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AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes personally sends off SoKor national football team
Capital A announced that its CEO and AirAsia co-founder Tony Fernandes personally sent off the South Korean national football team as they departed for Basra, Iraq today, 2nd June. The team’s departure comes ahead of their crucial upcoming FIFA World Cup Qualifier match slated for Friday, 6th June. A special AirAsia X charter flight, D7256, took off from Incheon International Airport at 11:00 AM local time, carrying the national squad and coaching staff, including head coach Hong Myung-bo, Park Hang-seo, Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur), and Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord Rotterdam). Staunch supporter As a lifelong football fan and former owner of the Queens Park Rangers, Fernandes was at the airport to offer his personal support and encouragement to the players and coaching staff. He said: “I’ve always believed in empowering people and helping dreams take flight whether through football or helping people travel, connecting people to places just as AirAsia has done for the past 23 years. This is a proud moment not only for Korean football, but for Asia. We stand behind the team and wish them the very best as they carry the hopes of a nation into this World Cup qualifier. I’ll definitely be tuning in for the match.” Fernandes is well known among Korean football fans for his connection to Park Ji-sung, whom he signed to Queens Park Rangers in 2012 and later appointed as AirAsia’s global ambassador in 2014. The Korean national team is expected to return to Incheon on 6 June on the same charter flight following the match.
AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes and chairman quit over Airbus bribery scandal
Two AirAsia chiefs will step aside for at least two months as authorities and the airline look into claims that aerospace giant Airbus paid the company USD 50 million to secure a plane order. Airbus said last week it had agreed to set aside up to EUR 3.6 billion (USD 3.98 billion) to settle a corruption probe by authorities in France, Britain and the US. As news of the probe widened, the Malaysia-based AirAsia was named in a bribery investigation by Britain's Serious Fraud Office (SFO), allegedly implicating two company executives. In a late Monday filing on Malaysia's stock market, the budget carrier said its chief executive Tony Fernandes and executive chairman Kamarudin Meranun would leave their positions immediately. Both men were to stand down ‘for a period of two months or such other period that the company may deem fit’, the airline said. The airline’s board formed a committee to review the allegations, stating that Kamarudin and Fernandes would be kept as company advisors and redesignated as non-independent non-executive board members. A court document on the SFO's website said EADS France SAS -- which was later renamed as Airbus Group SAS -- paid USD 50 million as sponsorship for a sports team owned by two unnamed AirAsia executives. Identified as ‘key decision makers’ in AirAsia and AirAsia X - the company's long-haul arm - they were allegedly rewarded with the order of 180 aircraft from Airbus. “The payments to the sports team were intended to secure or reward improper favour by them in respect of that business,” the document said. Both Kamarudin and Fernandes denied any wrongdoing and said in a Monday joint statement that they ‘would not harm the very companies that we spent our entire lives building up to their present global status.’
Indian CBI sets date for Tony Fernandes questioning
AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes Following raids on AirAsia’s India offices in Mumbai on 29 May, investigating allegations of corruption and bribery, India’s Central Bureau of Investigation has summoned CEO Tony Fernandes for questioning on 6 June, according to an article in the Financial Express The CBI case, also against AirAsia India’s non-executive director R Venkataramanan and CEO of operations Bo Lingam, concerns accusations that the flamboyant CEO is guilty of violating Indian direct investment laws and alleged bribery of government officials to ease legislation and provide a license to operate within the country. The article also states “A total of 14 people, including some former and current employees of AirAsia, have been named in the charge sheet. This includes the airline’s former CEO Mittu Chandilya, his secretary, and the current and the former CFO of the airline, Deepak Mahendra and Vijay Gopalan.” Commenting on its investigations the CBI said the airline and its CEO “chose to beat the legal frameworks and policies of the aviation sector of India” and improperly courted government administrators “to secure mandatory approvals, some of them through non-transparent means”. AirAsia India has said in an official statement that it denies all charges and that will work with officials agencies “to present the correct facts”. https://twitter.com/tonyfernandes/status/1001619038630379521 However, the airline's stance on the matter has been undermined by Fernandes' apparently unconnected comments via his Twitter account, where he declared: “Sometimes wonder about certain media. Who just wrote anything without checking any facts. Seriously wild stuff which are just plain wrong and inaccurate.” My own requests to AirAsia India for comment on the situation have so far been met with silence. It has been four years since the AirAsia first entered the Indian domestic market with a view to quickly establish its international services in the country. However these plans were hindered by aviation laws stating an airline must operate on a domestic basis for at least five years – with a minimum fleet size of 20 planes) before scaling up to international services. Subsequently, in 2017, the five year probation period has been removed, but it is these rules which are at the heart of the charges. With the CBI believing the airline and its leadership sought to operate as an international carrier from the moment it began to operating in India. Another eye catching name in the case is R Venkataramanan, who, in addition to his role for the airline, is the managing trustee of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust an organisation responsible for AirAsia’s majority owners Tata Group. "I have been wrongly named as an accused" Commenting on his involvement in the scandal Venkataramanan said: “In my capacity as non-executive director of AirAsia India Limited, I have been wrongly named as an accused by the CBI on operational matters where I had little or no role to play.” Additional reporting by Bloomberg and Associated Press
WTA Grand Final 2017: The “world’s true low-cost champion” according to Tony Fernandes
AirAsia has been named the for the fifth year in a row at the 2017 World Travel Awards (WTA) Grand Final.World’s Leading Low-Cost Airline The ariline emerged top in the category having received the highest votes from travel professionals and industry players from around the world, beating Southwest Airlines, JetBlue, Ryanair, easyJet, Jetstar Airways, Norwegian Air, West Air, flydubai, Air Arabia, flynas, kulula, Mango and fastjet. Asia’s largest low-cost carrier by passengers also won the inaugural award, ahead of the same 13 budget airlines. The win builds on AirAsia's success earlier this year when it secured WTA’s first ever Asia's Leading Low-Cost Airline Cabin Crew award and in 2015, when it became the first ever low-cost carrier to win Asia's Leading Cabin Crew, ahead of full-service carriers like Singapore Airlines, Korean Air and Cathay Pacific.World's Leading Low-Cost Airline Cabin Crew AirAsia Group Chief Commercial Officer Siegtraund Teh and AirAsia senior cabin crew Rosita Sulaiman accepted the awards at a gala ceremony held at the JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay in Vietnam yesterday. Also present were AirAsia Berhad executive chairman Datuk Kamarudin Meranun, AirAsia Group CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, AirAsia Berhad independent non-executive director Dato' Fam Lee Ee and AirAsia's Vietnam joint venture partner Tran Trong Kien. AirAsia Group CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes (above) said, “I am very proud to stand here today to receive our fifth WTA World’s Leading Low-Cost Airline award in as many years. I’ve always said we are the world’s true low-cost champion, and I’m thrilled to see I’m not the only one and the industry agrees with me. And we will only get better as we continue on our digitalisation journey to better understand what our guests want and to make flying a richer, more enjoyable experience, as we continue to strive to provide world-class service at the lowest fares.”
Tony Fernandes “AirAsia is poised to become an important part of how people fly in Japan”
AirAsia Japan, the Japanese affiliate of the world’s best low-cost carrier, is back in business with its maiden service from AirAsia Japan’s main hub in Nagoya to Sapporo – the capital of northern Hokkaido prefecture. The twice-daily service will commence on 29 October 2017. Group CEO Tony Fernandes (pictured above) said, “It’s great to be back in Japan. It hasn't been easy, and I want to thank my partners Rakuten, Octave, Noevir and Alpen for their support and patience. Many people thought we would give up and not bother but we owe it to the people of Japan and our staff to keep going. This took a long time but, like good wine, all good things take time and we are off the taxiway and ready to take off. “Japan is a fantastic market with amazing people, culture and food, but one that has been underserved in the budget segment for too long. I believe Japan is ready for a true low-cost experience, and AirAsia will be at the forefront of that revolution, starting with today’s route launch. With new partners who share our vision, I have no doubt that AirAsia is poised to become an important part of how people fly in Japan.”
Cambodian uni opens “Tony Fernandes School of Business”
The University of Cambodia has named its business school after AirAsia's group CEO, Tony Fernandes. The university unveiled the "Tony Fernandes School of Business" and its accompanying logo this week, along with a lecture hall within the school which is named after AirAsia. Fernandes had earlier been conferred an Honorary Doctorate in Management by the university for his work in developing air travel in the ASEAN region. "What an amazing honour to be recognised by the University of Cambodia. I'm not sure I deserve to have a school named after me but I hope the students here will be inspired by what they can achieve if they believe the unbelievable, dream the impossible and never take no for an answer," said Fernandes. This week AirAsia announced plans to launch flights Sihanoukville, its third destination in Cambodia.
Should we Expect Mandatory Vaccinations for Travel to Asia?
Air Asia’s Tony Fernandes expects countries in Asia to demand Covid-19 vaccinations as a requirement for inbound travel. Speaking at a CAPA – Centre for Aviation event, the budget carrier’s chief said these conditions are expected to become a trend across the region. Fernandes’ comments contrast with earlier remarks by Qantas CEO Alan Joyce, who said Covid-19 vaccinations will be a requirement to board the Australian carrier’s international flights. The Air Asia CEO argues the onus should instead lie with countries. “It’s not up to the airlines to decide. It is for governments to decide. It’ll be the country that will decide if they will allow people to come in if they are not vaccinated,” said Fernandes. While vaccines are pending a wider rollout, airlines have been advocating for pre-flight testing and travel bubbles as an alternative to demand-sapping quarantines. Additionally, carriers including Air Asia have unveiled digital passes to streamline health document checks and determine eligibility to travel into a foreign country. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is also in the final stages of developing an industry-standard health pass to support the safe reopening of borders. Vaccination rollout is beginning in many countries, like the UK, the US, China, Russia, and others, therefore it is normal to expect airlines or governments to ask for vaccination in order to be travelling internationally and considering the recent developments with apps and other tools to track testing and vaccination I think that is the way it will be when boarders around the world fully re-open.
Australia’s FACTS Summit & Expo hits three major milestones
The FACTS Summit & Expo recently hit three significant milestones over the past week by way of its 100th confirmed speaker, 100th exhibitor, and 1,000th registered delegate. These milestones are helping boost anticipation for this year’s event which has been scheduled for 25th and 26th November at ICC Sydney. FACTS co-founder Derek Sadubin said the triple milestone reflects the growing importance of collaboration and innovation across the corporate travel sector. Sadubin declared: “Hitting 100 speakers, 100 exhibitors and 1,000 delegates milestones in the past week shows there’s a big appetite for fresh thinking and practical dialogue across our business travel and events community. It’s proof that travel, events, and aviation are not just bouncing back: they’re reinventing themselves. We can’t wait to welcome our industry to what’s become Australia’s largest business travel and events expo and summits in just four weeks’ time.” Who’s who As the countdown continues, the FACTS team is preparing for record attendance and a vibrant program of keynotes, debates, and networking sessions across the two-day event. Described as “the meeting place for the business travel and events community in Australasia”, FACTS 2025 brings together leaders from corporate travel procurement, business events, aviation, travel payments and technology to explore the industry’s most dynamic year yet. The 100-strong speaker lineup includes industry heavyweights and innovators from across Australia and the region, including: Cam Wallace, Chief Executive Officer, Qantas International and Freight Suzanne Neufang, CEO, Global Business Travel Association Tony Fernandes, CEO, AirAsia Group Simon Baptist, Principal Economist Asia Pacific, Visa Melissa Elf, Global COO, and MD ANZ, Flight Centre Corporate Simon Hickey, CEO, Western Sydney Airport Jo Sully, CEO Australia & New Zealand, Corporate Travel Management Roger Sharp, Chair, Technology Queenstown Massimo Morin Global Head of Travel, AWS Travel & Hospitality Each of these speakers brings deep expertise on topics ranging including: The future of aviation and new energy Corporate travel sustainability and climate alignment Procurement reimagined: dynamic sourcing and value creation The rise of travel technology and data-driven program management Showcasing the future of business travel FACTS 2025 will also feature Australia’s largest dedicated Business Travel & Events Expo, showcasing over 100 providers of travel technology, hotels, airlines, meetings, and sustainability solutions shaping the future of corporate travel. It’ll be a vibrant marketplace for travel procurement, meetings & events buyers, and industry to connect. Big hitters in the FACTS Expo include, Accor Pacific, Amadeus, American Express, American Express Global Business Travel, AWS, Corporate Travel Management, Cvent, Destination NSW, Enterprise, Europcar, FCM Travel, Marriott, Mastercard, NAB, Qantas, SAP Concur, Singapore Airlines, Uber for Business, Virgin Australia, Visa, Webjet Business Travel, Westpac, and many more.
AirAsia parent firm Capital A releases Q2-2025 financials
Capital A Berhad reported its unaudited financial results for the second quarter ended 30th June on Thursday, 28th August Considering how Q2 is normally considered a seasonally weak quarter, the Group recorded a revenue of RM4.8 billion, RM1.1 billion in EBITDA and Net Operating Profit of RM671 million. Profit After Tax (PAT) for the quarter was RM1.5 billion, a substantial turnaround from the RM543 million loss after taxes in Q2-2024, boosted by a RM0.9 billion foreign exchange gain. Highlights from Q2-2025 Aviation revenue dropped by three percent year-on-year (YoY) to RM 4.5 billion, largely due to weaker tourism and safety concerns in Thailand. Excluding Thailand, revenue would have increased by two percent YoY. Nevertheless, EBITDA was up 32 percent from a year ago to RM931 million, achieving a 21 percent margin, driven by lower fuel prices, stronger Asean currencies and ongoing cost optimisation. Likewise, PAT swung to RM884 million from a RM552 million loss in 2Q2024. Meanwhile, load factor held steady at 82 percent as capacity increased by eight percent YoY, while the number of passengers fell marginally by one percent YoY to 15.5 million due to softness in Thailand Likewise, average fare declined by four percent YoY to RM229, largely due to Thailand and the change of capacity mix to more domestic. Ancillary per passenger improved by two percent YoY to RM51, while ancillary revenue grew by three percent YoY, making up 19 percent of aviation revenue. This was driven by cargo revenue rising 49 percent on improved belly utilisation and better data personalisation Overall CASK fell eight percent YoY to USc4.50, largely driven by lower fuel prices and returning to a normal maintenance profile Overall fleet size grew by one aircraft to 226 aircraft, with 206 active aircraft. The executives weigh in Group CEO of AirAsia Aviation Group Bo Lingam remarked that the second quarter demonstrated the resilience of Capital A’s aviation business. Lingam said: “We offset slower demand in Thailand and lower fares from returning capacity with disciplined cost management and strong ancillary growth, supported by favourable fuel and forex trends. Load factor remains high as we bring capacity back online and align supply with market needs. Core short-haul demand held firm, boosted by the summer peak in North Asia, regional festivities and long weekends in Malaysia and other key markets.” He further expressed confidence that this momentum will carry into the second half, with the fourth quarter historically being the airline business’ strongest. With regard to AirAsia’s Thai market, Lingam said: “Thailand remains an important market for us, and we intend to hold our market share, especially domestically, at 40 percent through targeted capacity redeployment into domestic and to India, as well as refined pricing strategies. We are expecting Thailand to see a rebound from the fourth quarter onwards.” For his part, Capital A chief executive Tony Fernandes lauded the company for delivering strong results in what is usually their weakest quarter. Fernandes enthused: “Aviation’s back on track, and we’re close to returning to our full fleet strength. Add to that, almost all our Capital A Companies are profitable at PAT level, and we have strong earnings potential. Now that we’ve steadied the ship, it’s all about growth.” The chief executive added that the goal for the next six months is for the company to get all its aircraft back, grow its operations in the Philippines and Indonesia, and return the share of AirAsia on MOVE to 60 percent in order to grow ancillary revenue. At present, the company is currently working on a rated bond and securing local debt to restructure its COVID-era financing which dragged down its profits. Fernandes added: “On the aviation disposal, we are on the last leg of restructuring. At the moment, we’re in the process of responding to some feedback from the Thai SEC, and we hope to resolve any outstanding matters soon.”
Capital A signs partnership with Food Empire Holdings
Travel-centric investment holding firm Capital A Berhad and global instant beverage producer Food Empire Holdings recently entered a strategic partnership to co-develop and launch a new range of ready-to-drink beverages. The collaboration was formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding between their respective subsidiaries Santan Food Services Sdn Bhd and Empire International Sdn Bhd. Capital A chief executive Tony Fernandes remarked: “This partnership reflects our belief in the power of Asean—its culture, its flavours, and its people. By combining Food Empire’s global expertise with Santan’s regional insights, we’re not just launching a drink; we’re creating a product that tells a story of heritage, innovation, and ambition. We want every sip to remind people of what this region can offer the world.” Santan CEO Catherine Goh added: “Santan is passionate about making quality food and beverages accessible to all, whether in the air or on the ground. This partnership with Food Empire allows us to bring a beloved regional favourite, Vietnamese iced coffee, to more people in a way that balances bold taste with modern convenience. We’re excited to co-create a product that celebrates the rich heritage of Vietnamese iced coffee while upholding our shared commitment to quality, authenticity, value and elevating everyday moments with exceptional taste.” For his part, Food Empire’s executive chair Tan Wang Cheow pointed out that the collaboration with Santan aligns with their company’s strategy to cater to consumer trends and bring an authentic CaféPHỐ Vietnamese coffee experience on AirAsia flights. Tan declared: “We are excited to bring our global manufacturing expertise and market insights into a partnership that celebrates the flavours and aspirations of the ASEAN region.” Empire International director Pradeep Chauhan added: “Teaming up with Santan unlocks new growth opportunities by combining Food Empire’s strong product development expertise with Capital A’s distribution strength. We look forward to bringing the taste of authentic, high-quality Vietnamese coffee directly to consumers, whether they are flying or shopping." A taste of Vietnam in flight This partnership kicks off with a Vietnamese iced coffee product which will be sold aboard AirAsia flights and through retail channels across the region. With evolving consumer preferences in mind, both parties aim to deliver authentic and great-tasting Vietnamese iced coffee products that cater to modern lifestyle trends, including healthier options with less sugar. Likewise, the collaboration paves the way for Santan and Food Empire to explore further co-branded and private label initiatives across a wider range of beverages and snack products. The initial product rollout will span both in-flight and on-ground touchpoints: Inflight: Passengers flying with AirAsia can look forward to a co-branded Vietnamese iced coffee experience onboard, combining regional authenticity with convenience and quality; and On-ground FMCG: The same product line will also be made available at selected retail outlets under the Santan brand, offering a consistent and accessible consumer experience beyond AirAsia flights.
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