There is a missionary in the sky. Amen

Raymond Lee turned away from his family business, took to religion — and returned to start an airline. Venkatesan Vembu reports

When Raymond Lee launches into an exposition of his business philosophy, he bristles with the pulpit passion of a Bible-thumping missionary. But that’s only because Rev Lee is a Bible-thumping missionary, who for a while in the 1980s, even served the poor in Kolkata. So, what’s a pastor, whom you’d expect to be in the business of saving souls, doing in the boardroom of Oasis Hong Kong, the world’s first low-cost, long-haul airline he launched last year? 

He says he’s on a mission, and then narrates one of the most extraordinary entrepreneurial journeys ever. “I was born into a wealthy business family in Hong Kong,” recalls Lee. “But I never seriously contemplated a career in business. If anything, I was appalled by the strains in familial relations that had been wrought by the love of money. I decided, instead, to serve mankind.”

The Harvard graduate took to theological studies from the Gordon-Conwell Thelogical Seminary, and took up a full-time career in the Church: he started by serving as a volunteer in a programme to rehabilitate former prison inmates. The godly association continues to this day, 27 years later: he still serves as a voluntary pastor of the Faith Community Church. 

But Lee’s faith was severely tested while working with Cambodian refugees in Boston. After a period of introspection, Lee realised that God’s work would be far better served if he could provide jobs for unemployed inner-city youth. With his wife Priscilla, he started a business. “People were initially sceptical of this pastor-businessman, but we managed to survive, and even do well.”

Lee’s voice raises a pitch as he sums up his corporate philosophy: “Who says you can’t do well by doing good?” He pauses, a mischievous grin playing on his face, and adds: “Now, if I were in church, I would say ‘Amen!’ ”

Oasis Hong Kong airline, which promises “affordable luxury” for long-haul travellers, is an extension of this corporate mission. “I want to make it possible for people, who would otherwise not have been able to afford it, to see the world, ” says Lee. “And because it’s a business, I also intend to make lots of money.”

Oasis Hong Kong CEO Steve Miller, a veteran of 25 years in the aviation business, explains how the idea took off. Studying air traffic flows between Hong Kong and Europe (on the one hand) and North America (on the other), Miller noticed that many passengers from Hong Kong had to fly one or two stops — Singapore, Bangkok, Dubai, Helsinki or Moscow — before reaching their final destinations, because they couldn’t get a seat on a direct flight. 

“More and more airlines were feeding off Hong Kong, and I figured that if we were able to offer value-for-money point-to-point service, it would take off.” He approached the Lees — Raymond and Priscilla — who were convinced enough to bankroll the venture. 

Oasis Hong Kong pitches itself as a full-value, low-cost, long-haul carrier. “We provide quality onboard service including two hot meals, in-flight entertainment, world-class cabin crew, but at considerably low prices.”

Indicatively, Oasis offers one-way fares as low as HK$1,000 (about Rs5,600) on the Hong Kong-London route. Its inaugural flight, in October 2006, faced a highly publicised hiccup: minutes before take-off, the flight had to be grounded. Russian authorities refused over-flight permission at the last minute. “I was initially disappointed and angry, because I suspected foul play,” says Lee. “But at the same time, a strange sense of peace came over me, as I prayed. I reminded myself that the passengers should be my concern, not my own feelings.”

Since then, Oasis has been flying high. Plans are afoot to fly to two more destinations — Vancouver and San Francisco. “Our dream is to fly to 200 destinations in 20 years,” says Lee. He makes a bold prediction: “Low-fare carriers, especially value-for-money long-haul ones, will be in the forefront of the 21st century transportation revolution.”

How does the pursuit of profits compare with doing God’s work? Says Lee: “If the word ‘spiritual’ is properly understood to mean ‘bringing enormous benefit to people in all walks of life’, I’m a deeply spiritual man!” To which, it seems only appropriate to say: Amen!