DIMSUM FLIGHTS. In dimsum baskets, flight attendants unveil the Philippines’ AirAsia’s maiden flights to Macau and Hong Kong to the delight of the carrier’s CEO Maan Hontiveros and CIAC President Chichos Luciano.
Photo by Ric Gonzales
MACAU – It’s not just one more carrier joining the rush to this gambling capital from the Clark International Airport. It is the World’s Best Low Cost Airline, and that spells all the difference.
Philippines’ AirAsia maiden PQ7310 flight did not land ahead of schedule – as was the wont in other AirAsia flights – but on time, 8:55, Thursday evening at the Macau International Airport Thursday evening.
Notwithstanding the delay of its departure from the CIA, preceded by short but colourful send-off ceremonies where Clark International Airport Corp. President-CEO hailed Philippines AirAsia for its confidence in the premium potential of the CIA and committed the full support of the CIAC to all the airline’s activities.
Luciano reminded the assembly of guests, media and passengers at the second floor of the airport terminal how CIAC had always been present in all the maiden flights launch by Philippines AirAsia, to Davao and Kalibo in March, Puerto Princesa in April and Kuala Lumpur in June, noting its contribution to positioning Clark as an international gateway.
Earlier in the day, Philippine AirAsia’s started its Hong Kong run with PQ7305 taking off from the CIA at 7:20 a.m.
The maiden flights provided enough reason for the launch of two new on-board hot meals: beef caldereta and chicken yang chow which were an instant hit among the Macau-bound passengers.
As AirAsia maiden-flight tradition holds, round-trip tickets were raffled off on-board with two passengers winning Puerto Princesa and Kalibo destinations.
“Today’s twin launch is yet another testament to our commitment to develop Clark International Airport as the country’s next premier gateway.
We are confident that with the new air linkages from Clark to Hong Kong and Macau, the flow of tourism traffic and business will expand and grow,” said AirAsia Inc. CEO Maan Hontiveros, who joined the Macau flight.
The former Portuguese colony, while generally known as the mecca of gambling and glitzy entertainment, is also home to 25 UNESCO Heritage Sites, the most famous of which is the iconic Ruins of St. Paul Cathedral off Senado Square – San Malo to the locals.
Macau is also a culinary center with its distinct Macanese cuisine best savoured in bacalhau, a dried cod fish dish. And in the spirituous realm with gin ginha, the sherry wine of Portugal, crossing all wining social classes.
For this trip though, the flown-in media had to content themselves with a grand tour of the Venetian, from de luxe rooms to suites, from the Grand Canal to St. Martin Square, and onto current attraction, the Fun Ice World show of ice sculptures of animals like pandas and giraffes, places of interest like the Great Meeting Hall in Tienanmien, pagodas and chariots, even igloos of Eskimos.
The fleeting tour capped by lunch at the hotel-casino-resort food court.
From Macau, the media group took Cotai Jet ferry to Hong Kong, arriving in later afternoon for some quick roundabout the glitzy shops at Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsui and the night market at Jordan Road and Mongkok, and to feast on streetfood galore, that makes the very defining moment of any trip to the former British colony .
Saturday, 10:15 a.m. PQ7306 departed Hong Kong’s Chek Lap Kok Airport and arrived at the Clark Airport 12:05 p.m. Well within the standard flying time between the two airports.
“Please tell friends of your experience with us, with our young, good-looking and friendly staff, our not-so-young but very experienced pilots, the food we serve, the comfort of our flights, our prompt schedules,” Hontiveros enjoined the passengers on their way to Macau.
This is just that. And the lingering scent of the full-leather seats, make one ever remember.
–traveloggers: features&fotos
