AIRASIA Philippines plans to reactivate its entire fleet by the third quarter of this year as it reopens more domestic and international flights.

"We want to go back to 2019 levels by the third quarter of the year," AirAsia Philippines chief executive Ricardo "Ricky" Isla said.

"Hopefully by the end of the year, we have 24 to 25 aircraft operating. We are going to open Dumaguete toward the fourth quarter and Zamboanga is a candidate for reopening," he added.

For international flights, Isla said the airline planned to add more flights to Taipei, Japan, Macao and Hong Kong.

"By first quarter of next year, we are also looking at Australia," he added.

The airline is looking to fly more foreign guests from other Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries, especially with its scheduled merger with AirAsia X.

This move is expected to merge all medium- and long-haul flights, which could create more opportunities for foreign travelers to explore the country and connect the Philippines with neighboring destinations.