AirAsia bags World’s Best Low-Cost Airline award for 15th consecutive year

LONDON: AirAsia has again been named the World’s Best Low-Cost Airline at the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2024, marking its fifteenth consecutive win in the low-cost carrier segment globally.

The airline also secured the title of Best Low-Cost Airline in Asia at the ceremony held near Heathrow Airport, in Britain.

The accolade was given in recognition of AirAsia’s leadership in promoting connectivity and revitalising tourism across the Asean region.

In accepting the award at the ceremony, Capital A chief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said AirAsia has strived to be ahead of the curve, taking the challenging path to redefine and democratise access to air travel.

He noted that it has been inspiring to witness the growth of the industry over the years since its inception.

AirAsia began in 2001 when Fernandes and Datuk Kamarudin Meranun acquired the ailing airline with two aircraft and 200 staff, transforming it into the fourth largest in Asia, with over 200 aircraft and 21,000 staff across Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Cambodia.

“Driven by the purpose of redefining air travel in Asean by providing affordability, inclusivity and accessibility, AirAsia is among the foremost in the region championing connectivity and the revitalisation of tourism,” Fernandes said at the ceremony.

Leveraging its 23-year track record of disruptive multi-hub operations in Asia, he highlighted that the carrier continues to deliver significant improvements in customer experience, thanks to continual enhancements in booking and journey touchpoints as well as innovative ancillary services.

“Additionally, the ongoing reactivation of our fleet and the delivery of new aircraft in the coming months will enable AirAsia to explore new destinations, potentially expanding routes across Africa and Europe.

“We also acknowledge the challenges as we continue to rebuild the airline from the worst crisis in aviation history, but today we’ve emerged stronger.

“Travel is back, the sky’s the limit, and we are working hard to be even bigger and better than ever,” he said.

He attributed the achievement to the airline’s staff of 21,000 employees and 800 million passengers, who continued to support AirAsia despite many challenges over the last few years. — BK