Philippines' AirAsia is hoping it will soon be removed from the European Union's list of Banned Airlines.


Philippines' AirAsia chief executive officer Joy Cañeba was in Brussels last week to give a presentation before the EU Air Safety Committee. Representatives from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, PAL Express and Cebu Pacific's Cebgo also presented before the committee.

"We presented safety, quality and airworthiness programs. We have to convince them that we have appropriate systems in place. We presented changes we made from AirAsia Zest to AirAsia Philippines, such as putting in place technology, training and changes in processes. They were happy with the changes that we made," she told reporters at the sidelines of the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget.

In April, EU delegates visited the Philippines to do an on-site audit of AirAsia Philippines. "We had very positive feedback. I am positive        ( AirAsia will be removed from the blacklist ), Cañeba said.

The EU Air Safety committee will release its report by June 25.

In 2010, the EU banned Philippine carriers after the International Civil Aviation Organization deemed Philippine Aviation as a "significant security concern." The ban on PAL was lifted in 2013, followed by Cebu Pacific a year ago.

While AirAsia Philippines has no plan of mounting flights to the EU, Cañeba said the removal from the blacklist would help the carrier expand flights in other countries like Japan and South Korea.

"We want a third party to say that AirAsia Philippines is doing good and that we have the systems in place," she added.

Cañeba said AirAsia is planning on mounting flights to Japan later this year.

"Narita, but we're also looking at Osaka, most realistically in December," she said, noting the popularity of Japan as a tourist destination for Filipinos.

The budget carrier is also looking at focusing on China routes. Cañeba said it will resume Manila-Shanghai soon, as well as expand the Kalibo-Shanghai route.

At the same time, the AirAsia Group is hoping to push through with the initial public offering of its Philippine and Indonesian units in 2017.

"From 2014, we have started with a turnaround plan. Our commercial loads are good, revenues are up.We are bullish on AirAsia, we'll show a profit by Q4," she said.





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