PHILIPPINES’ AirAsia’s international operations will take off next month with the launch of Clark-Kuala Lumpur flights on June 9.

Operated daily using a brand new Airbus A320 aircraft, the service will complement parent airline AirAsia’s existing Kuala Lumpur-Clark flights, and effectively double the group’s frequency on the route to twice-daily.

Philippines’ AirAsia CEO, Maan Hontiveros, said connections to China and Macau were in the works, but “might take a little longer” to work out given the ongoing territorial fracas between China and the Philippines (TTG Asia e-Daily, May 14, 2012).

“We are also looking to launch flights to Hong Kong by end-June or early July,” she said.

The Philippine Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) is currently deliberating over Philippines’ AirAsia’s bid to mount daily flights to Hong Kong, Macau and Xiamen.

Meanwhile, CAB is busy distributing an extra 9,500 seats per week to South Korea among Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines and Zest Air. The additional seats will boost capacity to the destination to 28,500 seats weekly.