January 13, 2010
SINGAPORE (AFP) - A Philippine-based airline said Tuesday it will this month become the latest low-fare carrier to launch services between Manila and Singapore, adding to the competition in the struggling sector.
Zest Air will start the service from January 29 using a brand new Airbus A320 aircraft, it said in a statement.
Unlike other low-fare carriers, Zest Air said it will offer free inflight meals and snacks and a baggage allowance of 30 kilos (66 pounds) per passenger. A one-way ticket for the new route will carry an introductory price of 72 US dollars, it said.
The airline, which lists prominent Filipino businessmen on its board of directors, currently flies from Manila to 19 domestic destinations in the Philippines.
It also flies four times weekly to Incheon in South Korea.
Apart from the premium airlines, the Singapore-Manila route is served by budget carriers such as Singapore-based Tiger Airways and Jetstar Asia as well as Cebu Pacific of the Philippines.
Around 144,000 Filipinos live in the city-state, from domestic helpers to bankers, architects and engineers, according to the Philippine embassy.
Zest Air enters a market severely battered by the recent global economic crisis which saw cost-conscious travellers and companies curb leisure and business air travel.
