AirAsia Group has received the prestigious award for Top Low-Cost Carrier (LCC) in Asia for 2024 by AirlineRatings.com. The annual Airline Excellence Awards recognize outstanding achievements in the airline industry, and this accolade highlights AirAsia’s remarkable growth and success.
AirAsia’s Remarkable Journey
Founded in 2001 by Datuk Kamarudin Meranun and Tony Fernandes with just two planes, AirAsia has grown tremendously over the past two decades. Starting from Kuala Lumpur, the airline has navigated various challenges, including regulatory and competitive pressures. It has democratized air travel and redefined the low-cost carrier landscape in ASEAN and beyond. AirAsia now operates full-fledged airlines in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Cambodia.
AirAsia Group and its affiliate medium-haul airlines have transformed the rules for airlines in Asia and beyond. Today, they operate over 255 aircraft, flying to more than 165 destinations. This expansion has made air travel affordable for nearly 800 million passengers throughout Asia and the Asia-Pacific region.
AirlineRatings.com Editor-in-Chief Geoffrey Thomas remarked that the award was “richly deserved.” He praised the efforts of Tony Fernandes and the executive team, including Group CEO Bo Lingam and AirAsia X CEO Benyamin Ismail, for guiding the airline to its dominant market position. Thomas highlighted the outstanding value and experience offered by AirAsia.
Leadership and Future Plans
Tony Fernandes, CEO of Capital A and Strategic Advisor to the AirAsia Aviation Group, expressed gratitude for the award. “It has been an incredible journey of recovery post the worst commercial aviation crisis the world has ever seen. We are thankful and humbled by this award, which goes out to all of my airline CEOs and senior team members as well as the many thousands of ‘Allstars’ who have gone above and beyond to bring us to where we are now. After surviving many odds, we have put in place the right foundations for important growth and are about to embark on an exciting new journey with plans to fly to the majority of continents.”
Fernandes also mentioned the planned divestment of the AirAsia Aviation Group from Capital A to AirAsia X, calling it a game-changer in the industry. This move aims to ensure high-quality, low-cost air travel for short, medium, and long-haul flights connecting Asia and the Asia-Pacific to the world at the best cost.
Bo Lingam, Group CEO of AirAsia Aviation Group, emphasized that AirAsia continues to push the boundaries of what it means to be a low-cost carrier. “Low cost doesn’t mean low service for our airlines. As travel demand recovers to pre-pandemic levels, we have over 400 new specification aircraft on order to fuel our ambitious growth plans, including flying to places we have never flown before, providing our guests with more value and choice, not only to and from Asia, but across the world.”
Recognition of Team Efforts
Benyamin Ismail, CEO of AirAsia X, acknowledged the hard work of the team in overcoming the pandemic’s extreme effects and emerging stronger. “This award is a strong recognition of the hard work put in by all of our team. We look forward to leveraging strong synergies from Capital A and the AirAsia Aviation Group, which will unlock opportunities for our guests to enjoy the value we deliver as they fly smarter in many of our medium to longer haul markets.”
Ricky Isla, CEO of AirAsia Philippines, thanked the ‘Allstars’ for their dedication. “We owe it to our Allstars for always going the extra mile for our guests. This win is a humble reminder to never rest on our laurels and continue to innovate the products and services to best suit the Filipino market. AirAsia is deeply committed to connecting the underserved communities to destinations across ASEAN and beyond.”
AirAsia’s journey from its humble beginnings to becoming the Top LCC in Asia demonstrates its commitment to providing affordable and quality air travel. The airline continues to innovate and expand, setting a new standard for low-cost carriers worldwide.
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