AiaAsia Wants To Fly more passengers than Singapore Airlines SIA

Laugh all you want, but one day, AirAsia will be bigger than Singapore Airlines (SIA).

This is the brash claim of the Malaysian budget airline's chief, Mr Tony Fernandes, who added: 'We are already carrying more passengers than SIA.'

Dressed in a blue polo T-shirt and jeans, sans his signature AirAsia red cap, he exuded self-confidence - that some might perceive as arrogance - during an exclusive interview in Kuala Lumpur last week.

He said: 'I'm sure many people who read this report will laugh at us.

'That's okay. It's good to dream. It's good to have a mission. It's better to do that than sit down and say, 'I'm never going to be as good as SIA'.

'What's the point of getting up in the morning? We want to be as good as the best.'

AirAsia has carried 47 million passengers to date. Its media relations officer, Ms Janet Leow, revealed that from advance bookings so far, AirAsia would reach 50 million passengers by June this year.

Mr Fernandes added: 'Last year, we carried 16 million passengers and SIA's figure was lower.

'This year, we will be carrying about 20 million passengers and SIA will be carrying about 18 million.'

SIA posted a net profit of $1.52 billion for the nine months ended December 2007. Its financial year ends in March. In comparison, AirAsia made about RM452million ($197m) in pre-tax profit for 2007.

So are these brave words just a pipe dream for Mr Fernandes?

He said: 'It's a truth that we carry more passengers. We're only 6 years old. SIA is 35.

'It has the backing of Temasek Holdings and the Singapore Government. Here, it's little me and four other guys who started this airline.

'Look at what we've done in six years. We grew faster than Malaysia Airlines or SIA.

'So why can't we be bigger (one day)?'

Still, the flamboyant businessman admitted that 'profit wise', he was far from his target.

The 44-year-old Malaysian, who is also chairman of Singapore Slingers (a franchise basketball team who play in Australia's National Basketball League), added: 'But that's my target.

'You always set yourself targets and SIA is one of the best airlines in the world.'

Asked if he thinks that SIA will sit back and let him fly past, he said, 'No'.

'I think SIA has responded by investing in Tiger Airways,' Mr Fernandes said with a snigger, adding that he didn't think Tiger was a threat to AirAsia.

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