Tony Fernandes
BANGKOK -- Tony Fernandes, CEO of low-cost carrier AirAsia,
defended the practice of overbooking, calling it the "right thing to do."
"We overbook," he told the media at the World
Travel & Tourism Council Global Summit here last week. "It's common
practice, it's the right thing to do. Because if a plane leaves with an empty
seat, that's revenue lost forever."
While not criticizing United, Fernandes added that
Malaysia-based AirAsia handles overbooking differently.
"We do it before boarding, not in the plane," he
said. "And we just offer whatever it takes to ensure someone goes off.
There is always a price at a point where someone says I'll go off -- maybe too
many sometimes."
Fernandes also weighed in on the Gulf airlines and the
concerns large airlines in the U.S. and Europe have about their presence.
"If Emirates can do a better job than let them do the
job," he said. "Emirates is bringing lots of tourists to Holland,
lots of economic development. What's wrong with that? If America is trying to
protect the three American airlines, so that the Gulf airlines don't come in, I
think that's a mistake. Because people will lose jobs, etc., etc."