AirAsia Faces Backlash After Booking Payment Glitch Sparks Refund Outcry

[snoop1130]

File photo for reference only

 

AirAsia is under fire after a Facebook post alleged a major booking scam involving the airline. The post, shared on the page อีซ้อขยี้ข่าว : อีซ้อ, accused AirAsia of tricking customers with ticket promotions, only to claim unsuccessful bookings and withhold refunds from hundreds of thousands of people.

 

Thailand's Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB) has started investigating the claims.

 

AirAsia clarified that the issue stems from its travel booking platform app, AirAsia MOVE, not the airline directly. A malfunction in the app's Direct Debit payment method has caused customers' money to be deducted without confirming bookings.

 

AirAsia MOVE CEO Nadia Omar issued a statement today, December 3, ensuring affected customers that they are prioritizing refunds. She apologized for the inconvenience and mentioned that they have temporarily disabled the Direct Debit payment method since November 26 to avoid further issues.

 

 

Thai customers will receive an email with refund instructions by December 4, and refunds will be processed within seven working days upon submission of accurate bank details.

 

Despite promises of system improvements, many travelers remain upset with AirAsia for the prolonged delays and perceived lack of transparency. Even as the airline distances itself from direct responsibility, customer trust seems to be shaken.

 

If you're affected, keep an eye on your inbox for an email from [email protected] to ensure you secure your refund promptly.

 

-- 2024-12-03

 

 

[Tailwagsdog]

Few years ago I had major issues trying to get a refund from Air Asia, dealing with a robot, in the end I went to their admin office at Don Meuang Airport and demanded my refund, that I finally got

[rocksniffer]

The AirAsia website for booking flights used to be good. Easy and intuitive. Since it has become AirAsia MOVE it is much more awkward to use. 

[bkk6060]

Always thought their entire system was rubbish which is why I never fly them anymore.

[Sydebolle]

Well, here it is crystalized but in all fairness the procedure is a joke with ALL airlines. 

You book - they charge IMMEDIATELY. If you do not/cannot pay online (no credit card or online banking) then you're given a time slot of a few hours the most to pay for your online booking. 

Once it comes to a refund, the situation is completely different. I have NEVER received a refund as fast as I had to do a payment; some airlines took 60 - 90 days while two airlines never gave me the (marginal) dues back. Same with booking platforms of airline tickets; same delays there and they blame the airlines for the delay. 

Vote with your feet and hit the drums as loud and long as you can. Only like that the airlines might have a look at this absolutely unacceptable behaviour! 

[tomazbodner]

I'm quite happy with Air Asia Move app, despite being affected by this. The part where it shows all flights, also from other airlines, all in one place and allows you to book them directly from there is very convenient. With this publicity, I guess this glitch would have already been resolved or soon will be, so all good there. No hard feelings.

[john donson]

on top of the CC fraud by 3rd party...

[lapamita]

3 hours ago, rocksniffer said:

The AirAsia website for booking flights used to be good. Easy and intuitive. Since it has become AirAsia MOVE it is much more awkward to use. 

yes m, and since than , iwas never booking a ticket more on thei side. if air asia i book via other side.

 

its not an airline side more, its a allround booking portal, strange and difficult to use too, last booking a year ago, i stopped , and booked with trip

[NicoBKK]

4 hours ago, rocksniffer said:

The AirAsia website for booking flights used to be good. Easy and intuitive. Since it has become AirAsia MOVE it is much more awkward to use. 

Agreed, mine and my family names were in the system so it was always easy to book and we did not have to retype passports numbers. I did book with no issues so many flights pre-covid. Only thing to watch out was to skip the insurance, their web page before final payment was tricky.

[bendejo]

6 minutes ago, NicoBKK said:

[re: AirAsia]  Only thing to watch out was to skip the insurance, their web page before final payment was tricky.

 

Oh yeah, been bit there!

Another to watch is JetStar: good ticket prices but somewhere in the fine print it does say that the weight limit on luggage was 10kg.  Could cost half the price of the ticket additional, and they hit just about everyone on line in front of me.

 

[Ctkong]

After Covid with the new booking app, Airasia online service and ease of booking standard had gone down. I can get better prices thru third party booking platform for the same tickets quoted in MOVE apps or even my subscription of ASEAN PASS platform. 
Only the problem with third party booking platform is that if you want to make any changes , you would have to amend directly on the airline site which sometimes cannot find your booking in their site. 

[Ctkong]

Another bad PR on Airasia side was the recent action a couple of months ago at departure side in KLIA2 where their workers were stationed at the departure entrance weighing each and every piece of luggage for every flyer resulting in a very long queue . The cabin bag or backpack  were weighted together with the laptops or carry on with maximum 7kgs total. Many flyers were caught and redirected to the counters to pay for the carryon fees ( 14 kgs total) paying for the full 14 kgs regardless if you exceeded by only1 kg(8 kgs total). This is showing Airasia’s pettiness for all to see and the blowback in malaysia online is substantial. The workers should only eye those with bulky carry ons that are really overweight. However on my next flight a week later, there was no more such shenanigan going on. Perhaps Airasia management did take heed of the blowback resulting from their action. 

[khunjeff]

19 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

AirAsia clarified that the issue stems from its travel booking platform app, AirAsia MOVE, not the airline directly.

 

"It's not us at all! It's our wholly-owned online platform that has our name and that we've been heavily advertising! Why are you blaming us??"

[PETERTHEEATER]

22 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

AirAsia MOVE CEO Nadia Omar issued a statement today, December 3, ensuring affected customers that they are prioritizing refunds. She apologized for the inconvenience and mentioned that they have temporarily disabled the Direct Debit payment method since November 26 to avoid further issues.

Direct Debit? Is she saying that, up until that date, their system could take money direct from customer accounts without authority?