I joined AirAsia last year when it turned 10, and it was a significant time to enter the company. I have always had the compulsion to support the underdogs, more so those with inspirational stories. Therefore, working for the airline and of course an inspiring CEO was in my goal card. When the opportunity presented itself, I seized it.

As I mentioned earlier, I entered at a pivotal period, both for the company and myself. Being a player and a spectator, it's a different ballgame altogether. It puts things into perspective being in the former's position than the latter.

Over the past 10 years, I witnessed as an outsider how the company grew from two planes to serving over millions of passengers including yours truly. I must add that if not for AirAsia, I would not be able to feed my hunger for travel.

Take any sports, being a spectator only gives you the freedom to root for your team, yell from the side lines when the player fails to score or berate the team that fails to win or live up to your expectations, jump for joy when there is a goal. Your involvement is limited. However, as a player, you understand the rules and dynamics of the game, the comradeship between the players, your loyalty, the hardship, the glory, the blood, sweat and tears. Switching from a fan to a player was an enlightening process.

Being a new player and in the nick of time for the 10th year anniversary celebration, I witnessed the airline's journey in retrospect. The old timers reminisced the good old days, old pictures were resurrected and there were continous talks of blood sweat and tears. The air in Redfort was a sweet smell of nostalgia. To commemorate the triumph as well as recognise the trials and tribulation, a celebration is in order! Enter the AWESOME Party!

When I was told of the upcoming party, I had the notion it would be like any other company's annual dinner with speeches and protocols. Boy was I wrong! To call it a dinner would be an understatement of the decade. To quote Barney Stinson from How I Met Your Mother, 'It was legen...wait for it...wait for it...dary!

I found out the magnitude of the party when I walked into KL Convention Centre.
The real fun began when I felt like I was walking into what looked like a cross between a myriad of Hollywood movies set and fairy tale stories. Strange as it may sound but how often do you get to see a few Iron Man (or more like Men of all sizes!)sauntering, Red Riding Hoods (minus the wolves), cabaret dancers, two suave 007s ¡V Sean Connery aka Adzhar Ibrahim and Daniel Craig aka Seamus Moriarty and a mad hatter all in one night. The Twilight movie theme was big too that night with a few vampires lurking around and not to mention Goth fans. Of course it was no holds barred for those wanting to express themselves by cross dressing!

The theme for the party was awesome, and the effort they put in was more than awesome!
It was a fun-filled night with a wide spread of food, drinks and interesting performances. But as they say it ain't over the fat lady sings, and in this case it wasn't a fat lady, but an African American dude. Not just any dude, but award winning performer/producer Akon! The 4500 strong Allstars and guests as well were astounded. Some even thought it was an impersonator!
The night ended on a huge note when total pay-out for lucky draw was an astounding RM2.2 million! Enough said!

Suffice to say the night will go down in history!

The most exciting moment is here! Yes, we know you have been waiting for it - who will be flying to Sydney with AirAsia X??? Now before we announce the winners, we would to thank all our fans who participated in the contest!

So without delay, here is the winners announcement! And the winners are....... *drumroll please!*

1. Estelito III Despacio Reyes
A. Sydney Opera House - Hit the high notes with Airasia X, now connecting you to Sydney!
B. Sydney Harbour Bridge - The Amazing Spider-osman saves the day!
C. Bondi Beach - Airasia X now flies to Bondi Beach! (Shark sold separately)

2. Shane Goddard
A. Sydney Opera House - Azran the Soprano is so X'cited about Sydney that he's just hit High C!
B. Sydney Harbour Bridge - 2 years of X'treme effort by Azran to bridge the gap between KL & Sydney is finally rewarded
C. Bondi Beach - Hey Azran - Thats an X'tra large fish to go with your chips!

3. Siew Hon Leong (Eugene)
A. Sydney Opera House - En Azran bringing the House down with his singing, figuratively of course.
B. Sydney Harbour Bridge - He ain't no spiderman but En Azran sure can climb!
C. Bondi Beach - Channeling his inner Kelly Slater, En Azran rides the wave fearlessly.

4. Ho Hsu Wen
A. Sydney Opera House - Azran Osman-Rani hit an Xceedingly brilliant note to shatter all sidewalk sceptics, backed by the perfect symphony of the Opera House!
B. Sydney Harbour Bridge - With great power comes great responsibility, Azran Osman-Rani turned Spidey in scaling Xtraordinary heights with new Sydney route!
C. Bondi Beach - Waves of ingenuity and passion will sail Azran Osman-Rani away from the jaws of Xtreme shark attacks!

5. Ivan Lim Kok Weng
A. Sydney Opera House - "Now everyone can fly. But apparently, not everyone can sing"
B. Sydney Harbour Bridge - "G'day mate! Great arvo for a beaut view of the Big Smoke. Of cos, AirAsia's view's totally bonza!"
C. Bondi Beach - "You can call me Bond... Vegabond. And I surf at Bondi so bite me."

Congratulations! You've won ONE (1) round trip on AirAsia X Economy Seats to Sydney, Australia from Kuala Lumpur for TWO (2) pax.

All winners will be contacted individually for the prize redemption.

We know many of you are asking us when will opening sales for Sydney will be happening and what is the promo fare. Remember to stay tuned to us tomorrow 'cos we are cooking something special for you!

All the best,
AirAsia Social Media Team

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The most anticipated route - SYDNEY is here!

And we are giving away 5 pairs of return tickets to our newest X-citing destination - just write a creative caption for the caricatures featuring no other than the CEO of AirAsia X, Azran Osman-Rani!

A. Sydney Opera House


B. Sydney Harbour Bridge


C. Bondi Beach

Want to know what's the prizes?? Get ready for it! It's:

5 X GRAND PRIZE :
• ONE (1) round trip on AirAsia X Economy Seats to Sydney, Australia from Kuala Lumpur for TWO (2) pax.

Here's how you can win a pair of return flights to Sydney:
1. Write creative captions (in less than 20 words) for all the 3 caricatures posted in this blog. Remember to label each of the caption accordingly i.e.
A. Sydney Opera House - (creative caption)
B. Sydney Harbour Bridge - (creative caption)
C. Bondi Beach - (creative caption)

2. Email your submission to facebook@airasia.com with “Sydney, Here We Come! - Participant’s Name” as the subject of the email.

4. Remember to also include your full details as below:
i. Full name,
ii. Date of birth,
iii. Place of birth,
iv. Passport number,
v. Current location,
vi. Email contact and
vii. Phone Contact.

Contest ends at 20:00 hrs (GMT+8) on 16 January 2012. So hurry up and let your creativity fly!

Remember to click on the Terms & Conditions for full details! (read more...)

First question: Have you ever heard about Semarang? If yes, please proceed to read further. If not, yes, please proceed also. We’re going to take you to the newest city we’ll fly to somewhere in the heart of Java, the busiest island in Indonesia…and trust us, it’s going to be an interesting ride!

Alright, let’s start with some fun good-to-know facts first. Semarang is the capital of Central Java province. Though originally Semarang was mostly meant for business, we’ll show you how to have fun! Oh, and this city originally lies on triangle route with Solo and Jogjakarta (both have been AirAsia’s destinations for years).

The City of Semarang

Semarang, basically is a small city. You can easily take a stroll around the city’s top tourism spots within a day. There are interesting relics in the city, most of them are taken from the Chinese inheritance objects. The most important thing is Sam Poo Kong temple which is dedicated to Admiral Cheng Ho’s tenure in the city of Semarang. Sam Poo Kong is his local name given by Semarang natives.

The temple is located in the heart of the city and is easily accessible since it’s quite near from city center. You can spot Chinese cultural elements mix with local culture. Sam Poo Kong Temple even still holds still to one of Cheng Ho’s old anchor.

Another astonishing landmark is Lawang Sewu (1000 Doors), a former Dutch Colonial Railway head quarter office. The site is now being restored and expected to be fully in a good shape on this 2012. They have few marks from the Roman era with beautiful collage windows. During the Japan occupation of Semarang, the underground level of this building was used as prison for local Indonesian freedom warriors. You can ask for a guide to enter the underworld and then get the whole complete picture of what had happened during that era.

The city of Semarang also provides a series of beautiful old buildings, also from the Dutch Colonial era. Arguably, these buildings are one of the most teasing strings of buildings amongst other Dutch inheritance around the country. You can visit Blenduk Church, Marabunta –now is a function hall— and Semarang Tawang Railway Station.

Semarang also reserves a spot for you food hunters. While you’re in Semarang, make sure you spend some time in Pandanaran Street for finding Semarang’s famous Bandeng Presto (milk fish) with delicious sambal (local special sauce) and local’s most famous snack, Wingko Babat. There are few shops there and make sure you find yourself the best deal. 

Outer Skirt of Semarang
Semarang is circled by few other small cities with its own charms. Spend some time here, and you can have a beautiful excursion on the mountain foots, fountain and other good landscapes provided by mother earth.

Start in Ambarawa. The city has a remarkable quality of beautiful landscapes. You can learn how to live like local with few tourism spots which are still much related to nature.

Gedong Songo Temple is probably the best way to start the exploration. It’s a Hindu temple in the complex of Mount Ungaran. It was named Gedong Songo (Songo means nine in Javanese language) because they used to have nine series of temple. But due to time travel through hundreds of years, now you can barely see only few series. The story behind Gedong Songo is a simple tale about how human kind can find nirvana and live the life in a peaceful way. This place is located only around 12 km from Semarang.

Ambarawa also reserves a spot for a Catholic spiritual journey in Gua Maria Kerep (Kerep St. Mary’s cave). This pilgrimage site can fit 8000 people on one mass. During the Catholic festival, usually people come and do their prayers.

Banaran Coffee Plantation is next. You don’t have to be keen on coffee to be able to enjoy the site. This plantation offers a tour to each of its corner where visitor can see with their own eyes the raw material of the famous Banaran Coffee. They also have a good restaurant and café. If you’re planning to come on the second half of this year, they probably will have the resort opened. No worries, even though you spend your holiday somewhere in the mountain foot, you can still access cable tv and internet.

Would like to follow local’s belief in spiritual blessed water? Please directly head to the gorgeous Curug 7 Bidadari. It’s a pretty under rated spot with a God’s natural gift of magical fountain. Ask local people who are always full of smiles to greet you about the magical natural spring which believed to bring a good cause for a better condition of health and have healing effects.

The view itself was breathtaking, especially when no rain shows up.

Outer Semarang is also a home for few luxurious villas. Two examples are Hills Joglo Villas and Balemong Resort. These two places are located in Ungaran and they offered a pretty nice experience of staying in old ancient Javanese houses called Joglo.

These villas equipped with classy bed rooms with paddy rice and mountain view just outside the room. Not forget to mention, they all have good foods.

One good thing about Semarang is, the city is surrounded with many small cities with interesting things. It is also on the same spread as Solo and Jogjakarta –as mentioned earlier—. So, if you’re eager to do some exploration, please spend some time more to explore these cities along the way.

Karimunjawa
This island probably is the biggest magnet for traveler who’s desperate to visit exotic beaches with other popular sea activities. Arguably, Karimunjawa has one of the prettiest beaches in Indonesia.

The nearest place to board a ship to Karimunjawa is actually Jepara. But from Semarang’s Tanjung Emas Harbour, you can get a weekly ferry to the island. It will take minimum 3 hours to reach Karimunjawa.

While in the island, all of sea tourism is available. You can snorkel, dive or even feed the fish. Exotic menus are on your hands. Do prepare for your memory capturer and some energy to fight the sunny but beautiful sun.

Well, now, have a clear picture about Semarang? Then ride your net, go to www.airasia.com and book the flights. We’re operating daily flights to Semarang from Kuala Lumpur (commences 6th February 2012) and twice daily flights to Semarang from Jakarta (commences 9th March 2012). Best deals are served online.

Happy hunting and see you in Semarang. We’d like to see lots of pictures you take while you’re on the road.

AirAsia now flies to Semarang daily! Find out more at www.airasia.com today!

Allstars East Meets West Junior Exchange Programme ( East meets West Malaysia)
BINTULU: A few students from diverse background recently put their school holidays to good use by taking part in the Allstars East Meets West Junior Exchange Program.
Ten students, between the ages of 10 and 16, joined the intercultural exchange programme, organised by AirAsia’s Corporate Culture Department, open to children of AirAsia’s staff (also known as the Allstars) from Malaysia.
The objective of the programme was to explore, appreciate and understand different cultures, sharpening their communication skills, strengthening networking skills, enhancing self-confidence, self-esteem and maturity, instilling comradeship and fostering an appreciation for host family.
Captain Mohd Ridwani Kadir from AAX hosted two participants from East Malaysia, Mohammad Zainol Ariffin bin Zamri, 16, and Norasyikin bin Zamri, 12, at his home, under his care, the kids even attended a wedding, which was held in Perak and it was really an eye opener for both of them.
Eight of them, Ros Maizatul Najwa binti Mohd Saad, (10), Muhammad Rohafizal bin Mohd, Saad, (11), Ong Jin Hong,(13), Izni Saufi,(14), Rose Saadiatul Liana bt Mohd Saad, (14) Vinod Shamraaj Rajasegaran, (12) and 15-year-old twins Sherold Sean Soria and Sherald Shane Soria, all from West Malaysia were whisked off to Bintulu for five days.
It was an adventure of all sorts for these budding young adventurers, who were introduced to the caving at Niah National Park, a famous cave with ancient painting, depictions of human-like figures found near an ancient burial site. They experienced sheer darkness by switching off their headlamps and using the sense of smell and sound to appreciate and understand the ancient cave.
The participants also trekked the thick foliage of the coastal rainforest at Similajau National Park with leeches galore, set foot on a longhouse, spotted a crocodile during a river cruise along Sungai Gelam, bathed in a river (a first for some), ate fresh cempedak, donated books to SK Keseng library, tasted local delicacies such as the pansuh, a dish cooked in bamboo, midin ( a type of local vegetable) and had dinner and games with BTU Allstars
For Sherold, the whole experience was exhilarating and he loved every moment of it.
“The most amazing experience was being in the Niah cave and I have never been in cave before.
“Besides the adventure, I also enjoyed making new friends and of course travelling without my parents!,” he said.
Izni had all praise for AirAsia Allstars for organising such an event where he not only made new friends but also learnt to be more independent.
“I hope there will be more programmes like this in future as it allows students like me to gain new experience and appreciate different cultures.
“I enjoyed the river cruise, jungle trekking, caving and swimming in the river,” she said.
The programme facilitator Yvonne Lady Diana said the participants had a great time and some of the kids have never stepped into the jungle or even a wet market.
“It was fun to see the curiosity of a growing child asking about new things. Despite the heavy activities, rarely did they complain about being tired.
“Azhan (another facilitator) and I had to keep up with their boundless energy, and I salute their courage in pushing their boundaries and most of all, I admire their spirit,” she said.
She cheekily added that it will be helpful in the future for the parents not to keep checking on their children every 15 minutes as it can be very distracting for their children.
“Instead of immersing themselves in the programme, some of the participants were engaged on the phone with their parents and it was actually quite dangerous because they were not alert of their surroundings,” she said.

The title suggests something, doesn’t it? Don’t worry, it’s just an annotation that 2 Days 1 Night in Bangkok is simply not enough!

For your information, Bangkok flood has cleared, and the marvellous city is now back open for easy-on-the-wallet travellers like me! I hopped on the first AirAsia plane on Saturday morning over! Though the flood has just ended, the city’s back to normal with its busy roads filled with cars, people and tuk-tuk!

If you’re ever in the amazing city, make sure you explore the night markets – amazing sounds and an amazing experience. There is so much to see, as we explored the Patpong Night Market, Silom Night Market Klong Thom Market and many more in the city that almost never sleeps. Remember to bargain for the best price, and don’t miss out on the street food! Every market has its own special attraction – Patpong is for avid shoppers and Go-go bars, you can find 2nd hand goods and knick-knacks at Klong Thom, and Silom is entertaining to watch and buy!

My favourite part about Bangkok is that you can get food almost all the time! Don’t miss out on the Khao San area (it was crowded as usual), and I searched high and low for my favourite Mango Sticky Rice (it’s everywhere! No fret!). No trip to Bangkok is complete without some lovely Tom Yam and Pad Thai, and of course it’s fabulously amazing desserts! One surprise I had was in the night market in front of Platinum, where it’s basically Roti Pisang with evaporated milk…but the taste of it is so unforgettable! Food in Yaowarat, Chinatown is still an amazing galore of authentic Thai food and great shopping, so it’s my duty to make sure I pay it a very well-deserved visit too!

The streets of Thailand were beautifully lit up during His Majesty the King’s birthday – Ratchadamnoen street is one of the most historical and beautiful street in Thailand to be litted up during then. Cultural performances are seen, and even the Grand Palace is open for night viewing during the King’s birthday! I was extremely fortunate to be able to catch the glorious celebration where Ratchadamnoen is very much a gathering place for all Thais during the festivities!

Exploring Bangkok in December, I was fortunate enough to catch the Festival of Happiness at Rajprasong Intersection! Christmas trees, dazzling light and colorful decorations can be found in front of Amarin Plaza! The theme for this year is cupcakes…and a giant teapot! You can also catch the teddy bears of different nationalities at Central World!

There were no traces of the flood at all, as transportation is back to normal. The airport Suvarnabhumi looks amazing as usual, and we got to take the BTS line around town. My favourite part is always going on a joy-ride on a Tuk-tuk as he bravely turned corners and manipulated bends to get us there quicker than lightning (almost!). The amazing city is back in business and better than ever! What an unforgettable holiday!

Like I said, 2 days in Bangkok is never, ever enough. I’m so glad that one of my favourite cities in the world is back on its feet and life goes on as usual. Next time, I’ll make sure I book myself for a longer (and more satisfying) trip. Bye bye Bangkok, till I see you again!