AirAsia Trains All 26,000 Staff in AI
The Southeast Asian airline is putting artificial intelligence courses in front of its entire workforce and hiring talent from outside the airline industry.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Business Travel
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AirAsia is training all 26,000 of its employees in artificial intelligence, with every staff member taking courses on the technology. The effort is intended to give workers a basic understanding that can improve processes in revenue management and operations.
Why it matters
The airline says the training aims to increase efficiency, reduce costs and improve decision-making. For travelers booking through the carrier, the changes could eventually shape how fares, routes and operations are managed.
AirAsia has 26,000 employees, and all of them are receiving AI training. The source does not provide measured outcomes from the program, and the scope of any resulting changes to fares or routes has not been disclosed.
The players
AirAsia
AirAsia is a Southeast Asian low-cost airline that was among the first in the region to sell tickets online.
Tony Fernandes
Tony Fernandes is the CEO of Capital A and a co-founder of AirAsia, and he spoke about the airline's AI training at Gateway Gulf 2026.
The details
AirAsia was among the first airlines in Southeast Asia to sell tickets online, and after COVID-19 pushed the company to rethink its processes, it began hiring people from consumer and technology backgrounds outside the airline industry. Getting traditional airline staff to embrace online ticket sales proved difficult, which prompted the outside hiring push.
Timeline
COVID-19 period: The pandemic pushed AirAsia to rethink its processes.
November 2, 2026: Tony Fernandes spoke about AI training at Gateway Gulf 2026.
Industry Shift
AirAsia was an early mover in selling tickets online across Southeast Asia, and its current AI training push extends that digital pioneer role from customer-facing sales into internal revenue management and operations.
Travelers booking flights with AirAsia may eventually see changes in how fares and routes are set, as the company applies AI to revenue management. The source does not say when any customer-facing effects will appear.
The takeaway
AirAsia's move shows that legacy airlines are looking beyond their own industry for talent and tools to modernize operations. Travelers may benefit indirectly if the efficiency gains translate into lower costs over time.
Further reading
For more on how airlines are changing their operations, see Business Travel.
Source note: This article includes information reported by DT News.
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