AirAsia likely to entrust its India operations to Kathleen Tan

Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia, which has six airlines under its fold, will be banking heavily on a woman to ensure the success of its impending India launch. Tony Fernandes, founder of AirAsia is said to have great confidence on Kathleen Tan, 52, his decade-old associate at AirAsia, to build the India travel market, just as she did for the airline in China. Tan is known as his 'right hand' in aviation circles and was the airline's former commercial head.

She has been appointed CEO of AirAsia Expedia (AAE), a JV between AirAsia and travel portal Expedia. It was Tan's original marketing gimmick to offer a million discounted flight seats - a pioneering move which she introduced first in 2005 for AirAsia.

This strategy was adopted, this year, by SpiceJet and Jet Airways. Though, Tan is no more on AirAsia's payroll but she is not too far away either from her previous employer. Tony reads her shift to Expedia as a 'gain for AirAsia.'