AirAsia tops Aviation Week’s Top Performing Airlines Report

The low cost carrier received TPA’s highest score and emerges as overall top scorer

SEPANG, 5 JULY 2012 – At AirAsia, we have won many international accolades. In fact, we've made a habit of it -- as highlighted most emphatically by winning the "World's Best Low Cost Carrier" award for Skytrax three years in a row.

But even we were somewhat taken aback at our latest success. Aviation Week, the highly influential aviation industry magazine in the United States, announced AirAsia as the winner in the magazine's Top-Performing Airlines 2012 report, the leading annual rankings and competitive analysis for the global airline industry. Yes, the global airline industry!

We emerged top, beating out other longer-established and once-renowned airlines such as Singapore Airlines and Ryanair, Europe's largest low cost carrier. AirAsia was also ranked highest in the US $250 million-$2 billion annual revenue category.

Why is this award so special? Because it is not the usual awards handed out for service or customer satisfaction. This award is based on a statistical analysis of an airline's financial and operational performance. The Top Performing Airlines study measured the data and rated airlines in five different performance categories, from which the total score was derived. Wherever, possible, data from the latest dull fiscal year were used. AirAsia emerged top overall with 81 points, Ryanair received 78 and Singapore Airlines came in at 70 points.

AirAsia Group CEO Tan Sri Dr Tony Fernandes was thrilled at the award. "This is just amazing. To beat out airlines such as Singapore Airlines and Ryanair and all the other global industry players is almost beyond words. Who would have thought 10 years ago that in just over a decade, AirAsia would reach such celestial heights," he said.

Tan Sri Tony added: "This award is recognition of the efforts of all our AirAsia AllStars over the years to get us to this special place. To be rated the Number One airline in categories that included financial and operational sectors is a clear endorsement of our stewardship of the company and a vindication of the faith that our stakeholders have in AirAsia.

"The award is also a triumph for Malaysia and Asean. AirAsia is firmly placing Malaysia on the global aviation map. Yes, we have world beaters in our country -- and not just in squash and badminton! AirAsia is demonstrating to the world what Malaysia can achieve as long as we put our minds to it and strive together. And we are doing it despite the odds and the obstacles placed in our way. Imagine what the country can achieve if all the players in the aviation industry commit themselves to a genuine partnership in helping Malaysia's aviation sector -- and working for the benefit of Malaysian consumers."