There is optimism in Davao City that flights to Kuala Lumpur should soon resume after having been abandoned last year. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

DAVAO CITY — Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (DCCCII) president Arturo Milan is optimistic AirAsia’s Davao-Kuala Lumpur direct flights cancelled last year will likely be revived.

Milan told the Daily Tribune that negotiations between DCCCII and AirAsia, which started during the holidays, centered on two flights weekly instead of four flights a week.

Malaysia AirAsia Berhad dropped the Davao-to-KL route in August last year, less than a year after launching the service in December 2017, citing “commercial reasons.”

“But we are negotiating to reopen the route and reduce the flight to twice a week from four times a week. That was difficult to sustain, especially in a route that was just developing. I am very positive the route will be revived,” Milan said.

He claimed AirAsia is similarly optimistic the route would be serviced again soon, likely within the first quarter this year.

“There is a need to really promote (the Davao-to-KL route),” he said.