Exorbitant payment processing fees for AirAsia flights

[KannikaP]

11 minutes ago, bignok said:

Never stayed in a western hotel?

Of course I have, and never saw the word 'Pp' , meaning per person, at any of them. 

[Fat is a type of crazy]

I have had to book a few flights for my girlfriend and I normally find the domestic flights end up cheaper on Thai Smile or Thai Airways - same company of course - once you factor in fees and luggage. Better not to go to Don Muang too if possible. Maybe it was an oddity. 

[bignok]

Trip.com has a $25 sign on gift

[bignok]

1 minute ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

Better not to go to Don Muang too if possible

Dmk is faster to go thru. With luggage AA is probably not that cheap. With carry on only it is. 700 to 1100 baht tickets

[Rimmer]

A couple of baiting posts have been removed

[Fat is a type of crazy]

2 minutes ago, bignok said:

Dmk is faster to go thru. With luggage AA is probably not that cheap. With carry on only it is. 700 to 1100 baht tickets

I like travel with a small bag or two but the girls tend to need their 20 kilos 

Edited July 23, 2023 by Fat is a type of crazy

[scorecard]

My BEST experience with this subject was booking a flight on Singapore airlines (special repatriation flight) in the middle of Covid- 19, from Sydney to S'pore and thru to Swampy.

 

I called S'pre airlines and was quickly transfered to a booking office in Singapore. She explained quickly that it was a free internet based call.

 

She asked several questions then said 'you are eligible to take this flight and it was heavily discounted.

 

Pleasany lady asked if I had more questions.

No.

She then mentined that the flgight had to be be booked by phone, and she asked If I wanted to go ahead and make / pay for the booking. She also mentioned there woudld be a Sing$10- tel. booking fee.

I asked if payment by credit card was Ok and what CC charges would be added. She replied no extra charges for cc payment.

 

It took some time to get the booking completed and add speical arrangements for my wheelchair situation.

 

I was quite happy with the Sing$10 booking fee.

 

One minute after the call I got the e.mail booking confirmation and 10 minutes later a Sing. airlines supervisor called me and said 'Have you has time to real all the details in your booking because it's a bit complex?

 

I responded 'yes, all correct'

 

As always with Singapore Airlines, great service and the flight was also great and great food.

 

What also impressed me was half way Sydney to S'pore the hostes asked me If I would like to take a slow assisted walk around the aircraft to get my legs active etc. I did, what service.

[Brickleberry]

1 hour ago, omnipresent said:

You can't always assume that... Nok Air (and other budget airlines like Lion Air, VietJet etc.) are often competitive, and when you factor in AirAsia's 400 THB payment processing fee, flights with those other airlines may turn out to be cheaper in total.

Lion Air wipes the floor with Air Asia. Better planes, cheaper flights, no extra hidden fees. The first price you see when checking for available flights is the same price you pay at the end. Unless you add on extras like insurance etc.

[KannikaP]

34 minutes ago, scorecard said:

'Have you has time to real all the details

But no time to check what you have posted here! 555

[KannikaP]

42 minutes ago, bignok said:

I was. Most of the marketing is done in pp terms to make it look cheaper. Tours, hotels. Lots of tours have single supplement.

Rubbish. Most hotel booking companies online quote the same for a double room for one or two guests. Yes, single rooms are NEVER half of the double rate.

[Burma Bill]

15 hours ago, In the jungle said:

I use Air Asia frequently and I just look at the total cost for the flight.

Same for me (when I lived in Thailand). As a "valued" (air miles) customer, I received a small discount. I used to book on line then confirm by paying cash at my local 7-11 (no card details involved).

[scorecard]

8 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

But no time to check what you have posted here! 555

Yes, I'm approahing 79 years old. After posting I often realize I've made spelling/grammar etc., even though I thought I had checked carefully.

 

my apologies. 

 

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, omnipresent said:

You can't always assume that... Nok Air (and other budget airlines like Lion Air, VietJet etc.) are often competitive, and when you factor in AirAsia's 400 THB payment processing fee, flights with those other airlines may turn out to be cheaper in total.

Also factoring in the fact that AirAsia does not allow hardly any changes, nor refunds. And they over charge for baggage too. 

[KannikaP]

2 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Yes, I'm approahing 79 years old. After posting I often realize I've made spelling/grammar etc., even though I thought I had checked carefully.

 

my apologies. 

 

But nice to see that you didn't get THOUGH and THOUGHT mixed up. TOUGH eh!

[scorecard]

Just now, KannikaP said:

But nice to see that you didn't get THOUGH and THOUGHT mixed up. TOUGH eh!

Life ain't easy, but no longer sleazy. 

[bignok]

31 minutes ago, Brickleberry said:

Lion Air wipes the floor with Air Asia. Better planes, cheaper flights, no extra hidden fees. The first price you see when checking for available flights is the same price you pay at the end. Unless you add on extras like insurance etc.

Lion Air has small carry on limits. Baggage expensive too.

 

https://lionairgroupsupport.freshdesk.com/en/support/solutions/articles/70000464473-what-is-the-requirement-to-bring-cabin-baggage-#:~:text=The cabin baggage size requirements,30 cm x 20 cm.

Edited July 23, 2023 by bignok

[KannikaP]

6 minutes ago, bignok said:

Because pre 2010 most people used travel agents for flights and hotels. Hotels were priced pp.

 

 

 

Edited July 23, 2023 by KannikaP

[JensenZ]

2 hours ago, bignok said:

400 baht is 5 beers in a bar. Not a big deal.

Yet, if you don't drink in bar, 400 baht is 8 litres of plain milk with change - a bigger deal.

[Lacessit]

2 hours ago, bignok said:

400 baht is 5 beers in a bar. Not a big deal.

It is if one is getting on a scooter or driving a car afterwards.

 

Air Asia has always stung customers with add-ons, I just compare with Nok airfares and go from there.

[bignok]

2 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

It is if one is getting on a scooter or driving a car afterwards.

 

Air Asia has always stung customers with add-ons, I just compare with Nok airfares and go from there.

I had a look at mytrip.com as was cheap but 5 add on questions. Just ridiculous.

 

Nok website not good post covid. Search flights it says contact air counter

[Brickleberry]

49 minutes ago, bignok said:

Lion Air has small carry on limits. Baggage expensive too.

 

https://lionairgroupsupport.freshdesk.com/en/support/solutions/articles/70000464473-what-is-the-requirement-to-bring-cabin-baggage-#:~:text=The cabin baggage size requirements,30 cm x 20 cm.

What are you talking about?

 

Lion air are renowned for having a 10kg free luggage allowance for domestic flights, plus 7kg cabin. This increases to 20kg for international flights. 

 

7kg is standard for cabin baggage. All Thai airlines (including Air Asia) follow this rule. Lion Air is hands down the best airline operator for price, ease of booking and fairness of fees.

[JimGant]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

And they [AirAsia] over charge for baggage too. 

No they don't -- in fact, they don't charge for checked baggage, unless you actually have checked baggage. Unlike Nok, whose charge includes a checked 15 kg bag, whether or not you actually check one. And, this shows up with the difference in fares, with Nok charging about 400 bt more, on average, for flts between CNX and DMG.

 

But, why argue nitnoy fares akin to bus fares -- flying domestic in Thailand, whatever airline's fare, is a waste of time, when you compare these fares to flying back to the West, especially in Business Class (mandatory for arthritic geezers). Airline competition keeps a friendly availability schedule, particularly between DMG and CNX. And competition keeps prices, well, competitive. So, seems meaningless to cry over Thai domestic airline fares.....

[Sticky Rice Balls]

6 hours ago, bubblegum said:

Book the same flight thru Kiwi.com

yep I did it thru traveloka.......cheaper

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, bignok said:

Dmk is faster to go thru. With luggage AA is probably not that cheap. With carry on only it is. 700 to 1100 baht tickets

But what about taxis on arrival at DM? Still the very long wait to get a taxi?

 

[Lacessit]

1 hour ago, bignok said:

I had a look at mytrip.com as was cheap but 5 add on questions. Just ridiculous.

 

Nok website not good post covid. Search flights it says contact air counter

I seem to have no problem on Nok Air pulling up prices for flights a month ahead on the DMK - CEI route.

[Burma Bill]

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

Air Asia has always stung customers with add-ons, I just compare with Nok airfares and go from there.

Maybe so, but you have the option to discard the add-ons when making your booking e.g.

 

Choice of seat - delete

Book a meal - delete

Travel Insurance - delete

Baggage in hold - delete

- the fare decreases accordingly and then, with respect, compare with Nok Air.

For reference: 

Only Thai Air Asia, Malay Air Asia and Bangkok Airways serve Siem Reap in Cambodia.  Nok Air has no flights to Cambodia.  

Edited July 23, 2023 by Burma Bill
additional information

[Lacessit]

2 minutes ago, scorecard said:

But what about taxis on arrival at DM? Still the very long wait to get a taxi?

 

If you want to go to Suvarnabhumi or vice versa, there is a free shuttle bus. I only have to show ongoing ticketing.

[Lacessit]

6 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

Maybe so, but you have the option to discard the add-ons when making your booking e.g.

 

Choice of seat - delete

Book a meal - delete

Travel Insurance - delete

Baggage in hold - delete

- the fare decreases accordingly and then, with respect, compare with Nok Air.

I like to choose an aisle seat, and always have hold baggage. I agree it's a lottery which is cheaper.

IMO anyone ordering a meal on a one-hour flight is a masochist, or has tapeworms.

Edited July 23, 2023 by Lacessit

[scorecard]

12 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

If you want to go to Suvarnabhumi or vice versa, there is a free shuttle bus. I only have to show ongoing ticketing.

Good news, I was meaning going home from the airport. 

 

But of course there's the 'option' of going up to the departures level and easily/quickly grabing a taxi delivering a departures customer. 

[Burma Bill]

19 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

MO anyone ordering a meal on a one-hour flight is a masochist, or has tapeworms.

Very much so, and thanks, but it regularly happened on Air Asia flights from Khon Kaen (KKC) to DMK. I used to sit and watch many Thai passengers in the "red seats" being given pre-packed food from the trolley which was then placed in a bag and taken off the plane for consumption at a later time! I found out that these passengers were Government/Local Government employees who were given upgraded red seats and food. Maybe they all had tapeworms - not unusual from eating Thai raw food!