Five years ago, Tony Fernandes transformed AirAsia from a loss-making Malaysian airline into the first no-frills airline in the region with tagline "Now everyone can fly". Starting off with only two ageing Boeing jets and eleven million dollars worth of debt, the company now has a fleet of 50 jets, with 130 more on order, and carries 18 million passengers a year, more than many established airlines in Asia. On this week's TALK ASIA, the airline's outspoken CEO takes host Andrew Stevens inside the cockpit of an AirAsia plane to reveal the inspiration behind his remarkable achievement.

An accountant by profession, Fernandes led a comfortable life with a rewarding job in the music industry. He quit his job, re-mortgaged his home and sank all his savings into the nascent low-budget airline industry. Despite stringent government regulations and the general perception that flying was an expensive business, Fernandes saw huge potential for the industry. He decided to buy into AirAsia three days after September 11, 2001 when airlines had started to cut back, oil prices were hitting the roof and people were afraid to fly.

Six out of ten passengers on AirAsia flights have never flown before. Fernandes sees his company as a purveyor of dreams, providing a lifetime opportunity for people to fly to places they have only dreamed of. Dubbed "Asia's Richard Branson" for his off-beat business style, Fernandes recently launched into the world's first long-haul no-frills service and successfully lured the British billionaire into acquiring a 20 percent stake in the airline.

In addition to doing away with meal service, AirAsia implemented cost-saving strategies including having flight attendants clean the plane and imposing an aircraft turnaround time of 25 minutes.  In-flight entertainment comes in the form of ‘Air Asia Idol" competitions with the crew getting passengers clapping and singing out loud.  Fernandes also shares with TALK ASIA how he picked members of his team from a passport queue in Singapore and at an amusement park.

For a full transcript of the interview after the first airing and more program information on TALK ASIA visit www.cnn.com/talkasia

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