AirAsia’s cozy deals with Airbus in focus with CEO Tony Fernandes’ exit

Airbus SE and AirAsia Bhd, the discount carrier built by Tony Fernandes, were inseparable for years, with the boisterous aviation executive gorging on ever-larger aircraft orders to become the manufacturer’s single biggest customer for single-aisle jets.

That happy marriage ended in acrimony last week after Airbus admitted to illegally trying to sway decision makers in aircraft sales and agreed to a record $4 billion bribery settlement. By Monday, Fernandes was out of the Malaysian airline he had acquired in 2001 and turned into a success.

Fernandes, 55, was one of Airbus’s most loyal customers, a fixture at air shows where he would make a splash with massive orders.