Gov’t orders AirAsia MOVE Phl exit

AirAsia MOVE, the digital platform of Malaysia-based Capital A Berhad, risks being banned in the Philippines after authorities found it charging excessive airfares during a transportation crisis in Leyte.

At a media briefing on Monday, Transportation Secretary Vivencio Dizon said a cease and desist (C&D) order against AirAsia MOVE was issued on 26 May, following a complaint from Leyte Representative Richard Gomez.

The lawmaker flagged the booking site for reportedly pricing one-way flights from Tacloban to Manila at up to P40,000 during the partial closure of the San Juanico Bridge, a key connection between Samar and Leyte.

“There’s this booking platform called AirAsia MOVE offering close to P40,000 one-way fare from Tacloban to Manila. This is totally unacceptable, this is criminal. We will put the full force of the government on this unscrupulous online platform,” Dizon said.

“We have been repeatedly saying that as per the directive of the President, we will not allow this kind of abuse to our fellow Filipinos. We at the Department of Transportation, Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), and the Philippine National Police, will not allow it,” he added.

Despite the shared brand, Dizon clarified that budget airline AirAsia Philippines is not covered by the order, which applies solely to AirAsia MOVE.

As of press time, AirAsia MOVE has yet to issue a public statement on the matter. However, in a letter to CAB Executive Director Carmelo Arcilla, the company said it had already implemented measures to address the flagged pricing structure.

Still, the company maintained that CAB has no jurisdiction over foreign-based online travel agents like AirAsia MOVE.

According to Col. Rommel Batangan of the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group, authorities are working to block access to the AirAsia MOVE platform in the Philippines.