Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Dan_84]

Hey everyone,

I'm looking for opinions on Air Asia from those who have traveled with them. I know it's a budget airline and there are lots of little "additional costs" beyond the published fare (food, luggage costs, credit card "convenience charge") that are taken for granted when booking with other airlines. I know it won't be as fancy or comfortable as other airlines.

Basically, I'm asking about opinions on the core issues that can make or break a vacation:

-- Do the aircraft feel safe? Does it feel like the flight attendants are doing their jobs properly (i.e. enforcing safety regulations and keeping everyone safe and comfortable, not whether they smile widely enough when giving you a bag of peanuts).

-- Has your flight ever been delayed more than 15 minutes? Has your flight ever been canceled?

-- If you had to deal with customer service over a serious issue (lost luggage, canceled flight, changed flight time/location without notice), were they helpful?

I'm just concerned because, as I read in their FAQ, Air Asia does NOT reimburse for missed flights, nor do they offer any refunds for any reason. If something goes wrong, I'll have to pay for an extra ticket to get home, meaning that I could have just paid Korean Air's high fare and traveled comfortably.

Thank you (and if anyone is aware of a previous thread on Air Asia, could you bring it to my attention? Thanks!).

[northway]

Air Asia is a hell of a lot higher in quality than most US airlines. Safety and professionalism won't be your concern in the least.

I've flown them quite a few times and never had any delay of cancellation. Generally their flights aren't going to have delays the way a lot of other carriers do, as they have planes flying one leg loops rather than multi-stop trips that provide more opportunity for delay.

Checked baggage will seldom be an issue as they don't actually do connecting flights. As such, you're always going to be sending your bags on one leg, picking them up, then checking in again. This is where the savings come in. It's a hassle, but you also don't really need to worry about your bags getting lost in the transfer shuffle.

As for "fancy" and "comfortable", I really don't think you'll be able to tell a discernible difference.

I recommend Air Asia wholeheartedly. I've been nothing but impressed with their service and the quality of their aircraft. So long as you go in with the expectation that it's a budget airline you'll be fine.

[MalFSU1]

I have yet to find an airline based out of Asia that isn't considerably better than any airline you'll find in America..I have flown Asiana, Singapore, ThaiAirways, EVA Airways, JetStar, ChinaEaster, JAL....all were great experiences. I'm flying AirAsia in January and expect the same level of quality.

[northway]

[JBomb]

ever flown Air Goryo? Cebu Pacific was also pretty crap.

[DeMayonnaise]

What exactly do you want in an airline? In terms of getting me from where I am to where I want to be, AirAsia is pretty good. What do I know about airplane safety? The thing was in the air and then landed without any problems. The flight attendance gave the safety schpeal and nobody paid any attention to them.

I'd agree though that every Asian airline (even Cebu Pacific) is better than the miserable airlines back home.

Basically you fly Air Asia to save money on your trip and get you from point A to point B. No frills, and frankly, I don't want any. It performs this function very, very well.

[prideofidaho]

Do yourself a favour and buy the meal if you think you'll need it. It's considerably cheaper when pre-booked. Also, the personal-sized bottles of wine they sell are great value.

I'd pass on prebooking a seat, kind of a waste of money IMO.

The only bad thing I have to say is that I was once on a plane where none of the seats reclined. It was strange and unfortunately was for an overnight flight...not quite ideal but I think it was a major fluke.

[interestedinhanguk]

[northway]

[interestedinhanguk]

I agree that the food you get on a lot of US flights is far from good. On Lao Airlines it consisted of a room temperature pork patty in a bun wrapped and sealed from a factory (like those "hot dogs" you see next to the bread here in Korean grocery and convenience stores).

[northway]

[Dan_84]

Thanks for your opionions, everyone! I'm not picky when it comes to food (even airline food), and it's not a big deal to spend a few bucks to book a meal in advance. Basically, I just wanted to check that the airline doesn't appear too sketchy or "fly by night," or that they're constantly late or cancelling flights.

I think I'm going to go ahead and book with them-- especially as it's the peak season. Thanks!

[Yaya]

[interestedinhanguk]

[passport220]