AirAsia X strengthens crisis response through strategic counselling partnership with Board of Counsellors Malaysia

The signing ceremony took place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and was witnessed by Yang Berhormat Lim Hui Ying, Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development, Malaysia and Captain Saravanan Subramaniam, Chief Safety & Quality Officer at AirAsia Group.

The collaboration integrates professional psychosocial support into the Group's humanitarian assistance and crisis response framework, strengthening its emergency preparedness ecosystem.

Under the agreement, both parties will collaborate in areas including emergency response preparedness, deployment of registered counsellors during crises, psychosocial first aid (PFA), disaster response exercises, and specialised training programmes for AirAsia Group personnel across all AOCs.

Through the partnership, BOC will provide trained registered counsellors to support employees, survivors, victims and family members affected during emergencies or crisis situations across the Group’s operational network.

The collaboration will also see both parties jointly enhancing emergency response protocols and operational readiness through simulation exercises, knowledge sharing initiatives and continuous capability development programmes.

Captain Suresh Bangah, Group Chief Operations Officer, AirAsia Group said: “Safety and the wellbeing of our guests has always been at the core of everything we do at AirAsia. This collaboration reflects our commitment to strengthening not only operational preparedness, but also the human aspect of a crisis response through professional psychosocial support.

By working together with the Board of Counsellors Malaysia, we are reinforcing our ability to provide timely care, compassion and assistance to affected individuals, families and to our Allstars during challenging situations, while continuing to strengthen our overall emergency response framework across the region.”

Tuan Haji Sadli bin Osman, CEO Malaysian Board of Counsellors Malaysia said: “This collaboration marks an important step in strengthening psychosocial support services and humanitarian response capabilities within the aviation industry. Through this partnership, registered counsellors under the Board of Counsellors Malaysia will contribute their expertise in providing emotional support, psychological first aid and counselling assistance during emergencies and disaster situations. We commend AirAsia for recognising the importance of mental well-being and psychosocial care as part of a comprehensive safety and emergency response ecosystem.”