Tony Fernandes CEO Blog

Here's a letter which makes it all worthwhile. These were the ideals that started AirAsia and fired us with passion.

Dear Mr. Fernandes,

I would like to thank you and your airline for the wonderful service in evacuating us from Padang on Thursday October 1st, 2009. Myself and 30 others had been abandoned by Tiger Airways in an airport with toilets with no water (toilets choked and putrid), no air conditioning in the heat and humidity and the main ceiling of the airport which had collapsed.While the cowards at Tiger Airways left us behind, your airline, got us to safety, which we and our loved ones are all very thankful and happy about.What made this even more challenging, was that all ATM's, credit card facilities and money changing services were closed or not functioning.

We pooled our Rupiah to buy tickets on Air Asia, of which a couple of tourists got left behind to wait two nights at the Padang airport until Tiger airways finally returns (we hope for their sake). As i was on a business trip to Padang, I had additional rupiah to purchase two German tourists tickets on Air Asia to KL.Upon arriving in KL, we purchased Air Asia tickets with our credit cards to get back home to Singapore (the German tourist got their connecting flights in Singapore and were very relieved)I have written to the press in Australia and Singapore applauding your wonderful service, and i hope some good PR comes of this, as your Airline well deserves it.

Once again, thank you and thank you Air Asia.

We just do what we have to do to help people. We have many who constantly barrage us with attacks and put us down. But when you get a letter like this, it makes it all worth it. This operation to ferry loved ones in and those requiring help out is an ASEAN project. This is what ASEAN is all about, an airline run by ASEAN staff reaching out to an ASEAN community that is in need of help. The ideals that communities can unite beyond language and cultural differences and be globally responsible citizens are what drives ASEAN. This is evidence of how ASEAN can be so powerful in making a difference in all communities that we need to reach out to if we all work together.

Have been getting a lot of reactions on the net and by people on the street on the nation's involvement in the motorsports world of Formula One. Next week, I am looking forward to share my thoughts on why Formula One is important to Malaysia.

Well done to all my 8000 ASEAN staff. You have made an old man very proud. Keep being an All Star in your roles and in the lives of people you touch.