my review of Air Asia
Jan 20, 2019, 2:19 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Canada
Programs: Star Alliance G*, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium,
Posts: 3,585
my review of Air Asia
My first experience with Air Asia was far from impressive:
- the flight (SIN-KUL) operated one hour late;
- the pilot blamed the delay on the late arrival of the incoming flight - which was incorrect;
- the gate agents did not make any announcements about the delay. All they did was press buttons to commence canned announcements;
- the FAs refused to assist a parent with a re-seating request so he could assist a minor.
I brought this to the attention of their customer service department. Below I have reproduced their reply:
In response to your email for booking xxxxxx, please be informed that the flight has been delayed due to an operational requirement. We are extremely concerned to learn of your disappointing experience with us and understand how frustrating it must have been to linger at the airport long. Occasional delays are part of air travel today. Much as we dislike delays, we cannot avoid them. We would rather delay the flight, than risking the safety of our guests.
Air Asia offers passengers affordable services and low fares. Consequently, for any change to the original plan, the liability that we are able to absorb shall be limited in costs and not affordable by us. Furthermore, our terms and conditions inform the guest that at any time after a booking has been made we may change our schedules and/or cancel, terminate, divert, postpone reschedule or delay any flight where we reasonably consider this to be justified by circumstances beyond our control or for reasons of safety or commercial reasons.
We encourage you to purchase AirAsia Insure Travel Protection for your future flight so that you could obtain compensation which it covers personal accident, flight cancellation/delay, lost or damaged baggage and 24 hours worldwide travel assistance.
Is my experience the exception? I am surprised to see their satisfaction #s so high, when from my experience the crew don't give a.............!
- the flight (SIN-KUL) operated one hour late;
- the pilot blamed the delay on the late arrival of the incoming flight - which was incorrect;
- the gate agents did not make any announcements about the delay. All they did was press buttons to commence canned announcements;
- the FAs refused to assist a parent with a re-seating request so he could assist a minor.
I brought this to the attention of their customer service department. Below I have reproduced their reply:
In response to your email for booking xxxxxx, please be informed that the flight has been delayed due to an operational requirement. We are extremely concerned to learn of your disappointing experience with us and understand how frustrating it must have been to linger at the airport long. Occasional delays are part of air travel today. Much as we dislike delays, we cannot avoid them. We would rather delay the flight, than risking the safety of our guests.
Air Asia offers passengers affordable services and low fares. Consequently, for any change to the original plan, the liability that we are able to absorb shall be limited in costs and not affordable by us. Furthermore, our terms and conditions inform the guest that at any time after a booking has been made we may change our schedules and/or cancel, terminate, divert, postpone reschedule or delay any flight where we reasonably consider this to be justified by circumstances beyond our control or for reasons of safety or commercial reasons.
We encourage you to purchase AirAsia Insure Travel Protection for your future flight so that you could obtain compensation which it covers personal accident, flight cancellation/delay, lost or damaged baggage and 24 hours worldwide travel assistance.
Is my experience the exception? I am surprised to see their satisfaction #s so high, when from my experience the crew don't give a.............!
Jan 20, 2019, 4:52 am
#2
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: CGK
Posts: 2,375
My first experience with Air Asia was far from impressive:
- the flight (SIN-KUL) operated one hour late;
- the pilot blamed the delay on the late arrival of the incoming flight - which was incorrect;
- the gate agents did not make any announcements about the delay. All they did was press buttons to commence canned announcements;
- the FAs refused to assist a parent with a re-seating request so he could assist a minor.
I brought this to the attention of their customer service department. Below I have reproduced their reply:
In response to your email for booking xxxxxx, please be informed that the flight has been delayed due to an operational requirement. We are extremely concerned to learn of your disappointing experience with us and understand how frustrating it must have been to linger at the airport long. Occasional delays are part of air travel today. Much as we dislike delays, we cannot avoid them. We would rather delay the flight, than risking the safety of our guests.
Air Asia offers passengers affordable services and low fares. Consequently, for any change to the original plan, the liability that we are able to absorb shall be limited in costs and not affordable by us. Furthermore, our terms and conditions inform the guest that at any time after a booking has been made we may change our schedules and/or cancel, terminate, divert, postpone reschedule or delay any flight where we reasonably consider this to be justified by circumstances beyond our control or for reasons of safety or commercial reasons.
We encourage you to purchase AirAsia Insure Travel Protection for your future flight so that you could obtain compensation which it covers personal accident, flight cancellation/delay, lost or damaged baggage and 24 hours worldwide travel assistance.
Is my experience the exception? I am surprised to see their satisfaction #s so high, when from my experience the crew don't give a.............!
- the flight (SIN-KUL) operated one hour late;
- the pilot blamed the delay on the late arrival of the incoming flight - which was incorrect;
- the gate agents did not make any announcements about the delay. All they did was press buttons to commence canned announcements;
- the FAs refused to assist a parent with a re-seating request so he could assist a minor.
I brought this to the attention of their customer service department. Below I have reproduced their reply:
In response to your email for booking xxxxxx, please be informed that the flight has been delayed due to an operational requirement. We are extremely concerned to learn of your disappointing experience with us and understand how frustrating it must have been to linger at the airport long. Occasional delays are part of air travel today. Much as we dislike delays, we cannot avoid them. We would rather delay the flight, than risking the safety of our guests.
Air Asia offers passengers affordable services and low fares. Consequently, for any change to the original plan, the liability that we are able to absorb shall be limited in costs and not affordable by us. Furthermore, our terms and conditions inform the guest that at any time after a booking has been made we may change our schedules and/or cancel, terminate, divert, postpone reschedule or delay any flight where we reasonably consider this to be justified by circumstances beyond our control or for reasons of safety or commercial reasons.
We encourage you to purchase AirAsia Insure Travel Protection for your future flight so that you could obtain compensation which it covers personal accident, flight cancellation/delay, lost or damaged baggage and 24 hours worldwide travel assistance.
Is my experience the exception? I am surprised to see their satisfaction #s so high, when from my experience the crew don't give a.............!
(That said, the one time I chose to flew Scoot, the F/As were hostile and actually barked at everyone for any of the slightest inconvenience to them)
Jan 20, 2019, 8:19 pm
#3
Join Date: Nov 2018
Programs: Enrich
Posts: 449
Is the aircraft arrives 50 minutes before departure or 20 minutes before departure? Since the turn around times usually requires 30 to 45 minutes, any arrival at gates with less than 20 minutes to departure will consider late arrival.
As for gate agent, usually those are contract, I believe is Dnata? They usually not so helpful in several ways, in Changi airport...
I believe the company policy on seat change as there always some people try to sneak onto hot seat after departure.... some more you could do online check in to choose your seat by free
For AirAsia travel insurance, never ever purchase them. In my experience, it almost completely useless. It is better to other purchase travel insurance yourself.
As for gate agent, usually those are contract, I believe is Dnata? They usually not so helpful in several ways, in Changi airport...
I believe the company policy on seat change as there always some people try to sneak onto hot seat after departure.... some more you could do online check in to choose your seat by free
For AirAsia travel insurance, never ever purchase them. In my experience, it almost completely useless. It is better to other purchase travel insurance yourself.
Jan 21, 2019, 7:12 pm
#4
Join Date: May 2012
Location: BKK/SIN/YYZ/YUL
Programs: DL, AC, Bonvoy, Accor, Hilton
Posts: 2,919
What's the problem? Nothing you have listed is significant.
1. Ok so the flight was delayed. Short hop asian flights are notorious for this especially when there is weather. All it takes is a couple tarmac delays and there is a cascade. Over the past few days, flights have been cancelled and delayed for hours in North America so this isn't an issue specific to Air Asia. It's not as if United has the best on time performance either is it. yet you fly that airline regularly,
2. The gate agents did not make any announcements about the delay. All they did was press buttons to commence canned announcements: So? Nothing unusual in that. The GA staff can only say something when they have information. It was an hour, hardly a crisis.
3. The FAs refused to assist a parent with a re-seating request so he could assist a minor: Do you know the history behind the issue? What seats were implicated? As mentioned above, any chance these were hot seats the parent was trying to purloin? Air Asia has the option of pre selection of seats. Nothing stopped the parent from doing this, unless he didn't want to pay. In the case of a minor requirement, Air Asia can and will reassign seats.
Air Asia is a LCC. It provides an excellent value proposition and a service experience that is as good as EU and North American carrier domestic service. When you pay a relatively cheap airfare, it is unreasonable to expect a flawless experience. I don't like Air Asia, but I use them when I need a bus ride under 90 minutes.
1. Ok so the flight was delayed. Short hop asian flights are notorious for this especially when there is weather. All it takes is a couple tarmac delays and there is a cascade. Over the past few days, flights have been cancelled and delayed for hours in North America so this isn't an issue specific to Air Asia. It's not as if United has the best on time performance either is it. yet you fly that airline regularly,
2. The gate agents did not make any announcements about the delay. All they did was press buttons to commence canned announcements: So? Nothing unusual in that. The GA staff can only say something when they have information. It was an hour, hardly a crisis.
3. The FAs refused to assist a parent with a re-seating request so he could assist a minor: Do you know the history behind the issue? What seats were implicated? As mentioned above, any chance these were hot seats the parent was trying to purloin? Air Asia has the option of pre selection of seats. Nothing stopped the parent from doing this, unless he didn't want to pay. In the case of a minor requirement, Air Asia can and will reassign seats.
Air Asia is a LCC. It provides an excellent value proposition and a service experience that is as good as EU and North American carrier domestic service. When you pay a relatively cheap airfare, it is unreasonable to expect a flawless experience. I don't like Air Asia, but I use them when I need a bus ride under 90 minutes.
Jan 21, 2019, 9:06 pm
#5
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Join Date: Nov 1999
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Posts: 21,800
Jan 22, 2019, 3:08 am
#6
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Netherlands
Programs: FB Gold
Posts: 399
What are you complaining about? You could have flown SQ or MH but you chose a budget airline instead. A 1 hour delay, it happens. No info from gate agents, what can they say if they don't know anything? Re-seating on a budget airline? Seriously? If you want to sit next to someone you pay to reserve seats together when you book.
Jan 22, 2019, 3:22 am
#7
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: California
Posts: 463
I don't understand why people book LCCs and then complain about small delays, expect cabin crew to provide extensive service, want lots of engagement from ground staff...Isn't giving up some of these part of the deal for cheap tickets?
Jan 22, 2019, 3:41 am
#8
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 19,799
If the ticket is cheap; LCCs can charge like FSCs if schedule is in demand.
Jan 22, 2019, 3:34 pm
#9
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: ATL
Programs: Delta PlM, 1M
Posts: 6,363
1) OP had a one hour delay. Happens.
2) OP has no clue if a late arriving craft caused a delay. Regardless, it hardly matters what the explanation is.
3) Yes, gate announcements tend to suck on most airlines.
4) Just because a parent is with a minor does not give them special rights to ask for whatever they desire.
2) OP has no clue if a late arriving craft caused a delay. Regardless, it hardly matters what the explanation is.
3) Yes, gate announcements tend to suck on most airlines.
4) Just because a parent is with a minor does not give them special rights to ask for whatever they desire.
Jan 23, 2019, 3:38 am
#11
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: California
Posts: 463
Indeed - Surely one only books budget airlines if there is a good reason to do so (be it cheaper fare, better schedule, fewer transfers, more convenient airports for one's situation).
Feb 23, 2019, 11:15 pm
#12
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in LIMA, PERU
Posts: 58,607
AirAsia offered you the ability to choose seats. You declined. A lack of preparation on your part does not constitute an emergency on theirs....
FWIW, this was our experience on a recent AirAsia flight: https://readyjetroam.com/2019/02/24/...-kuala-lumpur/
tl;dr: All in all, with the understanding that you are on a low-cost carrier and so there WILL be queuing, the AirAsia flight experience is a good one…especially with a hot seat, pre-ordered meal and lightly packed small bag.
Last edited by kokonutz; Feb 24, 2019 at 4:30 am
Feb 26, 2019, 9:50 am
#13
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in LIMA, PERU
Posts: 58,607
A second review of AirAsia, this time KUL-CNX: https://readyjetroam.com/2019/02/26/...to-chiang-mai/
Feb 27, 2019, 6:04 pm
#14
Join Date: Nov 2018
Programs: Enrich
Posts: 449
A second review of AirAsia, this time KUL-CNX: https://readyjetroam.com/2019/02/26/...to-chiang-mai/
KLIA express train is definitely faster and more comfort than car. From KL sentral to KLIA2 it takes about 35 minutes, and the interval of departure is between 10 to 20minutes. Just it is cheap for single traveller, since single trip cost around MYR 49 (if you buy from kiosk). For 2 or 3 travellers, grab car is cheaper.
Taxi is expensive like hell
For regular train, I would say KTM ETS train is good to take if you want to travel to different city or states. But the ticket is extremely hard to get as it is very popular, since senior citizen can get a very good discount, I believe up to 50%. However, for the regular public transport within Selangor, KL, it tends to be very time consuming, expensive and slow. Mainly due to the fact that majority of Malaysian own a car.
Mar 1, 2019, 10:47 am
#15
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in LIMA, PERU
Posts: 58,607
One comment:
KLIA express train is definitely faster and more comfort than car. From KL sentral to KLIA2 it takes about 35 minutes, and the interval of departure is between 10 to 20minutes. Just it is cheap for single traveller, since single trip cost around MYR 49 (if you buy from kiosk). For 2 or 3 travellers, grab car is cheaper.
Taxi is expensive like hell
For regular train, I would say KTM ETS train is good to take if you want to travel to different city or states. But the ticket is extremely hard to get as it is very popular, since senior citizen can get a very good discount, I believe up to 50%. However, for the regular public transport within Selangor, KL, it tends to be very time consuming, expensive and slow. Mainly due to the fact that majority of Malaysian own a car.
KLIA express train is definitely faster and more comfort than car. From KL sentral to KLIA2 it takes about 35 minutes, and the interval of departure is between 10 to 20minutes. Just it is cheap for single traveller, since single trip cost around MYR 49 (if you buy from kiosk). For 2 or 3 travellers, grab car is cheaper.
Taxi is expensive like hell
For regular train, I would say KTM ETS train is good to take if you want to travel to different city or states. But the ticket is extremely hard to get as it is very popular, since senior citizen can get a very good discount, I believe up to 50%. However, for the regular public transport within Selangor, KL, it tends to be very time consuming, expensive and slow. Mainly due to the fact that majority of Malaysian own a car.
so we weren't going to risk that on our way to the airport...