SENATOR Erwin Tulfo lauded AirAsia Philippines for pioneering budget air travel in the country and investing in the talent, creativity and potential of the Filipino workforce.
Tulfo made the pronouncement as he graced the opening of the airline’s new headquarters in Pasay City, along with city Mayor Emi Calixto, Capital A CEO Tony Fernandes, Manila International Airport Authority General Manager Eric Ines and PNP-Avsegroup Director PBGen Jason Capoy, among others.
Also present were Air Asia Head of Communications and Public Affairs/Spokesperson, First Officer Steve Dailisan and Assistant Manager for External Communications, Karen Villanda, Office for Transportation Security Undersecretary Arthur Bisnar, Civil Aeronautics Board Executive Director Carmelo Arcilla, Deputy Group CEO for Airline Operations Capt. Chester Voo of the AirAsia Aviation Group and AirAsia Philippines President and CEO Suresh Bangah.
Dubbed, ‘Red Horizon,’ the new headquarters will be home to the airline’s over 1,500 employees.
“From its humble beginnings, AirAsia has become a pioneer in budget air travel—not just connecting destinations, but connecting dreams, families, businesses, and cultures. It brought the skies closer to millions of Filipinos and travelers around Asia by making flying affordable, accessible and enjoyable,” said Tulfo in his message.
Tulfo said that as a public servant, he deeply values how AirAsia plays a role in economic development, tourism, job creation and nation-building.
“Your growth is the country’s gain. And rest assured, we will continue to support an environment where enterprises like AirAsia can soar even higher,“ he added.
“This is more than just a new corporate home. It is a testament to how far AirAsia has come and a beacon of where it is determined to go.. with the opening of this state-of-the-art headquarters, AirAsia strengthens its roots here in the Philippines,” Tulfo further stated, noting that the new office signifies a deeper commitment not only to continue growing as a leading airline but also to provide more jobs for Filipinos.
“This building will serve as the nerve center of operations, innovation, and collaboration. And as the Red Horizon name suggests, it represents forward-thinking leadership and a bright future unfolding over the horizon. Let this new home be a space of energy, excellence and inspiration—a launchpad for more milestones and breakthroughs in the years to come,” Tulfo added.
He also expressed confidence that Air Asia will use the ‘Red Horizon’ as a symbol of its limitless ambition and unwavering purpose.
Capital A CEO Tony Fernandes affirmed this, as he announced the airline’s continued commitment to ‘World’s Best service’ and to democratizing air travel by offering value-driven air transport in the Philippine market.
“I think the resilience of Philippine AirAsia is something to marvel at. The great thing about this airline, we’ve gone from two planes to 255.
We’ve been through COVID. We started with 200,000 passengers, and this year we’re carrying 90 million. We’re just short of carrying 1 billion people since we started this airline 23 years ago. But we’re all the same. We’re exactly the same. Everyone has maintained their humility, maintained their hard work and most important about AirAsia is our passion to be the best,” Fernandes said.
The airline’s newly-inaugurated facility is a Filipino-inspired space that reflects modern values of inclusivity, collaboration, and national pride. Its key function rooms are named The Philippines, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao which symbolize unity and regional representation.
