AirAsia wins anew as world’s best low-cost airline
LONDON – AirAsia has been named the World’s Best Low-Cost Airline for the tenth year in a row.
AirAsia won the accolade at the 2018 Skytrax World Airline Awards, held Tuesday, July 17 at The Langham, London.
The Skytrax Awards are the global benchmark of airline excellence with over 20.36 million customers surveyed worldwide by more than 105 nationalities, measuring standards across 49 key performance indicators of an airline’s frontline products and services.
AirAsia co-founder, Executive Chairman of AirAsia Group Berhad, and Group CEO of AirAsia X Datuk Kamarudin Meranun accepted the award in London together with AirAsia’s long-serving Allstars from across the region.
The four selected Allstars were Acting Head of Ground Operations Ahmad Bin Ismail from Malaysia (17 years of service), Assistant Cabin Crew Manager Robert Anthony Gutierrez from the Philippines (7 years of service), Head of ICT Pipat Khunprakan from Thailand, AirAsia’s first staff in Thailand (15 years of service) and Assistant Flight Dispatch Manager Koji Kaneko who dispatched AirAsia Japan’s very first flight (4 years of service).
Datuk Kamarudin Meranun said he is honored to celebrate the record-breaking tenth win with their Allstars who have been with them on this journey since the early days.
“This moment feels surreal. I remember the ecstatic feeling of being named the world’s best low-cost airline for the very first time ten years ago. I would have never imagined we would remain the world’s best for a decade. Thank you for your tremendous love and support. We will continue to champion low fares and hopefully transform many more lives in the process,” he said.
AirAsia X was also presented World’s Best Low-Cost Airline Premium Cabin for the sixth consecutive year. Chairwoman of AirAsia X Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz accepted the award for AirAsia X.
Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz said any success and achievement by the AirAsia Group and AirAsia X Group is a direct contribution of every Allstar.
“It is important that levels of competency, efficiency, and performance be continuously enhanced and upgraded so that the companies will be able to maintain their worldclass status in the highly competitive regional and global aviation industry,” she said.
AirAsia also took home Asia’s Best Low-Cost Airline, received by Deputy Group CEO (Airline Business) Bo Lingam who joined AirAsia in 2001 as a Ground Operations Manager.
AirAsia also brings the celebration to major hub airports, namely KL International Airport 2 (KLIA2), Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, and Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok from 17 - 22 July, with boarding pass-enabled photobooths and a chance of winning tickets to their dream AirAsia destination.
As part of the celebration, AirAsia will be offering low fares on July 23 - 29 on www.airasia.com and AirAsia mobile app. Guests also stand a chance to win one year of free flights by participating in the #WeAreAllChampions social media contest.
Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach joined the #WeAreAllChampions celebration in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
"Pia exudes confidence and is never afraid to express her opinion. I am honored to be her pilot when she flew in from Manila to Kuala Lumpur via AirAsia flight this morning, and very proud that a Filipina, our queen, who possess both beauty and brain, is joining our celebration," AirAsia Philippines CEO Captain Dexter Comendador said.