20 YEARS OF MAKING DREAMS COME TRUE
From ground operations to leading our airline business, from cabin crew to commanding a plane as a Captain, from desktop support to travelling the world with airasia, our long-serving Allstars definitely have some stories to tell! Take a walk down memory lane with some of our Allstars who have been with us since the beginning and find out why #airasianeverstops.
Datuk Kamarudin Meranun, Executive Chairman/Co-Founder, airasia Group
Tell us about this photo.
I remembered Tony and I were like little boys watching the pitch side boards for our ad to appear during the game. It really is a different kind of feeling – being in Old Trafford, sponsoring the greatest football team, and seeing your brand shown to the world. We didn’t have much money to be a title sponsor, but we said that a few seconds on the board is good enough since the games were broadcasted live; that was the same reason why we decided to get our logo on the referee’s sleeve later on. But we did try to milk as much as we could from the deal.
I remembered I would walk around the stadium with the Marketing Director and suggested that they paint the empty spaces red with our logo. It was tough dealing with us but they liked our passion and we gave them new marketing ideas. For the amount we paid, we weren’t supposed to get the players to fly with us or to be on our livery. But because we became more than friends, we did all that and more.
Why do you think airasia never stops?
airasia was born out of a passion for flying. When we bought the airline, we wanted to build something good and we had the desire to win. We were a group of friends with a collective drive, commitment and discipline, and we recruited people with the same mindset.
Tony and I are not going to be around forever, but the innovation and creativity will live on with new blood who share the same idea and passion. These are the ones with new gameplans, who will make things happen, long after we are gone. The airasia brand is entrenched among Allstars and this is why we won’t stop.
Suhaila Hassan, Head, Cabin Crew airasia group
Tell us about this photo.
We came from very humble beginnings. Back then, the flight network was not as extensive as it is now, and having started small too, everyone knew each other really well! Competition was steep before we even became a low-cost carrier as we were trying to fare with premier airlines back in the day, but it never held us back— it helped in the transformation of the airasia that we know today.
Noticeably, we did not start with the color red. Our uniforms were layered with multiple colours and comparing it to our identity today, I would say that we are more vibrant, expressive, and certain with our identity than ever before. When I look back at these photos, I am reminded of how vast the changes were, and how many people had come and gone on to different things, but we still remain lifelong friends to this day. It reminds me that no matter how many changes we go through, the airasia DNA should never fall out of place. But as they say, the more things change, that is not an excuse not to stay the same. It is as if a family that bonded over the years is still the same family.
Why do you think airasia never stops?
Because we have always looked far and beyond our slogan “Now Everyone Can Fly”, and truly understood what this means; not only for Allstars but essentially for people from all walks of life. We continue to grow in every aspect and play an important role in changing lives across Asean. Innovation is in our blood, and this was the driving force that pushed us to do better, and simply be the world’s best.
We owe the pace at which we move people and the brand forward to our Allstars: people who understand what the words “Now Everyone Can Fly” truly mean, people who are passionate about what it takes to make it happen, and people who have taken to heart this undertaking.
Bo Lingam, Group CEO, AirAsia Aviation Limited
Tell us about this photo.
This was taken most probably in 2009. This was the launch of the livery with my face, and Datuk Pahamin officiated the launch. At that time, we used to have ‘best Allstar’ award, and I didn’t know Tony and the Board would choose me as the best Allstar for the year. Past winners included Shan, and Celia, from Macau. We also won Skytrax that year for the first time! Our branding head at that time, William, did this livery. We were travelling in Chiang Mai, and William took a photo of me with his handphone, then they rendered it into this livery. I saw it for the first time as an event backdrop at the academy. I was shocked!
Why do you think airasia never stops?
We are here to serve. We’re in the business of serving the dreams of others, and with our current ecosystem, we allow people to fly, businesses to flourish, and so many dreams to come true. With airasia, the world becomes borderless. When flying used to be a once-in-a-lifetime thing, now people can fly every week. Younger people get to see the world, they get exposed to so many different cultures, we even connect people with their families. That’s so important. People used to have to drive 7 hours to see their family, now it’s just a 40 minute flight away.
We’ve made dreams come true for a lot of people.
Rooha Jami Subramaniam, Safety Enhancement Specialist
Tell us about this photo.
This was when I just joined airasia under DRB-Hicom in 2000. Here, we were standing between the business class (we called it the Perdana zone) and economy seats. People didn’t know airasia as the second national airline at that time. Nobody knew us, but it was so fun. There were 5 crew per flight and it was full-service, so we had to serve all the juice, snacks, and meals all within a 45 minute flight to Langkawi! When we heard that Tony was taking over in 2001, a lot of people left, but a few stayed on. We figured that if Tony is going to start an airline, he’s going to need people to run it.
Why do you think airasia never stops?
Looking at my journey from 2000, from the uncertainty, how determined our leaders were and how, throughout all these years, we had undergone a lot of crisis and difficulties, and we have constantly adapted to these changes. If we are not flexible and if we’re too rigid, we wouldn’t be where we are now. Our spirit of resilience, our never say die attitude, and how we have enabled air transport for the Malaysians and other people, we made that possible.
Adilah Abdul Rahim, Senior Cabin Crew
Tell us about this photo.
This is a throwback to my very first uniform when I was still in DRB-HICOM, before Tony took over the airline. Our uniform then included a jacket, vest, blouse, and scarf. It was designed by famous Malaysian designer Bill Keith. When we swapped the blue and green for the iconic airasia red, we were also given a trolley bag and handbag. There have been lots of changes from the first uniform and we even had a weekend uniform which was blouse and jeans!
Why do you think airasia never stops?
airasia will never stop because I believe learning is a never-ending journey and that’s what we do. You have to keep going, that’s the airasia mindset. I like to say that airasia always soars above the rest while maintaining altitude and attitude.
Ravindran Thiagarajah, Desktop Support
Tell us about this photo.
This is the first picture I have taken with Tony in 2009. It was taken in front of our first Airbus in LCCT.
Why do you think airasia never stops?
We are dynamic and there are always new ventures and wonders with Tony’s amazing ideas and beliefs. Also, we have some incredible Allstars that keep airasia moving forward!
Mohd Noor Ezanie Yahaya, Captain
Tell us about this photo.
Back then, we were like a small, close-knitted family. When we were on duty, we never felt tired. Whether it was a long or short flight, we always felt happy. We interacted a lot with guests and made everyone feel welcomed on the flight, like they are at home.
Of course now as a Captain, I rarely get to engage with our guests, there is no eye contact or personal interaction. But I do what I can from the cockpit through the pilot announcement. Over the years, we have changed a lot but I hope our guests still feel at home whenever they are flying with us.
Why do you think airasia never stops?
airasia never stops giving opportunities for Allstars to grow and has always trusted its people in making things happen.
Ahmad Faizal Ahmad Seth, Senior Cabin Crew
Tell us about this photo.
This was from one of our wet drills at the Aquatic Centre in Shah Alam in the early 2000s. This was long before airasia had its own training facility at CAE; so I can say that we have trained in the same pool as athletes! I remember the pool was really deep and the water was so greenish that you could not see the bottom of it. Since we get to do this once every three years, it felt more like a fun road trip with your batchmates.
Why do you think airasia never stops?
I really appreciate the company for the past two years even though we were badly hit by the pandemic. But look at us, we’re still surviving, progressing with different businesses, and my fellow cabin crew and myself have started flying again! We always find a way to keep pushing despite the crises we’ve faced – SARS, H1N1, financial crisis. We never stop in any difficult situations.
Aman Zakaria, Cabin Crew Culture & Communications Specialist
Tell us about this photo.
This was taken during our first photoshoot – to be used for airasia’s first advertisements, flyers, and so on. I had joined airasia less than 1 year at that point.
Why do you think airasia never stops?
I think it’s the airasia spirit that’s within all of us, all crew, all staff. No matter what happens, this is what makes us stronger!
Salmi Sahanim Halimi, Senior Cabin Crew
Tell us about this photo.
It is fun walking down memory lane looking for photos from years ago. My late father always looked for news clippings with photos of me or news on airasia and kept it all these years. This was from 2003 when we did the groundbreaking ceremony for airasia’s simulator complex, or better known as CAE, in Sepang. Being able to witness this milestone together with former airasia Chairman Datuk Pahamin was an honour because this is the place where our crew are trained and groomed to be today’s world’s best!
Why do you think airasia never stops?
I am blessed to have such creative, innovative leaders and Allstars. Everyone is a team player and we work together to achieve the vision that makes up the great brand we are today. I would say ‘Dream the impossible’ is really our motto; we dream, we brace through challenges, and we make it happen. This is why airasia will never stop being around in the future.
Tony Fernandes, Chief Executive Officer/Co-Founder, airasia Group
Tell us about this photo.
Oh, wow. I honestly can’t remember much about this moment. But I know this was taken during the launch of our first international flight to Phuket in 2003. I was a lot skinnier back then. Had more hair too. I was probably thinking about how we can get more routes to grow because full service carriers were blocking us.
Why do you think airasia never stops?
It’s for the people. It’s for the Allstars. We can have ten thousand reasons to stop, but if we have one reason to keep going, we’ll never stop. We’re here to connect the underserved and change lives in Asean. When I meet people who made dreams come true because of airasia, could go to places, try something new, Allstars who create their dream careers; that’s why we keep going and we never stop.