AirAsia’s first aircraft deal with Airbus was at the 2005 Paris Air Show. In six years, the airline has ordered 375 planes and 35 for AirAsia X.

Tony Fernandes has a way with words, also with aviation business. Negotiating with such a person must be a challenge, but at the end of the day (night, if you may) it is fun and Airbus executives would vouch for this.

After signing the historic deal for the purchase of 200 A320neo for $18.2 billion ( Rs. 81,900 crore), at the Paris Air Show, the Chief Executive Officer of AirAsia, Tony Fernandes recalled to the media how the association with Airbus has been a ‘remarkable ride’. “Our first aircraft deal was at the same Paris Air Show in March 2005. In six years, we have ordered 375 planes and 35 for AirAsia X. It has been a remarkable growth in such a short period of time.”

In his inimical style, adding interesting anecdotes, Fernandes said, “We signed this deal on Valentine’s Day. Tom (Enders), John Leahy, myself and Kiran Rao, (Airbus Executive Vice President, Marketing and Contracts) were in a bar somewhere in Paris. We were supposed to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU). It was a Tuesday and I said I don’t sign on Tuesdays. I told them let’s party and we will talk at 12 in the night. Around midnight, Tom nudged and said can we sign now. I said let John dance first. John said I don’t dance and I said I don’t sign. Then Tom ordered John to dance. After three dances, we signed the deal in true AirAsia style…. I asked one of the girls (from the cabin crew) to kiss the contract and 10 other girls did it. That’s how we sealed the contract.”