AirAsia offers free flights for Asean Olympics medalists

AirAsia offers free flights for Asean Olympics medalists

Weightlifters Sukanya Srisurat and Sopita Tanasan show their gold medals at Suvarnabhumi airport on Aug 17, 2016. The two winners are among Olympic medalists in Southeast Asia given free flights by AirAsia. (Photo by Patipat Janthong)
Weightlifters Sukanya Srisurat and Sopita Tanasan show their gold medals at Suvarnabhumi airport on Aug 17, 2016. The two winners are among Olympic medalists in Southeast Asia given free flights by AirAsia. (Photo by Patipat Janthong)

Olympic medallists from Asean are to receive free flights, some for life, on low-cost carrier group AirAsia in recognition of their achievements.

A total of 21 athletes from the 10-nation grouping in Southeast Asia are entitled to fly free to any of over 120 destinations within AirAsia and AirAsia X's extensive network in Asia, Australia, the Middle East and Africa.

Five gold medalists, two of them from Thailand, get the privileges for life, while those who won silver and bronze medals will enjoy free flights for five and two years, respectively.

Announcing the rewards, Asia Group chief executive Tony Fernandes said Thursday, "I was blown away by the performances from Asean athletes, such as Thailand's Sukanya Srisurat and Sopita Tanasan, Indonesia's Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir, as well as Joseph Schooling and Hoang Xuan Vinh, who won Singapore and Vietnam's first ever Olympic gold medals.

"They proved we can achieve anything as long as we believe in ourselves and work tirelessly towards our dream. This is the least we could do for them."

He added, "Asean athletes in Rio have shown they can not only compete but excel in top level competitions.

"We hope this will encourage others in the region to follow in their footsteps, and I look forward to seeing more medals from Asean in future Games."

Thailand won the largest number of gold medals from the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro with Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam getting one each.

But in terms of medal numbers, Malaysia received the most, eight, followed by Thailand with six.

AirAsia executives said the group is finalising terms and conditions for the awards to Asean medalists which will be announced shortly.

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