AirSWIFT, a boutique airline largely owned by the Filipino conglomerate, Ayala Group, has announced some big plans for the year 2023. The airline is thrilled to welcome a brand new ATR 72-600, a move set to inflate the seating capacity across its entire fleet by a whopping 30%. This major expansion is not just about adding more seats, but also about setting course for exciting new routes.
“Envisioning a surge in leisure travel demand in 2023, we are optimistic about leaving the challenging pandemic years behind,” said CEO Alfonso Reyes in a recent interview with the Filipino Business Mirror. With the new ATR – Avions de Transport Régional turboprop set to join AirSWIFT’s family by December, the anticipation is at an all-time high. As per ch-aviation fleets advanced data, the aircraft is expected to be leased from Nordic Aviation Capital and will supplement the existing pair of ATR72-600s and two ATR42-600s in the AirSWIFT fleet.
Increasing Seat Capacity in Response to Growing Travel Demand
The addition of this aircraft is the cornerstone of the carrier’s strategy to amplify its weekly seat capacity by 30% by the year-end. Reyes believes this increase will efficiently cater to the upsurge in travel demand. Besides, by optimizing the utilization of the current fleet, Reyes hopes to see the average passenger loads rise to 82% by December, a substantial improvement from the pre-pandemic average of 73%.
It’s noteworthy that the “leisure travel demand seems to be much stronger now compared to 2019. This isn’t necessarily just revenge travel but could also be attributed to shifting travel patterns,” he mentioned. The evolving ‘work-from-anywhere’ trend seems to facilitate longer weekends and promote a blend of work and leisure travel.
New Routes in the Pipeline and Challenges Ahead
Incepted as ITI – Island Transvoyager and rebranded to AirSWIFT in 2015, this airline takes pride in its ’boutique’ label and the distinctive flight services it offers. Major Filipino cities and locations with Ayala Group’s resort complexes are seamlessly linked by AirSWIFT’s scheduled flights. Travelers enjoy direct flights from Manila Ninoy Aquino International to many attractive locations like El Nido on Palawan Island, Busuanga, Sicogon, Caticlan, Cebu, Clark, Panglao, and Tablas.
As the pandemic-struck routes resume operation, Reyes shares the carrier’s plans to embark on new routes between El Nido and Sicogon, and Surigao later this year. Despite the excitement, challenges like securing additional slots at Manila Ninoy Aquino Airport remain a growth hindrance. The CEO also points out issues like high inflation and fuel costs that might impact their price-sensitive leisure market expecting low fares.
To wrap up, AirSWIFT’s preparation to welcome a new ATR72-600 and expansion plans for the year 2023 reflect its resilience and adaptability. While the challenges are formidable, the determined airline is optimistic about satisfying the rising leisure travel demand and providing an enhanced flight experience to its travelers.
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