Beware Air Asia!

[Temujin]

For a 7 day period in March this year I saw a special on the Air Asia website.

Their Premium seats were available for a fraction of their normal cost.

 

http://www.airasia.com/my/en/inflight-comforts/seat-options.page?section=airasiax#flatbed

 

 

 

I was reluctant to book with Air Asia again as they have cancelled or changed 4 flights on me in the last two years.

But the bargain was too much to refuse. Both ways, to and from Australia, cost me a little over $1400 AU.

 

I booked my return flight for October 2013 Gold Coast (Australia) -> Kuala Lumpur -> Clark (Philippines)

 

This is what followed...

 

Wed 20th Mar 2013

-    Booked Premium Class seat (Booking Number LB6DHN) for Australia -> Malaysia. Malaysia -> Philippines.

My first ever Premium flight!

Monday 15th July 2013

-    Air Asia cancelled my flight for the Philippines transfer and sent this email.

To mitigate this inconvenience caused to you, we would like to offer you the following options:

1.A one-time transfer, at no extra cost, to a Malaysia AirAsia flight operating on the same route every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday within 30 days of your original flight date. Please note that this transfer is subject to seat availability.

(You will note that it says '... at NO extra cost' )

2. Convert the value of your total fare into a credit shell which you may use for any AirAsia flights within 90-days of conversion; or

3. Full refund of total fare.

We advise you to complete your selection at least 48 hours before your original flight schedule. Our customer care representatives are ready to assist you in processing your choices. For flights between June 15 – July 15, please call +632.7422742 (ASIA), for flights after July 15, you may also use our eForm through this link: http://www.airasia.com/my/en/e-form.page.

-    Logged in to Air Asia E-Form and made the change to the Sunday flight the following day.

Friday 19th July 2013

-    Received email from Air Asia.

Your feedback reference number is (Case Number : CAS-4036632-1Z0HZJ ). We will respond to you within 5 working days.

Wednesday 24th July 2013

-    Received email from Air Asia.

Thank you for your email to AirAsia.

From our reservation system, we observed that you have e-mailed us via e-form for assistance on your booking number LD8BHN. We have already requested the change on the date of your flight with regards to the e-mail you sent us. Updated itinerary will be sent to your e-mail account which is *****@hotmail.com once request is completed. Please note that this will be a one-time free move.
So I have two emails stating that this is a one-time free transfer.
One email stating that the transfer was to be completed and I would receive my new itinerary…

Then... NOTHING... for two weeks.

8 phone calls later over the course of the next 2 weeks (two of which were to international numbers).

… being told I would need to contact the Philippines customer support for Air Asia, NOT Australia. Isn’t this Air Asia’s problem… not mine?

… at numerous stages being told the transfer would cost $542...
(3 times the actual flight cost. Despite the fact that I have written evidence that it would be a FREE transfer!)

...still NOTHING!

Thursday 15th Aug 2013
(4 weeks after I was told I would receive my new itinerary!)

-    After a an hour long phone call, being put on hold 3 times, I was told by a supervisor that I would receive my new itinerary in 24-48 hours.

Tuesday 20th Aug 2013

-    STILL no email with my new itinerary.
But I did receive an email showing me the latest specials on flights for Air Asia.
That joke is in VERY poor taste!

Another 4-5 phone calls over the course of the next week.

I was ready to write off the KL -> Clark leg just to get the damn itinerary so I could get my premium seats.

But they couldn't even handle that.

Apparently Air Asia Australia will not or can not talk to Air Asia Philippines were the problem originated from.

 

Thursday 5th September 2013

 

So I finally bit the bullet and paid for 2 more international calls to the Philippines.

After resubmitting the paperwork to a Phil Air Asia they offered me a refund...

It would take 30 days to process and would mean no itinerary until after the date of my flight!

... or I could cancel the Clark leg of my flight all together and have my itinerary in 48 hours.

 

I finally received my new itinerary September 8th.

 

FK AIR ASIA!

NEVER again!

 

 

Feel free to post your Air Asia horror stories here... I guarantee there are plenty more.

[ringadingding]

 

 

Feel sorry for you man, but this is the issue with all budget airlines.

 

Not sure if you want to remove your email address from this post?

[Temujin]

Feel sorry for you man, but this is the issue with all budget airlines.

 

Not sure if you want to remove your email address from this post?

 

Thanks mate.

[sinbad5]

I think I would have twitter the refund and booked an alternative flight myself.

 

They lost my luggage once flying into Yangon. That was annoying.

[Temujin]

I think I would have twitter the refund and booked an alternative flight myself.

 

They lost my luggage once flying into Yangon. That was annoying.

 

I don't like to lose.

Besides I really wanted the business class seat.

Normally I never sleep much on flights. Even with medication.

[cheaptrick]

only a minor thing but didnt make sense to me.

 

i was flying from vietnam into bangkok and they would not accept vietnameese dong to buy in flight food and drinks.

 

they only accepted thai baht.

 

coming from vietnam i only had dong on me, so i couldnt even buy a drink.

[Jarrod2518]

It is good that you managed to get a result - it shows the importance of being persistent when it comes to dealing with budget airlines. The main problem with the budget airlines? It is the customers, the customers  expect service and that is not what budget airlines are into. So if you want some service, even a minimum quanity, do not use the budget airlines.

[barmatt]

Once was enough for me cancelled the KL-BKK leg and didnt notify me...never again

[Temujin]

only a minor thing but didnt make sense to me.

 

i was flying from vietnam into bangkok and they would not accept vietnameese dong to buy in flight food and drinks.

 

they only accepted thai baht.

 

coming from vietnam i only had dong on me, so i couldnt even buy a drink.

 

Been there... done that... got ripped off on the T-Shirt.

 

 

It is good that you managed to get a result - it shows the importance of being persistent when it comes to dealing with budget airlines. The main problem with the budget airlines? It is the customers, the customers  expect service and that is not what budget airlines are into. So if you want some service, even a minimum quanity, do not use the budget airlines.

 

 

That's the annoying part. The flights themselves are fine.

It's the office end that is completely fked up.

Not one single AirAsia office for customer service talks to another elsewhere in the world.

What the fk are these people thinking???

[quinny77]

only a minor thing but didnt make sense to me.

 

i was flying from vietnam into bangkok and they would not accept vietnameese dong to buy in flight food and drinks.

 

they only accepted thai baht.

 

coming from vietnam i only had dong on me, so i couldnt even buy a drink.

 

That is quite normal with the Vietnamese Dong.  No one excepts the currency outside of Vietnam.  You will be lucky if anyone will exchange the currency outside of Vietnam.  If you not going back to Vietnam, as a general rule always spend it or get rid off it.

[jaynewcastle]

Per Trip Advisor Air Forum, I think we have been advised to avoid every single airline in the world  .

 

It seems most airlines have pretty poor customer service, if a problem does arise.

 

99% of my flights have been with Emirates & Air Asia, I've never had a problem

[The Sperminator]

Well done for keeping your patience lot of expense on your part to sort their bad business practice out.

Personally i use Air Asia for short haul Bangkok to Hat Yai been alright on that route,luckily we no longer have the option to use them from the U.K,i would not use them even if it was 100 baht return to Bangkok from the U.K. You know that saying if its too good to be true then it probably isn't. .

[Chris50]

Well done for keeping your patience lot of expense on your part to sort their bad business practice out.

Personally i use Air Asia for short haul Bangkok to Hat Yai been alright on that route,luckily we no longer have the option to use them from the U.K,i would not use them even if it was 100 baht return to Bangkok from the U.K. You know that saying if its too good to be true then it probably isn't. .

Do they have flat tv screens on board and how many

[ICWATERS]

Sorry to hear of your bad experience , I have used AIR Add-on a number of times at least 6 return trips to Thailand from here in OZ  flying in the extra long seats,  the seat is good,  the service is ordinary,  but in the main it has worked out OK . the comfort is cheap to buy , the flight is cheaper that the bigger airlines .

 

that being said you buy a ticket now and it is $AUD 1250 E / Way  not real good value when I got a business class ticket with Malaysian from Brisbane  to Bangkok return for $2600.00 but it was purchased early flying over  and return during the Christmas break  

 

But you are certainly right when you need to get things done with air asia  if you can not  make that change  online then they become invisible , they do not have a service dept

hoped you enjoyed the flight anyway

[keeneauw]

And beware of Don Muang, the most remote and unaccessible airport in the world. Shame on AirAisia to let themselves be corrupted to move there!

[studboybkk]

Per Trip Advisor Air Forum, I think we have been advised to avoid every single airline in the world  .

 

It seems most airlines have pretty poor customer service, if a problem does arise.

 

99% of my flights have been with Emirates & Air Asia, I've never had a problem

Ditto that ... no problems so far.

[hangama100]

aire asia a big headache.after complaing they prsent as"Regards to your complaint, please accept our apologies for the inconvenience caused. While the lack of service you experienced in unusual and not the standard of our service, there is no excuse for such service that our staff treated to you. The case is a serious issue, please be assured that we have definitely addressed this to our concern(ed) department to take relevant measures for improvement. We are terribly sorry about that and we assure your that this matter will not happen again in the future."

[hangama100]

Without any regard to the fact that the customer might have stayed up late at night to book and pay for a "cheap" flight one year in advance, the airline cancels / merges / reschedules its flights at will. Recently Air Asia cancelled its kolkata - Bangkok service effective March 1, 2014. Flights prior to this date were merged on certain days.They are not refunding money. I lost more than USD300 to cancel other connecting flight.

[altec123]

I flew to Malaysia about 18 months ago and needed to return a day earlier.  They had lots of seats available (plane was 1/2 full) on the flight from Penang to Bangkok and the agent told me that I would need to purchase a new ticket, but the unused portion of my flight would be refunded to me.  I bought the new ticket and got back to Thailand.  When dealing with Air Asia on my refund they told me that there would be no refund and the agent in Penang was wrong on telling me this.   They told me to fly back to Penang and find the agent and deal with him directly.  I laughed at the lady on the phone and asked her if she had lost her mind.  I immediately called my bank in the US and contested the charge and got my money refunded for the used portion of the initial ticket.  My first and last experience with Air Asia.

[jerry]

That sucks . Flew with Air Asia dozens of times and never a problem .

[wackyjacky]

I've got a 'love - hate' relationship w/FD. Love the prices. Hate the service and sleazy 'nickle & diming'.

[bow6]

I have flown with them from bkk to phnom penh  2 times before,but am using them in 2 weeks syd to phnom penh then bkk to syd .fingers crossed it all goes smoothly.but after reading some of your stories I am a little worried

[gazman]

I've used them on around 10 flights and never had a problem, then again I read their conditions and know what to expect!