AirAsia Move Expands Philippine Reach with IATA Accreditation

MANILA, Philippines —AirAsia Move, the online travel platform affiliated with Malaysia-based low-cost carrier AirAsia, is deepening its presence in the Philippines after securing accreditation from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) as a travel agent. In a statement on Wednesday, the online travel agency stated that its new accreditation will enhance its ability to sell flights from over 700 airlines to travelers in the Philippines, providing partner carriers with another channel to access the local market. AirAsia Move likewise offers access to more than 1 million hotels, live events, attractions and other travel products. “Our IATA accreditation is already opening new doors for MOVE. Within the first few weeks, around 30 international airlines serving routes to and from the Philippines have granted us ticketing authority,” said Malou Japson, country head for Move Philippines. Among the major carriers available on the AirAsia Move platform are Etihad Airways, All Nippon Airways and VietJet. AirAsia Move said the accreditation builds on its growing engagement with the Philippine travel industry. The company has joined the Philippine Travel Agencies Association and the Philippine Tour Operators Association and has onboarded the Department of Tourism’s “Discover More to Love” campaign. “Our growing engagement with both local and global tourism and aviation organizations strengthens our ability to collaborate, build meaningful partnerships, and contribute to conversations shaping the future of travel in the Philippines,” Japson said. “We see a strong opportunity for Move to take a more active role in connecting Filipinos to the world, while helping position the Philippines as a more accessible, and compelling destination for international travelers,” she added. Separately, AirAsia Group announced on Wednesday a landmark codeshare partnership with Pegasus Airlines, Turkey’s largest low-cost carrier, in a move expected to strengthen connections between its Southeast Asian markets and Europe via Istanbul. Meanwhile, codesharing allows airlines to market seats on partner-operated flights, giving carriers a wider network reach without adding aircraft or opening new routes themselves. Under the partnership, AirAsia will increase the frequency of its Kuala Lumpur-Istanbul service from four to seven times weekly by February 2027. The codeshare will initially cover five destinations in Pegasus’ network: Stansted in London, Vnukovo in Moscow, Esenboga in Ankara, Zurich in Switzerland and Athens in Greece. “As AirAsia’s first-ever codeshare, this partnership marks a meaningful milestone in our 25th year and the next chapter in our evolution from a leading Asean low-cost carrier into a truly global travel network,” said Bo Lingam, AirAsia Group CEO. /pai