Last year when the AirAsia group posted a healthy 3Q2016 (financial year ending September 30) with revenue of RM2.97 billion (US$665.7 million) its chief executive officer, Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, said the 2017 would promise to be more exciting as ‘it marks the emergence of AirAsia group as a digital airline airline.”
The budget carrier is taking steps to realise this vision with the announcement of its first ever open innovation hackathon, AIRVOLUTION 2017, on March 18-19.
Tony Fernandes: AirAsia, a digital airline (Image credit: AirAsia)
The event, with the theme ‘Spearheading Innovation in Asean’, will be held at its new corporate headquarter, RedQ (Red Headquarters) that is located next to budget terminal klia2 in Sepang.
Twenty teams will compete to create new applications and tools to address a travel-related challenge, AirAsia said in a statement.
Sponsored by companies that include Microsoft, AirAsia Santan, AirAsia BIG Loyalty Programme, the hackathon is open to participants of any nationality currently residing in any of the 26 markets covered by AirAsia’s extensive network.
Registration is now open and closes on February 19. Successful teams will be informed by March 3, and the airline will sponsor return flights for teams residing outside of Malaysia.
Prizes for the winning team include RM25,000 (US$5,600) in cash, 100,000 AirAsia BIG loyalty points, and five return flights to any AirAsia destination.
Fernandes said “innovation is the lifeblood of AirAsia,” and the hackathon “can spur the kind of radical, creative thinking that will ensure AirAsia remains on the leading edge.”
NOTE: AirAsia will not be the only airline in Malaysia to host a travel hackathon as Malaysia Airlines Bhd is holding the #MABHackathon from February 18-19. The national carrier says it is “first airline in Malaysia to a organise public hacking event.” Entries for the hackathon, themed ‘Innovate Traveller’s Experience’, closes on January 25. It will be held at the Malaysia Airlines Academy in Kelana Jaya, Selangor. Registration and details of the hackathon here.