AirAsia Credits Its Success To Najib And Calls Him The "Father Of Low-Cost Air Travel"
After receiving the title, Najib promised to help the low-cost carrier industry flourish.
By John Lim — 02 Mar 2018, 01:02 PM
AirAsia, the leading low-cost carrier in the country, has attributed its success to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's leadership and policies
Speaking at the official launch of RedQ, the airlines' headquarters in Sepang yesterday, AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes thanked the government for its support and endorsement of the low-cost airline.
"We have come a long way since we started with two planes 16 years ago. How have we done it? Great staff, great low-cost model but most importantly, great government, great policies, and a great leader who puts the people first," Fernandes said as quoted by Malay Mail Online.
Fernandes goes on by saying that Najib's stewardship has led to a booming and sustainable economy while providing equal job opportunities for all Malaysians
"That is the kind of Malaysia we want to see — a high income, highly skilled Malaysia, blazing the trail for Asean and beyond in the 21st century, and aspiring to be a top 20 nation by 2050 in line with Transformasi Nasional 50 (TN50).
“We have the ambition, we have the talent, we have the right leadership to steer the country and the economy. We’re now seeing the ringgit at 3.91 to the dollar and we’re loving it," he said.
Fernandes then named Najib as the "Father of Low-Cost Air Travel", to which the PM said he was honoured and promised to continue helping the low-cost carrier sector to flourish
"Thank you for 'bestowing' me this title. Now that you have given me the title, I will have to look after you. The Malaysian government and my colleague (Transport Minister Datuk Seri) Liow Tiong Lai will ensure that you thrive and succeed beyond our wildest imagination," he was quoted as saying by New Straits Times.
Najib commented that he, just like Fernandes, has similar responsibilities.
"The government must act as the enabler and facilitator to embark on policies which create support, ecosystem and ambience for the private sector not only to survive but to thrive."
Najib also praised AirAsia for being the first in the airline industry to spearhead different initiatives, including the recently-introduced facial recognition check-in system
"With all this focus and technology solutions in its operations, I am not surprised to learn of AirAsia’s aim to be a major tech player in its own right. As I understand, the plan is to consolidate the digital businesses under an entity called RedBeat Ventures... this is indeed a smart move," he said.
RedBeat Ventures is a new wing under the AirAsia umbrella, focusing on growing the company's digital assets.