AMSTERDAM: AirAsia Group Chief Executive Officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes has been named Airline CEO of the Year at the 2016 CAPA Aviation Awards for Excellence. "AirAsia has come a long way since I won the first ever CAPA Airline Executive of the Year award in 2004. "Since then, we've grown into a truly Asean airline with operations in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, India, and soon, Japan, more than 200 aircraft and 17,000 Allstars." CAPA said Fernandes was selected for the award for successfully steering AirAsia to increased profitability and an improved outlook this year following an "extremely challenging" 2015. Past winners of the Airline CEO of the Year award include Qantas Airways CEO Alan Joyce, Etihad Airways CEO James Hogan and Willie Walsh, CEO of IAG, the holding company for British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia and Vueling.

Source: New Strait Times October 28, 2016 03:25 UTC