‘I’m Driving Both Airbus and Embraer Nuts,’ Says AirAsia’s Tony Fernandes
Photo Credit: Tony Fernandes speaking at Skift Global Forum 2025. Skift
Skift Take
Fleet simplicity is usually a cornerstone of low-cost airline operations. Fernandes is preparing to take a calculated risk that the rewards will outweigh the added complexity.
AirAsia co-founder Tony Fernandes has offered candid new insight into the progress of a major aircraft deal. Speaking exclusively to Skift, he confirmed that negotiations are continuing with Airbus and Embraer as Asia’s biggest low-cost carrier eyes a fleet of regional jets.
“We’re still going through that evaluation. It’s all part of my grand masterplan of providing connectivity,” Fernandes said.
Despite talking up the potential for its upcoming Airbus A321XLR long-haul jets, the CEO of AirAsia parent company Capital A said high-capacity single-aisle planes aren’t suitable for every mission.
“Having an aircraft with 240 seats doesn’t allow me to do a lot of small destinations. My philosophy is about frequency, connecting point-to-point as much as possible, and building it into a hub. So we do need
