Low-cost carrier AirAsia Philippines assured that it strictly adheres to protocols mandated by the government vis-a-vis the reinstatement of Alert Level 3, and fully support mobility for vaccinated passengers eligible to travel by government authorities, and unvaccinated individuals with an essential travel pass.
The airline also assured its guests that "all its domestic flights will continue and mobility for fully vaccinated travelers will continue following the Metro Manila Council Resolution 22-01 series of 2022."
In the same resolution, unvaccinated individuals are given the right to travel but only for essential tasks.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has supported the Metro Manila Council's (MMC) resolution which restricts individuals aged 17 and below, senior citizens, pregnant women, and persons with comorbidities from engaging in intra and inter zonal travel via land, sea and air.
"AirAsia will always prioritize the safety of our guests while remaining committed to their needs for air transportation. In compliance with the resolution signed by Metro Manila mayors, we will continue to fly eligible vaccinated individuals and unvaccinated guests with essential travel passes only,” said Steve Dailisan, spokesperson of AirAsia Philippines.
“The airline continues to be flexible to adjust to new strategies set amid the emergence of new variants, hence we kindly requests our guests to stay abreast with the regulations set by different local government units," Dailisan added.
The MMC's resolution was the capital region's response to the surge in Covid-19 cases in Metro Manila in recent weeks.
To date, over 9.58 million individuals or 97 percent of the target 9.8 million population in Metro Manila received their full dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.
Meanwhile, 9.36 million have received their first dose and over 750,500 have taken their booster shot.
"Given the high vaccination rate in Metro Manila and nearby provinces, we remain optimistic of continued strong demand for air travel and mobility among vaccinated individuals. We have robust Covid mitigation procedures in place and all of our operating flight and ground crew are fully vaccinated,” Dailisan noted.
“However, while travel guidelines are still being revised in line with the current situation, we will continue to provide flexible flight options for our guests should they wish to move their flight to a later date. With safety always being our top priority, we must increase our vigilance so we can best deal with any emerging Covid-19 variant," Dailisan continued.
He added that the airline is regularly conducts antigen testing for employees working on-site, and continues to coordinate with local government units for the booster shots of its workers.
Twenty percent of AirAsia Philippines employees who were fully vaccinated have already received their booster shots.
The airline targets to get booster shots for 660 workers or 50 percent of those who have been already fully vaccinated by the end of January. (BENJAMIN LIM)
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