AirAsia today stands out as the poster child of low-cost aviation in Southeast Asia and has been described by industry observers throughout the years as one of the true pioneers of budget flying in Asia, as well as the first carrier to truly succeed with the model. Behind the experienced leadership of CEO Tony Fernandes, who remains at the company's helm today, AirAsia was able to grow into what is today the largest airline in Malaysia , operating an impressive fleet of over 250 aircraft and serving over 160 destinations in 25 countries. Get all the latest aviation news from Simple Flying! In 2024, AirAsia has subsidiaries across the region, many of which have been successful and recognized for their high quality of service for a low-cost carrier.
According to the carrier , Skytrax has consistently rated AirAsia as the world's best low-cost carrier, having given it this award for fifteen consecutive years. Despite what seems like decades of success, AirAsia's foundation and early years were not nearly as glamorous, and back in 2001, the carrier's existence was hanging by a thread amid extensive financial difficulties. It was at this time that the legendary CEO, Tony Fernandes, took over the company and capitalized on novel management and expansion strategies that helped completely turn around the airline's fortunes.
Let's take a deeper look at the changes Fernandes made to help turn AirAsia into the successful airline it is today. Foundations, early difficulties, and Fernande.