AirAsia Philippines on Monday announced it will no longer require passengers to wear face masks during their flights. The airline made the announcement after President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. made the decision to lift the state of public health emergency in the Philippines.
It clarified, however, that the wearing of face masks for international destinations shall remain subject to the existing health protocols in the country of destination.
AirAsia communications and public affairs chief Steve Dailisan said the airline remains committed to adhering to the highest standards of safety among all its flights.
He said deep cleaning and aircraft sanitation will still be in effect after every flight. This way, guests will have peace of mind and confidence as air travel returns to normalcy.
“There is no room for complacency in the airline business. We want our guests to feel secure when they fly with AirAsia.
Although it is no longer a policy, guests, and crew may still opt to wear face masks whenever they deem necessary.
However, we also want to reiterate that our aircraft are equipped with High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters which filter and block 99.97% of airborne particles including known bacteria and viruses,” Dailisan added.
Meanwhile, AirAsia asked travelers for more patience as airport authorities are implementing the mandatory removal of shoes during final x-ray screening in the airport for enhanced security purposes.
“AirAsia supports activities that would enhance safety and security among all industry stakeholders.
This additional layer of security screening should be viewed as a deterrent to illegal activities and other threats especially now that air travel is on its strong rebound,” said Dailisan.
The airline reminded its guests to allot an allowance of at least 3 hours for domestic and 4 hours for international travel.
It is also informing its guest that Manila Airport Terminal 2 is AirAsia’s new domestic terminal while maintaining Terminal 3 for international flights.
AirAsia is offering P257 one-way base fare for domestic and international flights and P2,293 for other international destinations flying thru Kuala Lumpur such as Sydney, Perth, and Melbourne, for travels from July 24 to Sept. 30, 2023.