FILE: AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes speaks during a press conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Associated Press photo)
Malaysia-based budget carrier AirAsia, whose aircraft disappeared with 162 people on board on Sunday, had claimed earlier this year that its planes "never get lost".
The article had appeared in its in-flight magazine Travel 3Sixty in April, days after the Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 disaster which killed 239 people. "Pilot Training in AirAsia is continuous and very thorough Rest assured that your Captain is well prepared to ensure your plane will never get lost," the article read.
In face of global outrage, AirAsia had apologised, saying the article had gone for print weeks before the tragedy.
The flight MH 370 from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing - carrying 12 crew members and 227 passengers - had gone off the air traffic controllers' radar on 8 March. It was assumed that the aircraft had ended up in the southern part of the Indian Ocean.
"It truly saddens me that this article was released at such an inopportune moment," AirAsia Executive Chairman Kamarudin Meranun had said. AirAsia group CEO Tony Fernandes too, had apologised. "As soon as we were informed on Twitter, we withdrew. Once again,apologies," he tweeted.
But now, memories of the article have resurfaced and netizens are taking to social media to pray for the passengers of the flight QZ8501. The Airbus A320 is presumed to have crashed into the Java Sea during the journey from Surabaya to Singapore on Sunday.
In September, the Malaysia Airlines had been forced to apologise after an advertisement campaign "My Ultimate Bucket List Contest" appeared days after its Flight 17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down.
"Bucket list" is a term that refers to things a person wants to do before death. The campaign offered free flights to passengers in Australia and New Zealand, asking them to name their "bucket list" destinations.
In July, the Flight 17, with 283 passengers and 15 crew members on board, was shot down in Ukraine, over territories controlled by pro-Russian separatists. Appearing two months on, the advertisement campaign turned a disaster, with passengers taking to the social media to vent their ire.