KOTA KINABALU, Aug 13 — AirAsia has plans to invest in carbon offset projects in Sabah, advisor Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said amid plans to introduce a sustainability surcharge on passengers.

He said the airline was heavily criticised for its carbon emissions despite efforts to mitigate this.

"We will use the carbon emission fees we collect to implement carbon offset projects. We believe that more projects need to be done in Sabah as most of them are outside of the country,” he said, adding that plans would be decided within the next six months

Examples of projects under consideration include wind power generation, sustainable fuels, and reforestation schemes, he said.

He also called on the Sabah state government to implement more carbon offset investment projects in the state for investors to join.

Fernandes said AirAsia was among the most carbon-efficient airlines in the world due to its new technology and optimised seating.

He previously said the Capital A Group will charge a sustainability fee on its passengers and invest the collections in carbon reduction projects in the region.