beijing, Busan, and Incheon. AirAsia will also be adding Kuala Lumpur and Taipei to its list of Kalibo international destinations while increasing service on its existing routes to Korea and China. AirAsia also plans a major international expansion to China from Kalibo by June 25 with direct service to a number of new cities including Wenzhou, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Ningbo, Changsha, Hangzhou, and Xiamen.

However, the airline requires the assurance of the government that the development of Kalibo International Airport will continue in a timely manner including the construction of new aircraft parking bays. The existing lack of adequate aircraft parking bays at Kalibo International Airport has resulted in several delays for passengers. AirAsia has already constructed its own passenger lounge across from the airport to meet the rapid growth of passenger traffic while helping to alleviate congestion in the terminal building.


3 comments:

  1. Tsk tsk tsk. With the CURRENT CONDITION and SITUATION of Kalibo International Airport??? Whoaaa, CAAP hold your Horses!!! I don't think so that the current K.I.A. Terminal can handle such a big influx of incoming and outgoing passengers as well. CAAP - you should improve and upgrade the level and standard of the K.I.A. facilities. INVEST MORE FUNDS ON THE IMPROVEMENT of the airport first. AND MOVE YOUR ASSES A BIT FASTER. MAS MABILIS PA ANG PAGONG KUMILOS SA INYO, MGA AMBISYOSO!!! HELLO CAAP AND AIRPORT MANAGER, KALIBO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT NEEDS UPGRADE AND IMPROVEMENTS NOT MORE FLIGHTS MGA BUGOK!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I agree. I went to Kalibo two years ago, the arrivals area didn't even have airconditioning! I agree with AirAsia Zest's plan to upgrade the airport. It will help the passengers, it will help the airlines, and it will also help the province: it's a win-win for everyone.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Abaya should havel the monicker "boy hintay!"always waiting for instructions from "boy pick up."

    ReplyDelete

Powered by Blogger.