After only 23 years in operation, AirAsia is now the fourth largest airline in Asia.
AirAsia has been recognized as the World’s Best Low-Cost Airline at the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2024, marking a historic 15th consecutive win. This achievement is driven by AirAsia’s pursuit of innovation and value creation within the low-cost carrier segment.
AirAsia began in 2001 when Tony Fernandes and Kamarudin Meranun bought an ailing airline with two aircraft and 200 staff members and turned it into the fourth largest in Asia, with more than 200 aircraft and 21,000 staff across Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Cambodia and more.
Driven by the purpose of redefining air travel in the Asean by providing affordability, inclusivity, and accessibility, AirAsia is among the foremost in the region championing connectivity and the revitalization of tourism. Recently, AirAsia Group also launched its fifth airline, AirAsia Cambodia.
In accepting the award at a ceremony in London on Monday, Capital A CEO Tony Fernandes said: “Skytrax champions global standards for airline quality and excellence, and we are thrilled to have risen to this benchmark for the 15th consecutive year. No other companies come to my mind in having achieved such a winning streak, and we are very proud of it. Our guests mean the world to us, and we are reinvigorated by the confidence they have shown by voting for us again. We look forward to continuing to serve many millions more this year alone, with high quality at the best cost.”
AirAsia’s commitment to enhancing the guest experience is underpinned by its world-class safety standards and ongoing operational improvements thanks to the robust ecosystem that has been built to support the airline business including engineering services, in-flight catering, cargo and logistics, ground operations and others.
Leveraging its 23-year track record of disruptive multi-hub operations in Asia, AirAsia continues to deliver solid improvements in customer experience thanks to continual enhancements in the booking and journey touchpoints, as well as innovative ancillary services.
Additionally, the ongoing reactivation of its 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.
Tony dedicated this award to the AirAsia Allstars and its loyal guests. “AirAsia is made up of thousands of dreamers, all working towards the single vision of ensuring that everybody can fly. Since our inception, AirAsia has strived to be ahead of the curve, taking the challenging path to redefine and democratize access to air travel, and it is inspiring to witness the growth of this industry over the years.”
He added, ” “Thanks to Skytrax, this fantastic accolade is a tribute to what makes us the world’s best – our 21,000 Allstars and our 800 million guests, who continue to support us despite the many challenges we have faced over the last few years.”
Edward Plaisted, CEO of Skytrax said, “Being named both the World’s Best Low-Cost Airline and the Best Low-Cost Airline in Asia for a record 15 times is a true reflection of their dedication to providing quality, affordable travel options to customers throughout Asia. This is a most competitive and fast-growing market for low-cost airlines, further underlining AirAsia’s success.”
The Skytrax World Airline Awards, known as the Oscars of the aviation industry, are determined by millions of international travelers. As a global benchmark of airline quality and excellence, the final award results include more than 325 airlines with AirAsia emerging on top in its category.
Over 100 customer nationalities participated in the 2023-2024 online survey, with 21.42 million eligible entries counted in the results from September 2023 to May 2024, a period when AirAsia was steadily increasing its network back to over 130 destinations.
