Early October, Tan Sri Dr Tony Fernandes was awarded Airline Executive of the Year by CAPA (Centre for Aviation) in Amsterdam; In giving this award, CAPA said, 'AirAsia is back at the front of the pack and Tony has once again shown why he is one of the industry’s leading executives. The original short haul operations in Malaysia and Thailand are again among the most profitable airlines in Asia while losses in Indonesia and Philippines have been reduced. Long haul LCC AirAsia X is also back in the black following a restructuring.'

I caught up with him to talk about comebacks, retirement, egos, music and of course, travel and Asia.

Q: What is it like to be back in the driving seat?

I was never out but yes, I guess I was kinda. Now I am more involved and enjoying it. In the gap, I was preparing for retirement, I had prepared second liners and that had taken pressure off me. But QZ8501 put things into perspective and I had to make sure that when I do retire, everything would be in good shape. (QZ8501 crashed into the Java Sea during bad weather, killing all 155 passengers and seven crew on board in December, 2014)

Q: Do you think that’s the burden of maverick entrepreneurs, strong leaders, like yourself? That you can’t ever let go because no one can ever replace you?

I really want to let go. My exit was premature at the time. We hadn’t fully grasped how complicated the ASEAN infrastructure is, underestimated the nationalism. I want to be like Alexander The Great and make them marry each other.

I have to step down some time â€" it cannot be right if I haven’t passed on the baton to someone and that someone makes it better. This is very important to me, it’s my baby, I can’t leave and let it fall apart.

Q: What did QZ8501 teach you?

Life is a blink. You blink and it changes. Live each day as it is your last â€" easy to say but hard to put that into reality.

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