Background Of Tony Fernandes
Background of Tony Fernandes
Tony Fernandes was born on 30 April 1964 in Kuala Lumpur to an Indian father who was originally from Chennai, India and a Christian Eurasian mother of mixed Portuguese and Malaccan descent. He was educated at Epsom College from 1977 to 1983 and graduated from London School of Economics in 1987. He had worked briefly with Virgin Atlantic as a Financial Controller. He was also the youngest CEO to lead the Warner Music Records (Malaysia) before deciding to set up Tune Air Sdn. Bhd. and ventured into the airlines business. Fernandes’ initial intention during his meeting with the then Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, in June 2001 was to get the prime minister’s official endorsement to become a new operator in the Malaysian aviation industry (Ismail, 2010). At the time of the meeting, Fernandes had already registered a company called Tune Air Sdn. Bhd. in Kuala Lumpur with three other partners. Instead of issuing a new license, Mahathir suggested that Tune Air could acquire an airline by taking over the ailing AirAsia, a sister airline of Malaysia’s national carrier, Malaysia Airlines, that was set up to cater flying domestic routes not serviced by the national carrier. Mahathir felt that the needs of the Government and Fernandes’ ambition were deemed to be suitable and a good match at the time. Fernandes had reinvented and remodeled AirAsia based on the highly successful Irish budget airline, Ryannair. It targeted millions of Asians who had never flown and wanted inexpensive basic transportation, fitting well with its slogan of “Now everyone can fly”. As a Low-Cost Carrier, AirAsia imposed major cost-cutting measures such as using a single type of aircraft, online and paperless ticketing to eliminate travel agents commission, charging for in-flight meals and seating, reducing turnaround time on the ground and ensuring frequent flights. By the year ended 30th June 2006, AirAsia had served 65 cities and carried 9.3 million
Tony Fernandes was born on 30 April 1964 in Kuala Lumpur to an Indian father who was originally from Chennai, India and a Christian Eurasian mother of mixed Portuguese and Malaccan descent. He was educated at Epsom College from 1977 to 1983 and graduated from London School of Economics in 1987. He had worked briefly with Virgin Atlantic as a Financial Controller. He was also the youngest CEO to lead the Warner Music Records (Malaysia) before deciding to set up Tune Air Sdn. Bhd. and ventured into the airlines business. Fernandes’ initial intention during his meeting with the then Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, in June 2001 was to get the prime minister’s official endorsement to become a new operator in the Malaysian aviation industry (Ismail, 2010). At the time of the meeting, Fernandes had already registered a company called Tune Air Sdn. Bhd. in Kuala Lumpur with three other partners. Instead of issuing a new license, Mahathir suggested that Tune Air could acquire an airline by taking over the ailing AirAsia, a sister airline of Malaysia’s national carrier, Malaysia Airlines, that was set up to cater flying domestic routes not serviced by the national carrier. Mahathir felt that the needs of the Government and Fernandes’ ambition were deemed to be suitable and a good match at the time. Fernandes had reinvented and remodeled AirAsia based on the highly successful Irish budget airline, Ryannair. It targeted millions of Asians who had never flown and wanted inexpensive basic transportation, fitting well with its slogan of “Now everyone can fly”. As a Low-Cost Carrier, AirAsia imposed major cost-cutting measures such as using a single type of aircraft, online and paperless ticketing to eliminate travel agents commission, charging for in-flight meals and seating, reducing turnaround time on the ground and ensuring frequent flights. By the year ended 30th June 2006, AirAsia had served 65 cities and carried 9.3 million