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KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 24): Capital A Bhd’s low-cost airline, AirAsia, has confirmed it is in discussions with a local partner in Vietnam as part of its plan to expand its footprint in Asean.

However, its chief executive officer, Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, said that while negotiations are ongoing, no agreement has been finalised.

“It is no secret that I have wanted to operate in Vietnam for a long time. As an Asean airline, it is only logical for us to be in one of the most promising countries in the region.

“I can confirm that we are in discussions with a Vietnamese group, but nothing has been finalised as yet,” he said in an exclusive interview with Bernama on the sidelines of the Asean Economic Ministers’ Meeting 2025.

Tony said the talks are progressing positively but cautioned that there are many ways things could go wrong from discussion to execution.

“Still, I am more optimistic than I have ever been about AirAsia entering Vietnam,” he added.

The airline is also holding preliminary discussions in Laos and Brunei, leaving only Myanmar and Singapore as the two Asean markets where AirAsia has yet to establish a presence.

“I have always fought for operations in Singapore; however, I think we have given up on the plan,” he said.

He reiterated his ambition to see AirAsia expand across Asean before he steps down.

“My dream before I leave this job is to be in as many Asean countries as possible. I am very keen on Vietnam,” he emphasised.

To date, AirAsia has obtained air operator certificates to operate in five Asean countries, namely ÿ�մ���, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Cambodia.

Should AirAsia’s Vietnamese arm take off, it would become the third low-cost player in the market, after Vietjet and Vietnam Airlines’ subsidiary, Pacific Airlines.