AirAsia Philippines Reinforces Growth and Stability Under New President and General Manager Anna Victoria Lu
14 Apr 2026, Manila, Philippines—AirAsia Philippines welcomes its new President and General Manager, Anna Victoria Lu, strengthening its leadership bench with deep expertise in navigating complex, highly regulated public services, building sustainable partnerships, and driving growth as the company enters a new phase.
With over 15 years of experience in infrastructure, utilities, and public-private partnerships (PPP) across water, power, transport, and ICT sectors, along with a proven entrepreneurial spirit, Lu emerges as the top choice to lead Philippine operations. She previously served as head of the water business at Aboitiz Infrastructure, where she led the development and operations of one of the country’s largest private water PPP projects, serving over one million residents.
“Our pursuit of enabling more Filipinos to fly and access travel is rooted in AirAsia’s DNA of democratizing and disrupting air travel. With this approach, and drawing from my experience in both the private and public sectors, I am deeply committed to expanding our reach and exploring new horizons as we move forward,” said AirAsia Philippines President and General Manager Anna Victoria Lu.
Lu will replace her predecessor, Capt. Suresh Bangah, who served the airline and played a key role in steering AirAsia Philippines toward recovery. Bangah has been promoted to Group Chief Operations Officer of AirAsia Aviation Group.
Pursuit of strengthening operational discipline and long-term growth strategy
Following a period of strengthened operational discipline under the leadership of Capt. Bangah, the World’s Best Low-Cost Airline now sets its sights on expanding its network to meet robust travel demand. Currently, the airline operates a total of 26 destinations, including 14 domestic and 12 international routes.
Alongside this, the airline is set to further grow its Cebu hub, with plans to launch new international routes and provide more accessible travel options for Filipinos.
“As I step into this role, the immediate priority is continuing operational stability that the team has worked hard to achieve, especially as global pressures such as the ongoing Middle East crisis and its impact on fuel costs continue to challenge the aviation industry. With this strong foundation in place, we can then focus on sustainable growth by strengthening our hubs and expanding into destinations where we see strong demand and opportunities to better connect communities. By navigating uncertainty with discipline and operational stability, we also aim to rebuild brand confidence, reassuring our guests that they can rely on us and trust the experience we provide,” said Lu.
Commitment to Expanding Opportunities for People
The airline reported a 14% increase in passengers flown in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025. In response to rising travel demand, AirAsia Philippines has also launched new routes such as Ha Noi and Da Nang to better serve its growing customer base.
With one of the widest networks across ASEAN and beyond, spanning over 150 destinations, AirAsia Philippines is well-positioned to bring people closer to what matters most.
***PR04142026***
About AirAsia Philippines
AirAsia is a leading low-cost carrier with licenses to operate in five Asean countries—Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Cambodia. Founded in 2001, AirAsia has stayed true to its purpose and tagline "Now Everyone Can Fly". The airline has made flying affordable and accessible to over 800 million guests, connecting people and communities across more than 130 destinations. Today, as one of the largest airlines in the region, AirAsia is expanding to become the world's first global low cost network carrier. It operates more than 200 aircraft and holds a significant orderbook for the next decade. AirAsia leads in sustainable aviation with green initiatives and a net zero target by 2050. In 2023, it avoided 130,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions from its narrowbody regional network through 20+ efficiency measures, saving US$40 million in fuel and over US$388,000 in shadow carbon costs.
NOTE: The Communications and Public Affairs Group kindly requests for all media partners to follow the correct typography for the brand – for airline (AirAsia) spelled as one word with both As capitalized; and for non-airline (AirAsia MOVE) with MOVE capitalized..
For more information, feel free to contact:
AirAsia Philippines Communications and Public Affairs Team
paa_commsandpublicaffairs1@airasia.com