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| Founded | 1995 | |||
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| Secondary hubs | ||||
| Fleet size | 14 (+14 orders) | |||
| Destinations | 26 | |||
| Parent company | PAL Holdings, Inc. | |||
| Headquarters | Pasay City, Philippines | |||
| Key people |
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| Website | http://www.airphilexpress.com | |||
Air Philippines Corporation, now operating as Airphil Express (formerly Air Philippines, PAL Express), is a low-cost airline based in Pasay City, in the Philippines. It operates both domestic and international scheduled services from Manila, Cebu, Davao and Zamboanga. The airline was re-branded for a number of times, first as Air Philippines, then as PAL Express. Due to financial losses, Air Philippines ceased operations for a short while until it was acquired by investors from the Lucio Tan group. After the acquisition, the airline was re-launched as PAL Express, to operate some routes and slot assignments of its sister company Philippine Airlines until the management decided to re-brand the carrier as a budget airline now known as Airphil Express.
The new Airphil Express is Philippine Airlines' answer to Cebu Pacific Air's dominance on the low cost travel market in the Philippnes which significantly shrunk its market share and relegated it to the no. 2 spot from its dominant no. 1 position since inception. It allowed PAL to focus on the premium market where it does not have competition in the domestic Philippine market. Airphil Express gained significant increase in passengers following its launch as a low-cost carrier competing head on with Cebu Pacific Air. The airline is currently on fleet acquisition mood[1] to support its planned domestic and international route expansion plan. Airphil Express currently holds the no. 3 position among Philippine-based airlines with 19% market share.[1]
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Air Philippines was incorporated on 13 February 1995, with the base of operations being the former Naval Air Station Cubi Point. Flight operations started on 1 February 1996 with a Boeing 737-200 between Subic Bay, Iloilo and Zamboanga.
In 1996 six NAMC YS-11 and four Boeing 737-200 aircraft were acquired by the company. In 1997 an additional one Boeing 737-200 was acquired. In this same year the airline carried over 675,000 passengers and over 773,000 in 1998 . In September 1998 the airline was temporarily grounded by the Philippine Air Transportation Office, but was reactivated when U-Land agreed to purchase a stake.
It was in 1999 when Lucio Tan Group took over management of the Company. In March 1999, Air Philippines was granted approval to operate international services to Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the USA.
In May 2001 two Boeing 737-300 aircraft were delivered. In mid-2002, charter flights were started from Subic Bay and Laoag City to Hong Kong. Passenger numbers carried rose to nearly 881,000 in 2002. In July 2004 charter flights started from Subic Bay to Guangzhou.[2]
Air Philippines significantly increased ties with Philippine Airlines (PAL), including the merging of frequent flier plans, timetables, and ticket sales. Air Philippines also recently moved into the PAL terminal at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Manila). Some of PAL's major stockowners are also owners of Air Philippines. Though Air Philippines will officially cease to be part of the Philippine Airlines Frequent Flier Programme "Mabuhay Miles" as of the 1st of October, 2007.[3] Air Philippines has said that they chose to back out of the Mabuhay Miles program to benefit their passengers, so rather than flying numerous flights to gain miles and wait to a certain point to receive bonuses, passengers can benefit with lower fares and more discounts with quicker bonuses, much more like today's modern day low-cost airline.
On July 24, 2008, it moved all its operations to terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
On August 31, 2009, Air Philippines ceased all operations and folded operations into Philippine Airlines and PAL Express.
On October 27, 2009, Air Philippines began operating all PAL Express flights on behalf of Philippine Airlines.
On March 28, 2010, Air Philippines resumed operating services under their own right to Iloilo, Bacolod, Puerto Princesa and Cagayan de Oro, utilizing Airbus A320 jet aircraft under the name AirPhil Express.[4][5] The airline subsequently operated eight Bombardier Aerospace turboprop aircraft and two new Airbus A320s, all of which originally belong to Philippine Airlines. There are 20 more A320s on order[5]
Air Philippines boasts a number of regional and international airline awards. The airline has been recognized as the "Most Outstanding Domestic Airline" four times by the Consumers Union of the Philippines[6] and numerous other regional awards.
| Aircraft | Total | Orders | Passengers (Economy) |
Routes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A320-200 | 7 | 13 [5] | 177/180 | Domestic/International | 2 leased, all orders are for new aircraft to be delivered by 2013[5] |
| Bombardier Dash 8 Q300 | 3 | 0 | 56 | Domestic | |
| Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 | 5 | 0 | 76 | Domestic | |
| Total | 15 | 13 |
| Aircraft | Replaced by |
|---|---|
| Boeing 737-200 | Airbus A320-200 |
| Boeing 737-300 | Airbus A320-200 |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-82 | Airbus A320-200 |
| NAMC YS-11 | Bombardier Q300 |
| NAMC YS-11 | Bombardier Q400 |
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