Tony Fernandes Vows To Rehire Retrenched AirAsia Workers Before He Retires

AirAsia boss Tony Fernandes has set a goal of rehiring the roughly 2,000 employees the company retrenched last year before he retires. He said he’s confident it can be done once the airline industry returns to normal and through the aid of AirAsia’s other businesses.

“We had the tragedy of losing 2,000 staff through COVID-19. Before I retire, I must make sure that I hire everyone back,” he said at the RESET 2021 virtual conference, according to Bernama.

Last week, in a Facebook video, Fernandes pleaded for more time from customers requesting flight refunds even as he reminded them that AirAsia had to let go 10% of its staff.

During RESET 2021, he pointed to AirAsia’s pioneering culture – the first ASEAN airline to have female pilots, and the only airline of its size in the world to have a union. He declared that talent was the most important aspect of AirAsia.

“We may not have the right amount of cash but we certainly make up for it with [the right] talent, people, passion and the ability to believe that we can do anything,” Fernandes said.

Stuck with grounded planes and hit with steep losses, AirAsia has dedicated itself to many different ventures from food delivery (airasia food) to even a search for a virtual idol. And Fernandes recently confirmed that e-hailing would be another addition.

Tony Fernandes Says AirAsia Ready To Help With Vaccination Efforts

AirAsia boss Tony Fernandes said the company is looking forward to playing an “active role” in vaccination efforts. He also expressed optimism for the airline industry’s recovery after Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin today became the first person in the country to be vaccinated.

Fernandes said AirAsia’s logistics arm, Teleport, was ready to assist in any way, including by transporting vaccines from China and Russia when they’re available, and distributing them in countries including Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and India.

He also offered the services of AirAsia pilots and cabin crew for the vaccination campaign, noting their first aid training and the fact that they haven’t been able to fly as much as before. “They can surely provide valuable help to the frontliners and this is what being unconventional is about,” he said.

Fernandes urged the public to embrace vaccination so that recovery is made possible for the tourism industry. He said the campaign provided the clearest, most tangible indication of when the pandemic will be brought under control and normalcy will return.

Eager to have AirAsia in the skies again, he foresees “an international air travel reset in the very near future” – thanks to global vaccination efforts, better education and testing, digital health passports, and other factors.

The AirAsia boss said that he intends to get vaccinated himself, and asked the public to trust scientists and experts, while rejecting misinformation about the vaccines.