Datuk Bernard Francis is the Group Chief Executive Officer (Aviation) of TransNusa Airlines, where he leads the airline’s strategic transformation and regional expansion.
He was in Penang last Monday in conjunction with the airline’s launch of its Jakarta to Penang route.
He was greeted by the Penang State Exco for Tourism and Creative Economy YB Wong Hon Wai and Penang Global Tourism CEO, Ooi Chok Yan and their team.
“Penang International Airport (PIA) is Malaysia’s second-busiest airport and provides access to more than 20 international and domestic destinations,” he said.
“It has become the strongest alternative to KLIA, offering robust long-term incentive structures that many secondary airports in the region do not yet provide. This made the Jakarta–Penang route not only viable but highly strategic for our network expansion.”
“Penang is world renowned for its food and heritage sights and sceneries. It is also an important hub for medical tourism,” he added.
Bernard who hails from Sitiawan, Perak is a seasoned aviation leader with more than 20 years of industry experience, he has held key leadership roles across Asia’s major airlines, including Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia X, where he specialised in network planning, commercial strategy, and long-haul low-cost operations.
Since joining TransNusa in 2019, Bernard has overseen the airline’s successful post-pandemic relaunch, its rebranding into a Premium Service Carrier, and an aggressive international expansion that includes new routes to Malaysia, Singapore, China, Australia, and beyond.
Under his leadership, TransNusa also became the world’s first foreign operator of the COMAC ARJ21, reflecting his commitment to fleet innovation and future-focused aviation strategy.
He is widely recognised for his hands-on leadership style, commercial acumen, and ability to build agile, high-performance teams. Beyond aviation, he has championed regional medical-tourism initiatives by partnering with leading Malaysian healthcare providers to integrate travel and medical services for international passengers.
Bernard is the driving force behind TransNusa’s resurgence and rapid rise in Southeast Asia. With two decades of aviation expertise, he has transformed the airline from a grounded pandemic casualty into a bold, fast-growing Premium Service Carrier with strong on-time performance and a growing international network.
He led TransNusa to become the first foreign airline to operate the ARJ21, expanded into major regional markets, and built strategic partnerships in medical tourism — all while positioning the airline as a modern, flexible, and customer-centric carrier.
He had previously served in senior roles at Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia X. Under his stewardship, TransNusa continues to scale rapidly, combining innovation, discipline and a clear vision for regional aviation.