Planet-Warming Pollution Reaches Record Highs as Fossil Fuel Use Persists

[Bruce1]

I used AirAsia Bangkok-Krabi and they were fine. In fact, the plane had more room than the Air China plane I recently took to Beijing (on which two of the toilets stopped working, by the way), and on which I didn't have enough leg room to sit upright in my seat.

AirAsia now go Bangkok-KL-Gold Coast, as someone mentioned previously, so we're going home on that for Christmas and they were by far the cheapest option available, saving us heaps. They're a budget airline so I figure I'll just eat at the airport and sleep on the plane. As long as it doesn't crash I'm happy.

And yes (warning:sexist comment follows), their flight attendants are certainly easy on the eye.

[thaigene2]

Yes it's cheap and yes you need to use some common sense..But..

Knowing all of this, my wife and I decided to book and take our two very young kids (infants really) up to Khon kaen - not sure if they still fly that route..anyway..

I was certainly aware that there is no seat-booking and that it is a free-for-all, but I asked since we're traveling with two very small kids can we at leats get pre-boarding? The answer - I asked two different people - was 'yes'.

Well - the 'advance pre boarding' was just first onto the BUS..then of course when the doors opened everyone else sprints for the stairs...

Don't trael with small kids on these cheaper airlines...as pointed out it's not really that much cheaper - and with little kids it's good to have the preofessionalism, etc, of Thai (et al).

[Jingthing]

Don't want to give them any ideas but even though they charge for excess baggage weight, it could be much worse. I was hauling back alot of heavy stuff recently so I put as much of the heavy stuff as I could on my huge carryon backpack. They don't weigh that. And if they did, it would have been a real ding.

Edited November 22, 2007 by Jingthing

[zorro1]

Cheap charlie always complain. Ever notice how cheap charlie always got a problem with ..taxi, hotel, air fare etc etc .You get what you pay for so stop complaining or fly full fair with Thai air, singapore air and the rest of them

[torrenova]

Cheap charlie always complain. Ever notice how cheap charlie always got a problem with ..taxi, hotel, air fare etc etc .You get what you pay for so stop complaining or fly full fair with Thai air, singapore air and the rest of them

There is a point in what you say.

25 or so years ago I flew from London to Bonn and the price, for a child (I was 12 or 13) £125. That same fare today is probably about £50 before taxes (increased massively since then) against an inflation adjusted price of perhaps £500 or more.

If you pay peanuts you get monkeys the saying goes but safety aside, you cannot expect 5* amenities and service for a budget price. Some people obviously never flew 25 years ago so they whinge about fares and taxes (which I agree are ridiculous) but they have the opportunity to fly now given the much lower real cost. Flying used to be a luxury.

So I pretty much go with the CEO of Ryan Air and say shut up, its cheap.

[zorro1]

My first trip on Air Asia:

Partied all night, got up late - jumped in a cab, gave him my ticket showing Air Asia, flight #, etc... Driving like a mad man he get's me to the airport with plenty of time to spare. I run in, and to my suprise - no Air Asia... he had brought me to the old airport. He said, "all local flights go from here for sure for sure..." (I was heading to Ubon)

None the less, I missed my flight - There was no refund, and no next day booking on the next flight as it must be done 48 hours in advance by phone.

Hung over as hel_l I poured myself into another taxi, and off to the bus station I went where I was told there was only one bus going to Ubon Ratchathame and it was at 9pm. After 8 more hours of waiting, and for the same price I paid for the airplane ticket for the missed flight, I was on my way to what became a 13 hour bus ride over night in the rain. FUN! Only to find out from my Thai friend upon my arrival that I could have taken one of many busses (which they didn't tell me about @ MoChit) and that they also sold me a ticket that was double the price of everyone elses on the same bus. Beautiful Thailand.

Do your research folks! I fly Air Asia a lot & have never had any problems or complaints with them yet - just be on time...

a magnificent post

[thai_narak]

i don't fly airasia anymore due to the following reasons:

i have to book the flight 2-3 months before i travel to get a really fairly cheap ticket - my frequent route is kuala lumpur to bangkok and return.

if not booking early the price i usually end up paying online is about RM600+ (6,600+ baht) plus i have to park my car at the main airport and take the bus to the "low cost terminal" for about RM3 (33 baht). the flights are always delay so this is another "you get what you pay for" thing that money cannot compensate the hassles. for the return flight, if they are just delay for 30 minutes (which they are always) from bangkok i will miss the airport bus to the main airport and will have to pay RM60 (660 baht) for taxi to get my car from the main airport - my return flight is arriving normally at 11:30 PM from bangkok and the last bus is at midnight. in the end the total cost is about 7,233 baht without food and drinks plus a rat race during boarding running around the airport onto the plane.

for 2 years now, i fly with TG for 9,500 baht. no delays, with food and unlimited drinks, i can park at the main airport and just walk to/from the terminal building to the parking lot. the difference of about 2,000 baht is really nothing compare to all the hassles of airasia flight.

booking 2-3 months ahead of time is like gambling. twice i booked this early just loosing the money because my schedules had changed. this is not really flexible for business travellers like me.

//not a rant but this is just me...

[Shrubbery]

i have to book the flight 2-3 months before i travel to get a really fairly cheap ticket - my frequent route is kuala lumpur to bangkok and return.

That's exactly how the low cost carriers operate. Book early, get a cheap fare. Book late, and expect to pay a higher rate.

Delays can and do occur as we all know. But some are unavoidable. An aircraft going tech for instance. The knock on effects can be horrendous.

I'm sure we would all rather fly in an aircraft that is fully serviceable, rather than one that has a defect or 2.

The delays that are down to passenger(s) not arrivng at the departure gate, or similar circumstances, ARE avoidable.

Perhaps airlines should impose fines for passenger that delay an aircraft !!!!

[thai_narak]

i have to book the flight 2-3 months before i travel to get a really fairly cheap ticket - my frequent route is kuala lumpur to bangkok and return.

That's exactly how the low cost carriers operate. Book early, get a cheap fare. Book late, and expect to pay a higher rate.

Delays can and do occur as we all know. But some are unavoidable. An aircraft going tech for instance. The knock on effects can be horrendous.

I'm sure we would all rather fly in an aircraft that is fully serviceable, rather than one that has a defect or 2.

The delays that are down to passenger(s) not arrivng at the departure gate, or similar circumstances, ARE avoidable.

Perhaps airlines should impose fines for passenger that delay an aircraft !!!!

thank you for enlightening me but i already know how they operate. it's the same anywhere in the world with budget airlines. i guess my point is that, i cannot travel with airasia or any budget airline for that matter for flexibility reasons.

i can only book airasia a week or maybe less before the flight therefore paying high rates that's why i'm flying TG instead and all other reasons are stated in my OP. another thing with TG is that i can re-schedule the flight without charges, with airasia i will have to pay charges plus price difference in the end it's more expensive than TG.

again, i'm not complaining (not a rant). i don't fly with them that's all...

Edited November 23, 2007 by thai_narak

[007]

I think we are talking about Thai AirAsia (domestic) here. I have never tired before and don't think I will from what I saw my flight from KL to BKK by Thai AirAsia I have a pretty good idea how they operate AirAsia in Thailand. Plane was sooooo old and small and flight attendents with low-trainned manner.

Can confirm that for the route BKK-Penang-BKK; small and old planes too. Fly on your own risk! But then again, people fly Air Asia because it's cheaper than other airlines.

Edited November 23, 2007 by 7

[Ricardo]

Don't trael with small kids on these cheaper airlines...as pointed out it's not really that much cheaper - and with little kids it's good to have the preofessionalism, etc, of Thai (et al).

Note that you can pre-book your seats , on Nok-Air's web-site, to ensure that your family are all sitting together.

And the news that Air-Asia may introduce Ryan-Air's famously-bad passenger-service attitudes does not fill me with joy.

[asiaworld]

i don't fly airasia anymore due to the following reasons:

i have to book the flight 2-3 months before i travel to get a really fairly cheap ticket - my frequent route is kuala lumpur to bangkok and return.

if not booking early the price i usually end up paying online is about RM600+ (6,600+ baht) plus i have to park my car at the main airport and take the bus to the "low cost terminal" for about RM3 (33 baht). the flights are always delay so this is another "you get what you pay for" thing that money cannot compensate the hassles. for the return flight, if they are just delay for 30 minutes (which they are always) from bangkok i will miss the airport bus to the main airport and will have to pay RM60 (660 baht) for taxi to get my car from the main airport - my return flight is arriving normally at 11:30 PM from bangkok and the last bus is at midnight. in the end the total cost is about 7,233 baht without food and drinks plus a rat race during boarding running around the airport onto the plane.

for 2 years now, i fly with TG for 9,500 baht. no delays, with food and unlimited drinks, i can park at the main airport and just walk to/from the terminal building to the parking lot. the difference of about 2,000 baht is really nothing compare to all the hassles of airasia flight.

booking 2-3 months ahead of time is like gambling. twice i booked this early just loosing the money because my schedules had changed. this is not really flexible for business travellers like me.

//not a rant but this is just me...

Exactly & completely agree ! Just can't figure out why anyone would subject themselves to humiliation of AirAsia, for saving peanuts ... Unless it's something like Phnom Pehn, or Macau, where few normal airlines will go ,,

[ClaytonSeymour]

i think AirAsia is trash, also:

1. 23Jul07 - I paid AirAsia THB7,436 for BKK-RGN tickets.
   
2. 02Oct07 - AirAsia canceled our flight without notice. We learned about it at 5:00AM at the airport, the day of the flight.
   
3. 02Oct07 - AirAsia issued a signed and chopped Refund Authority that stated, "Refund to credit card within 14 work days".
   
4. 11Nov07 - AirAsia still has not paid.
   

I am now told the credit to my card could take 30 to 60 days from the date Thai AirAsia said they had processed my refund of THB7,436. That processing date was November 2nd.....exactly one month after Thai AirAsia cancelled my Bangkok to Rangoon flight without notice on October 2nd. Customer Service no help....just lies and excuses...no way to build a brand.

Does anyone know somebody at Thai AirAsia who could help me with this?

Be careful when dealing with these people. It's "Mai Pen Rai".......bigtime!

30 to 60 days for refunds is quite normal and that goes for full service carriers too.

[ClaytonSeymour]

i don't fly airasia anymore due to the following reasons:

i have to book the flight 2-3 months before i travel to get a really fairly cheap ticket - my frequent route is kuala lumpur to bangkok and return.

if not booking early the price i usually end up paying online is about RM600+ (6,600+ baht) plus i have to park my car at the main airport and take the bus to the "low cost terminal" for about RM3 (33 baht). the flights are always delay so this is another "you get what you pay for" thing that money cannot compensate the hassles. for the return flight, if they are just delay for 30 minutes (which they are always) from bangkok i will miss the airport bus to the main airport and will have to pay RM60 (660 baht) for taxi to get my car from the main airport - my return flight is arriving normally at 11:30 PM from bangkok and the last bus is at midnight. in the end the total cost is about 7,233 baht without food and drinks plus a rat race during boarding running around the airport onto the plane.

for 2 years now, i fly with TG for 9,500 baht. no delays, with food and unlimited drinks, i can park at the main airport and just walk to/from the terminal building to the parking lot. the difference of about 2,000 baht is really nothing compare to all the hassles of airasia flight.

booking 2-3 months ahead of time is like gambling. twice i booked this early just loosing the money because my schedules had changed. this is not really flexible for business travellers like me.

//not a rant but this is just me...

Thanks for sharing this but, the whole concept of Low Cost Carriers is not aimed at business travellers like yourself & a good business man ought to know better in the first place.

[ClaytonSeymour]

i don't fly airasia anymore due to the following reasons:

i have to book the flight 2-3 months before i travel to get a really fairly cheap ticket - my frequent route is kuala lumpur to bangkok and return.

if not booking early the price i usually end up paying online is about RM600+ (6,600+ baht) plus i have to park my car at the main airport and take the bus to the "low cost terminal" for about RM3 (33 baht). the flights are always delay so this is another "you get what you pay for" thing that money cannot compensate the hassles. for the return flight, if they are just delay for 30 minutes (which they are always) from bangkok i will miss the airport bus to the main airport and will have to pay RM60 (660 baht) for taxi to get my car from the main airport - my return flight is arriving normally at 11:30 PM from bangkok and the last bus is at midnight. in the end the total cost is about 7,233 baht without food and drinks plus a rat race during boarding running around the airport onto the plane.

for 2 years now, i fly with TG for 9,500 baht. no delays, with food and unlimited drinks, i can park at the main airport and just walk to/from the terminal building to the parking lot. the difference of about 2,000 baht is really nothing compare to all the hassles of airasia flight.

booking 2-3 months ahead of time is like gambling. twice i booked this early just loosing the money because my schedules had changed. this is not really flexible for business travellers like me.

//not a rant but this is just me...

Exactly & completely agree ! Just can't figure out why anyone would subject themselves to humiliation of AirAsia, for saving peanuts ... Unless it's something like Phnom Pehn, or Macau, where few normal airlines will go ,,

What may be peanuts for one isn't necessarily peanuts to someone else.

[Chiangmai Foxy]

QUOTE (thai_narak @ 2007-11-23 09:21:53)

i don't fly airasia anymore due to the following reasons:

i have to book the flight 2-3 months before i travel to get a really fairly cheap ticket - my frequent route is kuala lumpur to bangkok and return.

if not booking early the price i usually end up paying online is about RM600+ (6,600+ baht) plus i have to park my car at the main airport and take the bus to the "low cost terminal" for about RM3 (33 baht). the flights are always delay so this is another "you get what you pay for" thing that money cannot compensate the hassles. for the return flight, if they are just delay for 30 minutes (which they are always) from bangkok i will miss the airport bus to the main airport and will have to pay RM60 (660 baht) for taxi to get my car from the main airport - my return flight is arriving normally at 11:30 PM from bangkok and the last bus is at midnight. in the end the total cost is about 7,233 baht without food and drinks plus a rat race during boarding running around the airport onto the plane.

for 2 years now, i fly with TG for 9,500 baht. no delays, with food and unlimited drinks, i can park at the main airport and just walk to/from the terminal building to the parking lot. the difference of about 2,000 baht is really nothing compare to all the hassles of airasia flight.

booking 2-3 months ahead of time is like gambling. twice i booked this early just loosing the money because my schedules had changed. this is not really flexible for business travellers like me.

//not a rant but this is just me...

but Air Asia have a check and change section on their website,so if your flight dates are changing,why cant/dont you just change online?

Edited November 26, 2007 by Chiangmai Foxy

[asiaworld]

but Air Asia have a check and change section on their website,so if your flight dates are changing,why cant/dont you just change online?

Well IF you read some other posters, you'll clearly see that Air Asia WILL rob youblind on any attempt to make changes, & IT WILL usually cost you more (in penalty+"fare diff") than buying completely new ticket !

[ClaytonSeymour]

but Air Asia have a check and change section on their website,so if your flight dates are changing,why cant/dont you just change online?

Well IF you read some other posters, you'll clearly see that Air Asia WILL rob youblind on any attempt to make changes, & IT WILL usually cost you more (in penalty+"fare diff") than buying completely new ticket !

They WONT rob you of anything; that's how low cost carriers work. Just because their product doesn't fit your needs, doesn't mean you should rubbish it at every opportunity.

[asiaworld]

They WONT rob you of anything; that's how low cost carriers work. Just because their product doesn't fit your needs, doesn't mean you should rubbish it at every opportunity.

Actually Clayton, this question was bugging my mind for a long time..>>As in take their cheap fare & than either refund, or pay penalty for date change.. Alas if you do search you'll find a few of those , who tried(saves me the pain) .. And i do beleive those posters, rather than AirAsia..

[thai_narak]

i don't fly airasia anymore due to the following reasons:

i have to book the flight 2-3 months before i travel to get a really fairly cheap ticket - my frequent route is kuala lumpur to bangkok and return.

if not booking early the price i usually end up paying online is about RM600+ (6,600+ baht) plus i have to park my car at the main airport and take the bus to the "low cost terminal" for about RM3 (33 baht). the flights are always delay so this is another "you get what you pay for" thing that money cannot compensate the hassles. for the return flight, if they are just delay for 30 minutes (which they are always) from bangkok i will miss the airport bus to the main airport and will have to pay RM60 (660 baht) for taxi to get my car from the main airport - my return flight is arriving normally at 11:30 PM from bangkok and the last bus is at midnight. in the end the total cost is about 7,233 baht without food and drinks plus a rat race during boarding running around the airport onto the plane.

for 2 years now, i fly with TG for 9,500 baht. no delays, with food and unlimited drinks, i can park at the main airport and just walk to/from the terminal building to the parking lot. the difference of about 2,000 baht is really nothing compare to all the hassles of airasia flight.

booking 2-3 months ahead of time is like gambling. twice i booked this early just loosing the money because my schedules had changed. this is not really flexible for business travellers like me.

//not a rant but this is just me...

Thanks for sharing this but, the whole concept of Low Cost Carriers is not aimed at business travellers like yourself & a good business man ought to know better in the first place.

you said so, and that's why i don't fly with them. no hard feelings...

it's just surprising to see that they can get more expensive than a non-low-cost airlines when you book within a week before your flight which of course it is clear that their (AirAsia's) intention is to fool the "non business travellers unlike myself and not so good business man to ought to know better in the first place" to still book this more expensive tickets unaware because of the label (AirAsia again) they carry that they are a "low-cost" airlines.

Edited November 27, 2007 by thai_narak