Don’t hide during crises, advises top CEO

Group CEO of AirAsia Tony Fernandes. AP FILE PHOTO

PARIS—When it comes to crisis management, the first rule to remember is “Don’t hide.”

“Be transparent, be yourself,” Tony Fernandes, Group CEO of AirAsia, said on the sidelines of the Sidetrax World Airline Awards 2015, a highlight of the Paris Air Show held last week.

In December, Fernandes gave crisis managers a lesson on how to use social media for crisis management with his hands-on personal presence on Twitter after Air Asia flight 8501 had gone missing.

On Tuesday, AirAsia was awarded the World’s Best Low Cost Airline for the seventh consecutive year by Skytrax. It was also awarded Asia’s Best Low Cost Airline by the same awards body.

Naturally, social-media savvy Fernandes tweeted about the award.

“The awards mean a lot to me after what we’ve been through. Tq to all our guests for your love & support in making us worlds best,” he posted.

Fernandes has another reason to be thankful and hopeful.

After the Skytrax awards rites, he joined Airbus bigwigs at the launch of the electronic Flight Folder (eFF), a software app that would replace the two to three kilos of flight folders that pilots lug around.

“With the latest solutions being offered by Airbus, we can reduce paper in the cockpit, enhance overall efficiency and ensure that we maintain the very highest standards of safety and operational excellence,” said Fernandes.

Also called ‘Smarter Fleet’ flight folders, the eFF will allow pilots to “access their briefing package on-board the aircraft, or from home, the hotel or the crew briefing room.”

“The system gets pilots more focused on flying, checking on the aircraft, instead of doing paper work,” Fernandes said. “There will be less chance of error,” he added.

He said Air Asia pilots will start using the eFF on Jan. 16, 2016.

Fernandes said the eFF was initially developed by AirAsia pilots and IT personnel. Airbus enhanced it, he added.

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