Asean athletes who receive medals at the Rio Paralympics will be given free flights by AirAsia, the airline’s CEO Tony Fernandes said.

In a Twitter post on Monday (12 September), Fernandes said that Asean Paralympians who win gold medals will get free flights for life, while those who clinch silver and bronze medals will get five years and three years, respectively.

“Thought the summer Olympics was amazing. But the Paralympics has showed me what determination is all about. Thanks guys and girls for giving all of us the spirit to never give up despite all the obstacles in front of us,” Fernandes said in his post.

Last week, Fernandes also awarded free flights to regional athletes who won medals at the Rio Olympics. The conditions for the award to the Asean Olympians were the same as the ones for the region's Paralympians.

AirAsia’s award for the Paralympians came after Malaysian Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin announced on Sunday (11 September) that the country’s Paralympians who clinch medals at the Games will get the same incentives and rewards as their able bodied counterparts.

A Paralympic gold medallist will receive 1 million Malaysian ringgit (S$330,937) reward, up from RM300,000 in the past, while the silver medalists and bronze medalists will get RM300,000 and RM100,000, respectively.