AirAsia Begins Daily Flight from Manila to Taipei

Taiwanese tourists arrivals into the Philippines are expected to rise with the commencement of AirAsia’s direct flight from Manila to Taipei last night (Nov. 21) at 11:05PM.

Guests on board the inaugural flight Z2 128 from Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 got an early Christmas gift wrapped in iconic red and were welcomed by Philippines AirAsia executives led by its Chairperson Maan Hontiveros and CEO Dexter Comendador.

Philippines AirAsia CEO Dexter Comendador said, “We have introduced amazing connections for our guests to enjoy and we are aiming to go further across Asia by strengthening AirAsia’s presence in Taiwan. Today heralds a brighter and much closer ties between two countries to improve trade and tourism.”

Taiwanese tourist arrivals in the Philippines have reached 157,517 from January to August this year. Taiwan is currently the country’s sixth top visitor market after Korea, United States, China, Japan and Australia.

The AirAsia Group operates direct flight to Taipei from Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu and now from Manila and Cebu in the Philippines starting November 25.

Comendador added, “AirAsia is also launching our maiden flight to Taipei from Cebu in Southern Philippines with three flights every week or every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday in less than a week from now and it brings so much pride to be able to provide a world-class and award winning service to our travellers, Overseas Filipino Workers and Taiwanese tourists.”

To celebrate the twin launch Filipino cultural dancers flew from Cebu to perform “Sinulog” dance during the press conference held in Sheraton Hotel in Taipei. Sinulog is an annual religious festival in Cebu, which includes street dancing and group performances with elaborate and colourful costumes.

Flight Schedule for Manila (MNL) – Taipei (TPE)
Flight Number From To Departure Arrival Frequency
Z2 128 MNL TPE 23:05 01:10 Daily
Z2 129 TPE MNL 01:35 03.45 Daily
Flight Schedule for Cebu (CEB) – Taipei (TPE)
Flight Number From To Departure Arrival Frequency
Z2 7124 CEB TPE 06:35 09:25 Wednesday
CEB TPE 06:10 09:05 Friday and Sunday
Z2 7125 TPE CEB 10:20 13:10 Wednesday
TPE CEB 10:10 13:00 Friday
TPE CEB 10:30 13:20 Sunday

About Taipei:

Guests who take advantage of AirAsia’s promotional fares to Taipei can make a trip to some of the following iconic attractions and enjoy charmingly warm local hospitality.

The icon of Taipei, and the prominent centre of the city, Taipei 101 is the tallest green building in the world. The post-modernistic structure boasts 101 floors of shopping, conference centres, offices, restaurants and both outdoor and indoor observatories. Head to the top for a stunning and unobstructed view of the city!

There is a plethora of night markets in Taipei, but the most famous one of all is Shilin Night Market. Food hunters crowd over for its many food vendors and small eateries especially amongst the 539 stalls in the food court. After dinner, the many attractions such as movie theatres, video arcades, shops and karaoke stores will have you staying till the wee hours of the night.

Another famous landmark of Taipei, the National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall was built in memory of the former president of the Republic of China. The hall and square is now the hub for cultural events, and the National Concert Hall and National Theatre are in the vicinity as well, housing performances from the likes of Yo-yo Ma, the Vienna Boys Choir and even the late Luciano Pavarotti himself.

A two-hour train ride from Taipei is the beautiful Taroko Gorge. Located within the Taroko National Park, the gorge is known for its magnificent natural beauty and its abundant supply of marble. Visitors can get in touch with nature as they explore the many sights around, such as the Eternal Spring Shrine, Swallow Grotto, and Buluowan Village.

Shopaholics will be happily satiated in Taipei’s main wholesale garment market, which boasts the latest fashion and trends at bargain basement prices. The shops open from morning till midnight every day, and haggling is a skill that will take you far when you are roaming the streets of Wufenpu.

Source: www.airasia.com/mo/en/destinations/taipei.page