Traveling & beyond

AirTrav Corp., which operates private chopper services and offers air charter services, recently held a get-together for resort and hotel partners and travel operators at the French restaurant Impressions in Resorts World Manila. AirTrav president Capt. Jacob Cusi and sales director Ann Margaret Ngui were present at the event to welcome guests.

AirTrav recently launched scheduled flights from Manila to Clark International Airport and Puerto Galera, with plans to expand to other destinations, possibly Boracay and Palawan this year. If and when it gets approval to fly to Boracay, it will be the first operator to fly directly to the island. The flight to Boracay will take about one hour and 15 minutes and could be the fastest way to get to the island.

Ann Margaret Ngui.

During the event, the company shared its expansion plans for the rest of 2018 and beyond. Cusi said the company plans to acquire a second Cessna Grand Caravan ex-amphibian, which can carry eight passengers and is capable of land and water landings.  He said, “Most of our passengers right now are foreigners. The tourism industry is booming with a big volume of tourists forecasted to come from China and Korea.”

Also present during the get-together were representatives of the hotels in Resorts World Manila, Palawan and Puerto Galera, where AirTrav flies to six times a week. The company is bullish about Clark as part of the efforts to decongest Manila and its airports. Cusi added, “Clark is more than just the airport. It’s a gateway to big manufacturing facilities.”

Jema Ng.

AirTrav flies out of Realship Yachts CCP Complex, Terminal B, Roxas Boulevard, Manila. Because it operates independently, passengers are guaranteed a hassle-free process and can arrive at the terminal at least 30 minutes before departure and there is no need to fall in line.

The company only offers scheduled flights between Manila, Clark and Puerto Galera. The flight to Clark departs from Manila Bay and arrives at Clark International Airport in 30 minutes while the travel between Manila and Puerto Galera takes about 40 minutes.

(For more information, visit www.airtrav.ph or call its Manila sales office at 0927-3828883.)

‘Our strength is our people’

Insurance Commissioner Dennis Funa and AXA Philippines president and CEO Rahul Hora.

AXA Philippines, one of the leading insurance companies in the country, recently inaugurated its newest state-of-the-art training facility — the AXA Academy.

Located at the 11th floor of the Bank of Makati Building on Ayala Avenue Extension in Makati City, the AXA Academy serves as the main training facility for AXA agents, driven by the company’s aim to elevate the skills and capabilities of local insurance professionals to an unmatched level of excellence.

Leading the inauguration rites, together with AXA chairman Solomon Cua, was Insurance Commissioner Dennis Funa, the event’s guest of honor. Funa noted that the AXA Academy will help improve education of insurance professionals who are engaged in a noble vocation to spread financial literacy, in order to help Filipinos achieve their financial goals.

Following the dedication ceremony, AXA Philippines CEO Rahul Hora said, “Our strength is our people, as insurance is a people business.  Whether distributors or employees, the most important thing is the foundation on which their capabilities are built.”

AXA Philippines chief transformation and technology officer John Hilson, chief customer officer Amor Balagtas and chairman Solomon Cua.

Hora added that the AXA Academy is “a symbol of our commitment, a symbol of what our people mean to us as an organization — how we’re extremely passionate in building the competencies of our employees.”

The training facility’s design and layout is purposely meant to be flexible and technology driven, providing a comfortable, aesthetically pleasing environment for learning or socials. At almost 1,000 sq. m., the training facility, with six training rooms of varying sizes plus two meeting rooms, can handle up to eight ongoing running sessions with a maximum capacity of over 300 participants in total. Other facilities include a reception and focus area, a trainer area, a pantry and a hallway lounge.

(For more information, visit www.axa.com.ph.)

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