A prominent airline has unexpectedly grounded its entire commercial operation after entering liquidation. Following more than two decades of service, Royal Air Philippines shut down earlier this year
On January 4, the airline announced it was scrapping all commercial flights in a development that left between 3,000 and 4,000 passengers holding tickets for journeys scheduled between January and March 2026 scrambling to find alternative arrangements.
The airline’s website said: « We are working on providing refunds and hope to resume flights at an unspecified date in the future. Thank you for your patience and understanding. We eagerly anticipate welcoming you aboard soon. »
The carrier, which was owned by Cambodia-registered Lanmei Group, encountered increasing difficulties maintaining its business model as its primary market of Chinese and Korean holidaymakers diminished.
The airline’s deteriorating situation became apparent during the first nine months of 2025, as international passenger figures dropped to 51,800, whilst domestic traffic plummeted by 63 % to 38,800.
This decline came after a short-lived period of growth in 2023 and 2024, when passenger numbers climbed to 100,000 and 116,000. Royal Air Philippines was established in 2002 as a charter service, before transitioning to a low-cost carrier model in 2018. The airline embarked on its maiden passenger flight eight years ago, flying between Cebu and Macau.
Headquartered in Manila, the charter and cargo airline – more commonly referred to as Royal Air – obtained its licence to operate commercial flights in 2017 and swiftly broadened its network.
At the height of its operations, the airline catered to several international destinations, including Cambodia, China, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
Royal Air Philippines was under the ownership of Lanmei Group, also known as the Lancang-Mekong Group, a private enterprise registered in Cambodia and supported by Chinese civil capital. The group was founded and is chaired by Li Kun, the former president of Shenzhen Airlines.
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