AirAsia Pushing for Green Lane for Fully Vaccinated Passengers
A “green lane” for fully vaccinated travelers might just be what the country needs to help drum up the tourism industry in the Philippines. This is according to AirAsia officials, who said the company supports the proposal of the Department of Tourism to create these special lanes to facilitate and expedite the entry of foreign travelers to the country.
The ‘green lane’ policy recommends reducing the number of quarantine days for foreign travelers from the mandatory 10 days.
“AirAsia believes that the ‘green lane’ will encourage leisure travelers who have previously expressed concerns on varying requirements per destination,” AirAsia Philippines spokesperson Steve Dailisan said. “This will be further reinforced by the implementation of uniform travel requirements through a digital travel pass. If the execution becomes effective for domestic travel, then we can slowly welcome foreign tourists again.”
A version of this ‘green lane’ is already being implemented by other countries, including Spain, France, Nepal, and Thailand.
The budget carrier is studying the possibility of providing incentives for fully vaccinated individuals not just to help revitalize the tourism industry but to also encourage more people to get vaccinated.
“While we strongly believe that easing of restrictions among fully vaccinated individuals is key to rebooting tourism, there must be no room for complacency,” Dailisan said. “Industry partners and all stakeholders must proactively monitor and observe established health and safety protocols.”
The travel and tourism industry has been one of the hardest-hit by the pandemic. AirAsia Philippines reported revenues of P6.3 billion in 2020, down 77 percent from the P27.35 billion the previous year.
But the airline remained confident it would be able to recover its losses through recovery initiatives, including the resumption of some of its international flights.
“Since the onset of the pandemic, AirAsia has implemented a robust multi-layered approach to passenger safety from check-in to inflight,” Dailisan said. “Numerous digital and contactless solutions have also been put in place to ensure a safe, affordable and comfortable guest experience.”
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