Fernandes does his first firing in Apprentice Asia

Reality TV show The Apprentice Asia has taken off with one contestant being “fired” by AirAsia boss Tan Sri Tony Fernandes after a premiere that saw two teams competing to sell fish in their first challenge.

The show, which made its debut Wednesday on AXN, saw the 12 contestants being split into two groups of men and women in the first challenge to sell fish at a local market here.

Both teams made losses in their sales but the men's group, Team Mavericks incurred a bigger loss.

Hence, one of its members had to face being eliminated from the show or “fired” by Fernandes.

F&B company founder Hendy Setiono, from Indonesia, was sent packing last night, after his team was defeated by the women's team, Team Apex.

The show takes on an elimination competition format whereby the 12 contestants, made up of Asia-based business executives, will go against each other for the opportunity to work for one of Fernandes' businesses.

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Branson serve as stewardess to Tony Fernandes

From behind, the long legs, short red skirt and the tied-up blonde hair made an impression of a beautiful woman. Imagine the surprise when it turned out to be none other than Virgin Atlantic owner, Sir Richard Branson.

Complete with bright red lipstick, stockings and heels, a dolled-up Branson was serving as an AirAsia X air-hostess for the passengers on flight D7 237, from Perth to here.

It was the result of losing a wager with AirAsia group chief executive officer, Tan Sri Tony Fernandes.

The wager started two years ago, over which Formula One racing team would finish ahead of the other, in the 2010 Formula One Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi. The loser would have to dress up in the winner airline's female flight attendant attire for a day.


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Aireen Omar is new AirAsia CEO for Malaysia

AirAsia Malaysia witnessed a new era Monday when co-founder Tan Sri Tony Fernandes announced Aireen Omar its new chief executive officer.

AirAsia says KLIA2 cost spike due to lack of input

AirAsia today blamed Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) for all the delays and additional costs to KLIA2, claiming they could be put down to the airport operator’s failure to set up a joint panel to decide on the new terminal’s ideal specifications.

“No joint action committee was set up to get all the right requirements from Day One,” AirAsia commercial director Jasmine Lee told reporters at the airline’s office here.

She pointed out this was despite then-Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s recommendation in November 2008 to set up the panel after meeting with both parties.

Without the joint committee, AirAsia had no direct control over the design and construction of the new low-cost carrier terminal as it could only make requests and suggestions to MAHB, Lee said.

Tony Fernandes says premium airline being mulled, to involve MAS

Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said he has ideas for a super premium airline but declined to reveal the name or any further details.

The AirAsia co-founder said any new super premium airline would involve Malaysia Airlines (MAS).

“There is a wonderful opportunity for those (travellers) who don’t want to queue up,” he told reporters. “But whether we can make it work who knows.”

The Sun newspaper reported last week that Fernandes is proposing to set up a super premium airline called Caterham Jets that will fly out of Subang Airport.

Umno MPs call Azman Mokhtar, Tony Fernandes cheats in MAS-AirAsia share swap

Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar and Tan Sri Tony Fernandes at the MAS-AirAsia signing ceremony in August.

Umno lawmakers accused Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar and Tan Sri Tony Fernandes today of cheating the public in the Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and AirAsia share swap.

Kinabatangan MP Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin called on Khazanah chief executive Azman to be investigated by graftbusters after the state investment agency exchanged 20.5 per cent of the national carrier for a 10 per cent stake in Asia’s top-performing budget airline.

“The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) must call Tan Sri Azman ... all of them ... if there is any misappropriation, stuff them into jail,” the Barisan Nasional (BN) backbenchers deputy chief told Parliament.

Tony’s ‘new airline’ threatens MAS-AirAsia pact, says PKR

The Sun newspaper reported today that Fernandes will launch a new super-premium airline that will compete head-on with Qantas’ RedQ

PKR has called into question the credibility of the collaboration between Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and AirAsia following reports that Tan Sri Tony Fernandes is starting a new premium airline that could potentially be in competition with the national carrier.

MAS and Fernandes’ AirAsia had in August entered into a collaboration agreement which also involved an exchange in equity between the parent companies of both airlines.