Tony Fernandes says investors are confident in his vision for Capital A even as stock market auditors raise concerns. (Source photos by AP and Reuters)

AirAsia parent Capital A faces scrutiny over recovery plan

Malaysian bourse angers airline boss Tony Fernandes with restructuring demand

P PREM KUMAR, Nikkei staff writer

February 25, 2022 06:00 JST

KUALA LUMPUR -- "I thought COVID-19 was just going to be a passing cloud, but I was wrong," says Tony Fernandes.

The larger-than-life executive behind AirAsia, the Malaysian budget airline whose parent company now goes by the name Capital A, was in a reflective mood in a recent interview with Nikkei Asia. He confessed he'd assumed the coronavirus would pass as quickly as other health emergencies, like SARS or H1N1.