Air Asia will start flying from Bangkok to both Penang and Ubon Ratchathani (and vice-versa) come mid-June. Starting prices on the Bangkok-Penang route: 500 baht plus taxes. Starting prices on the Bangkok-Ubon route: 350 baht plus taxes.

great news, bangkok-penang

I checked out Air Asia on the web last night and am wondering: can this be for real? or is there some sort of catch?

Anyone actually flown with them yet? Do you get a real reservation or are you placed on some standby for your 500 Baht?

Also would like to know if there are any Air Asia offices you can call up and talk to a live person on the phone...didn't see any phone contact info online.

If it's for real, great! Just sounds too good to be true...

Air Asia is for real. I've flown at least a dozen segments with them this year and will be traveling to Kuala Lumpur via Air Asia this weekend as well. I've been generally very satisfied with their service.

The "catches" as I see them are:

The heavily discounted tickets are non-refundable, non-changeable. If you can't use it, you lose it.

Seats are not pre-assigned. I have yet to encounter a problem with this though.

Checked-in baggage is limited to 15 kilograms. They will check and generally, they will charge for anything over the limit.

Air Asia is a point-to-point operation. They do not encourage making connections and will only check your bags for each individual flight. For example, flying Chiang Mai-Bangkok-Kuala Lumpur, I need to check my bags for the CNX-BKK flight, retrieve my bags upon arrival in Bangkok and check them again for the flight to KL.

Ok, sounds good.

Can you make phone reservations?

Can you make phone reservations?

Dunno. I've always made my bookings through their website. They do have phone numbers though. Check the website.

Just checked out the site,and yes I was quoted B1000 return for Penang in sept when my next run is due.

The only problem is there timing is not visa friendly.The flight arrives at 12.40pm,to late to get the application in,and departs penang at 13.35pm,to early to collect the visa.

Just checked out the site,and yes I was quoted B1000 return for Penang in sept when my next run is due.

The only problem is there timing is not visa friendly.The flight arrives at 12.40pm,to late to get the application in,and departs penang at 13.35pm,to early to collect the visa.

i also noticed that too, i guest we gotta stay one extra day

I dont know about you, but I'd rather stay an extra day in Penang than 2 days on the train

I dont know about you, but I'd rather stay an extra day in Penang than 2 days on the train

How many days should one allow for the visa run in Penang?

lets see you, arrive at Penang after noon to late for visa at the consulate so you lost one day, next day do your visa and wait till next day, lost 2 day, pick up visa, but cannot book air ticket cause air asia coming back flight is before the time of picking up visa lost another day, so thats 3 day lost, wait till next day to go home, so total 4 day stay... anybody have any other option..

Even having to stay in Georgetown for an extra day or two, I don't imagine that the total time spent on this trip using AirAsia is any longer than it would be if one utilized ground transportation (bus, train, etc.). Measure the time elapsed from when you would have to leave your home to the moment you will arrive back home.

As bonsaimax points out, I would rather spend two days on the ground in Penang than that same amount of time on the train.

You can make a reservation by phone but you will need to have a credit card. If you want to pay cash then you can go for local flights to any AIS office and for international flights you will need to go to the airport office