Connecting People, Connecting Hearts
A little over 21 years ago, history was about to be made by two gentlemen from the music industry who would go on to revolutionise the aviation industry in Asia. Tony Fernandes and Datuk Kamarudin Meranun bought AirAsia for a mere RM1 on 8 September 21 years ago, when it was RM40 million in debt and in the course of two decades, transformed it to the tech and lifestyle giant that it is today. In the last 21 years and counting, we’ve proudly flown more than 700 million guests and counting to all over the globe, and have evolved from a 2-aircraft airline to a one-stop-shop platform to include e-hailing services, food delivery, logistics, fintech and airline engineering & maintenance – just to name a few. We’re humbled by the immense support and recognition that we’ve received as the people’s airline. Read on to hear from some of our very first Allstars and stay tuned for special campaign surprises we have lined up.
We’ve got your back – From Day 1 Till Now
21 years, 252 months and 7,674 days – that’s how long these Allstars have been with the AirAsia family. Without a shadow of doubt, they knew they were going to be a part of something special, and life hasn’t been the same since. As AirAsia celebrated its momentous born day, these beloved Allstars look back on their unforgettable journey with us.
Tony Fernandes, CEO of Capital A
“What a ride it has been! 21 incredibly meaningful years and a loyal family that I could not be more proud of and thankful for. Like every family, we’ve had some tough times. These last few years have been unimaginably challenging – we went from flying 90 million passengers a year to having to ground our entire fleet at one point due to the pandemic. There are no words to express just how grateful I am to my dedicated Allstars for weathering through these times and to our loyal guests who’ve supported us and chosen us over and over again. I always say – we never waste a crisis, or let it get us down. Our people are at the heart of everything we do and here we are still standing, celebrating our 21st birthday, still steading on and stronger than ever. A true testament to that.”
Bo Lingam, Group CEO of AirAsia Aviation Group Limited
“Of all the things I’m most proud of, the fact that we connected many millions of people with their loved ones and opened the eyes of youngsters to a whole new world of adventures and experiences really tops the list. It’s things like these that drive us to strive harder to reach greater heights. It all started with a dream, and now we’ve made and continue to make so many dreams come true. We’ve done what was once deemed impossible and paved the way for affordable travel enabling everyone to fly, so the sky really is the limit for us! Here’s to many more years of connecting incredible people to incredible places.”
Suhaila Hassan, AirAsia Group Head of Cabin Crew
“I remember my very first day at AirAsia like it was yesterday. It was a mixture of exhilaration, wonder and excitement for what the future held. Low-cost travel wasn’t really heard of in SouthEast Asia back then and when we carried our passengers to their destination, we also carried with us their hopes and dreams. We played a pivotal role in providing everyone with the right to experience air travel – many of them for the first time. Even today, each time I see one of our planes, my heart fills with pride and joy. We’ve come so far from where we began and the future’s only going to get better. Finally, there are blue skies ahead once again”
Aman Zakaria, Inflight Ancillary and Engagement Specialist
“From my time as a Cabin Crew with AirAsia in its early days to my current role as an Engagement Specialist, I can’t help but reminisce about all the wonderful memories I got to make with my Allstar family over the years. In the many flights I flew on, I met guests from different walks of life, all of whom had a story to tell about their travels with us, and one thing always remained constant – AirAsia united us all. We created opportunities for life-changing experiences for regular folk like you or me that never imagined in their wildest dreams that they’d get to fly.”
Adilah Abdul Rahim, Senior Cabin Crew
“Wow, what can I say that would do justice to the 21 years that we’ve been in the air? Home is where AirAsia is for a lot of us, which speaks volumes to the unity that we embody. It has been an extraordinary journey from our humble beginnings in 2001 to surviving the pandemic and coming out stronger than ever. Thank you AirAsia. My love and gratitude for you is forever etched in my heart.”
A Celebratory-Worthy Campaign (And An Exciting Unveil)
To celebrate this historic birthday, AirAsia has launched a heartfelt new campaign with the underlying message ‘Some things never change’. Through this campaign, we come together, near and far, as we reminisce about the impact AirAsia has had on our lives as a homegrown company that constantly strives to uphold its values as a brand that brings the masses together.
In the upcoming weeks leading up to a grand unveil, AirAsia will be treating folks all over town with several days of activities, games and a walk down memory lane – literally. Be prepared for a wave of nostalgia to hit you with the experiences we have planned, and whip up your camera to snap instagrammable memories to keep and to hold. In true AirAsia style, freebies and FREE flights to our much sought-after destinations are up for grabs so watch this space.
