M'SIA SHOULD ALLOW MORE COMPANIES LIKE AIRASIA TO EXIST - TONY FERNANDES

PETALING JAYA (Malaysia), Oct 14 (Bernama) -- Malaysia should allow more
companies like AirAsia Bhd to exist, the airline's Group Chief Executive Officer
Dr Tony Fernandes said Wednesday.

"We are really a product of innovation and competition, and if you allow
more companies to be like us, then Malaysia's economy will transform.

"Being innovative and being able to say 'I'm good as anyone and compete',
has made us a very strong airline which can compete against the world," he told
reporters here.

He also said the government's efforts on the Economic Transformation
Programme (ETP) must be allowed to happen.

"I'm a big supporter of ETP. I think it's the right thing to do and I fully
support and am behind it.

"We should stop being cynical about it and the issue is we have to allow it
to happen. Imagine if there is another 20 to 50 companies like AirAsia in
Malaysia, it will transform the nation," he said.

On the company's performance, Tony said he expected the fourth quarter to be
the strongest quarter ever with rapid growth anticipated going forward.

He added that the third quarter result would let the people see the power of
AirAsia's model.

"I think we will have a very strong third quarter and the fourth quarter is
looking like the best quarter. People are beginning to see a lot of value in
AirAsia," he said.

He said AirAsia planned to have eight A320 planes next year.

AirAsia today celebrated its 100 millionth guest flown, Irma Dewi, a 23-year
old housewife from Indonesia, who grabbed 100 free seats for 100 years which
would enable her to travel throughout the vast route network of AirAsia.

Tony said the next eight years, people would see a very strong profit
generation of this company and its positive impact to the economy.

Asked on aerobridges which according to reports AirAsia may consider using
at the new low-cost carrier terminal in Sepang, Tony said: "It's very highly
unlikely and we have not received any proposals yet.

"I can board passengers from both sides of the door and that enables us to
have low cost and turnaround but when you have only one aerobridge, you can only
do so much.

"I think the solution would be to have some aerobridges so that if it rains
very heavily, we can use it and pay for it then. I think our passengers still
want lower fare," he added.

-- BERNAMA