MANILA, 29 September 2021 - With the numerous awards and recognitions, be it local or international, perhaps it’s not surprising why Filipinos are considered as beauty contest aficionados.

Unparalleled inner beauty, strength, and intelligence. These are just some of the qualities of a Filipina which prove them to be consistent highfliers in pageants. But beyond the glitz and glamour of strutting the best looks, these beautiful queens often take the stage for a deeper purpose; it is to influence and advocate for a greater mission, to inspire people---and the whole universe.  

This year, AirAsia partnered with Miss Universe Philippines in sharing the advocacy of rebooting travel and tourism. Together with the phenomenal candidates, this milestone serves as a beacon of  hope and optimism to the industry, the struggling businesses, and its current and former employees, of the strong return of air travel. 

On 26 September 2021, the 28 finalists of Miss Universe Philippines flew to Bohol on AirAsia flight Z2 8358, as its official airline carrier. During the flight, the beautiful delegates representing different cities and provinces shared their travel experience, including their unwavering support of the tourism industry.

One of the candidates representing San Juan City,  Roussane Bernos,  expressed her excitement on taking her first plane ride during the pandemic. She said, “This is my first time flying again ever since the pandemic started. I feel very awesome that I got to experience this with the girls and we’re all safe and we’re all together, as we go to Bohol.”

Ms. Taguig Katrina Dimaranan and Ms. Laguna Leren Bautista took their flight experience a notch higher as they experienced what it was like to be part of an award winning, world class cabin crew. The ladies served delicious Santan snacks to their fellow candidates, ensuring to provide an extra layer of safety by following the airline’s stringent health and safety protocols 

Katrina shares, "My cabin crew experience was so much fun and I always wondered how it felt  to be the one to serve the people on the plane. It was so much fun to be able to see from the cabin crew point of view, with that said it was a lot of hard work ha! So I had to say thank you talaga for your service.”

And since the Ber Months have begun and the holiday season is fast approaching, Katrina further shared a message to everyone missing their families just like her, “To everyone that is missing taking flights, to visit their family and friends, just know that soon as this pandemic is over we’ll get to do that again.  Proper health protocols are up.  I swear we will be able to visit our family and friends and be able to fly again, and with that said I’d like to say thank you AirAsia.”

All of the candidates felt safe flying with AirAsia, with their contactless procedures and enhanced safety measures throughout their travel journey. While the queens are convinced that it is safe to fly, Ms. Pangasinan Maureen Wroblewitz shared an important tip to vacation and leisure seekers in this time of a pandemic. 

“To everyone who misses travelling I feel you...I haven’t travelled in so long but it is possible right now. You just need to make sure to follow the health protocols and to make sure you have all the papers and the guidelines and we can all help boost our tourism again and visit our beautiful destinations in the Philippines,” she said.

“I'm really grateful to AirAsia for really taking care of us and for making sure we feel safe while we are travelling to our destination," she added.

The Miss Universe Philippines 2021 Coronation night is set to take stage on 30 September 2021 at the Hennan Resort Convention Center in Panglao, Bohol. 

Get a sneak peak of exclusive photos during their travel on AirAsia’s Newsroom, and follow AirAsia’s official Facebook page, Instagram and Twitter account for live updates during the competition.