PHILIPPINES’ AirAsia has shelved its plan to launch daily flights between Clark and Macau (TTG Asia e-Daily, May 18, 2012).

The LCC’s Macau service, envisioned as an additional connection for the Philippines to tap the Chinese outbound market, was originally scheduled to begin on July 1, 2012.

However, the prolonged territorial dispute between Beijing and Manila (TTG Asia e-Daily, May 14, 2012) has severely dampened Chinese demand for the destination.

Philippines’ AirAsia CEO, Marianne Hontiveros, said the carrier had not yet fixed a new date for the launch of Macau services, but was still planning to introduce daily flights to Hong Kong in July.

Philippines’ AirAsia is not the first airline to be affected by the dispute. Philippine Airlines axed its Hong Kong-Kalibo flights in May, while China Southern Airlines halved its twice-daily Guangzhou-Manila services from May 26 – June 30.