Air Asia Rude And Aggressive Check In Staff

[Ricardo]

I heard recently that Air Asia had just got a new manager for Customer-Services, who was previously with Ryanair, those who have flown with them in Europe will therefore not be suprised to see things like charging for any hold-luggage, or overly-aggressive behaviour at check-in.

In fact it seems that Ryanair take pride in being cheap & unpleasant. There was a public outcry at their charges & attitudes, for physically-disabled passengers, for example.

IMHO this will catch them out, when there is an airline recession, and the fewer remaining customers have a choice of airlines. I may have run budget businesses, but I was never rude to customers, as a matter of policy, only when I myself had a very-bad day.

[WISteve]

When I made my most recent two reservations on Air Asia I noticed the 30 baht per bag fee for checked bags. That's the way a discount airline is supposed to operate: charge people only for the services they use.

Sorry to hear about the racist remarks made by the check-in staff. That should never happen anywhere.

I've never had a problem with AA. In fact the last time I was leaving Udon on a UTH-BKK flight I found myself on the wrong side of the massive general boarding line. Teelack and I had purchased express boarding and the supervisor apparently spotted my puzzled look and flagged me to the front. He had me walk around BEHIND the counter so I could form up on the left side, where the one or two other express boarding passengers were standing. He was very polite and addressed me as "sir". That extra 50 baht (I'm an old fart! ) is a great investment on an airline with open seating!

Their planes are always clean and the air crew have always been very pleasant to me. Their on time record lately has probably been better than domestic flights in the US I'm sorry to say.

My most recent reservation from BKK-UTH-BKK was 3600 baht for both of us. That's 1/3 the price TG wanted for DMK-UTH-DMK.

I don't expect all the bells and whistles on a budget airline, and I've always been satisfied with their level of service.

But it sounds like some of their counter people need a touch of re-training in customer relations.

~WISteve

[true blue]

use to fly air asia quite often pre sunami, when trying to leave phuket 3 or 4 days after sunami ,on a aira asia flight to bkk was told i was 3kilo overweight and billed 300bht. not much jai dee, even in them days. certinally never ever used that airline agian. and they advertise on the hoardings at old trafford, the no1 airline in asia. i dont think so.

[nohave]

Mmmm I am getting a bit nervous now. Flying Air Asia to Singapore for the first time ever to Singapore in August ticket was only 3300 Baht including all taxes so thought why not....

[jeffer]

nohave, despite what you might read many people manage to fly on Air Asia without too many problems. Most people with complaints haven't read the conditions and either turn up late at the airport, over the luggage limits or want to change their ticket without penalty. If you avoid those scenarios the chances of you having a non eventful flight are high so long as you don't expect to be waited on hand and foot. A lot of what you read about Air Asia reminds me of comments about Asia Rooms. People who book with a bit of time to spare and don't make changes don't have many problems.

I've flown them many times and my only real complaint has been their late departures. Check-in staff have been fine. Had one in Singapore query my visa but by the end of our conversation he was asking me for information on places to see in Bangkok Had a ticketing problem a while back and was dreading trying to sort it out with the call center after all I'd read but they couldn't have been nicer.

[chiangmaibruce]

OK. My turn to throw a tomato. I have used Thai AA many times purely because they are usually the cheapest. I can't recall ever having the sort of nasty encounter noted by the op, but have certainly experienced numerous other problems (none of which were related to me not reading instructions I might add).

The worst of these was a misplaced bag that eventually had items stolen from it whilst supposedly in the care of AA. Another issue related to making an internet booking whilst overseas (wouldn't accept overseas credit card/had to make multiple calls to their call centre/couldn't understand English, etc). I forget the others - doesn't pay to dwell on these things.

I have had call to write to the management in Malaysia about problems on a couple of occassions but never any response or follow-up.

Conclusion: Much of the time things go ok/you get what you pay for with AA (apart from the late departures) but when they don't - then you are well and truly on your own with these guys.

[ricklev]

I commute once or twice weekly between Chaing Mai and Bangkok and will spend any amount of money to fly on any other airline than Air Asia.

Its only when you fly them regularly that you really understand the hideous corporate culture and disturbing business ethics.

One Two Go seems to be run by kids pretending they have a functioning airline.

Nok is the best of the LCC's on my route, but still sometimes problamatic.

[Dissolution]

To the thai-culture gurus in this thread, I humbly ask, so where'd the nam jai on the CSO's part go?

Cultural nuances are not grounds for poor service standards, and should never be used as an excuse.

[lalana]

hmmmmm.. ..this thread....hmmmmmmm..... "possibly",all pros/cons/points of view have been gone over and

analysed!!!

As they say,a picture can speak a thousand words................

[retirednavyman]

I think if Air Asia keeps up that kind of attitude and treatment of it's passengers, they just might go out of business

[Tomkagai]

I think if Air Asia keeps up that kind of attitude and treatment of it's passengers, they just might go out of business

Get the distinct impression with some of these posts that people are paying for a "Mini" and expecting a Rolls Royce....you get what you pay for...Have flown AA many times without a problem and they do what they are contracted to do...... get you from A to B, its a "bus service" ... if someone can't be bother to read the Terms and conditions re baggage etc...then thats your problem not AA's...

Budget airlines in europe and US treat their passengers a lot worse than AA

[Lancelot]

OP, I think some staff are rude to foreigners (non-thais) because they know they can get away with it. With a fellow Thai, there just might be consequences...

Last year I flew to the Philippines on Air Aisa and returned on Tiger airways. I was 1.5 kilos overweight but the AA staff let me slide, with a casual "watch your weight next time." Cool, sure thing

On the SIN-BKK leg of my journey, the Tiger staff at Changi nailed me for being 1.5 kilos overweight. The charge was $14.50 Singapore dollars (forget the exact amount, but it was not an even multiple of five. I presented $15 and when I asked for my change, they said "We don't do $0.50..." <deleted>?!? Oh well...

By the way, the last few times I've tried to book Tiger or Cebu Pacific online, they've refused my US credit cards, both Master Card and Visa. And some of my Aussie buddies have had the same problem. Now, only Air Asia accpets my card. (Yeah, I called my bank and they didn't block the transaction, the problem was with the merchant.)

Lance

Edited May 3, 2008 by Lancelot

[retirednavyman]

I think if Air Asia keeps up that kind of attitude and treatment of it's passengers, they just might go out of business

Get the distinct impression with some of these posts that people are paying for a "Mini" and expecting a Rolls Royce....you get what you pay for...Have flown AA many times without a problem and they do what they are contracted to do...... get you from A to B, its a "bus service" ... if someone can't be bother to read the Terms and conditions re baggage etc...then thats your problem not AA's...

Budget airlines in europe and US treat their passengers a lot worse than AA

That very well maybe the case, but it still doesn't give them license to mistreat and be rude to their customers!

As for budget airlines here in the states, I couldn't disagree more, I've been flying for years and have never been mistreated

Ciao

[mrtoad]

I think if Air Asia keeps up that kind of attitude and treatment of it's passengers, they just might go out of business

Get the distinct impression with some of these posts that people are paying for a "Mini" and expecting a Rolls Royce....you get what you pay for...Have flown AA many times without a problem and they do what they are contracted to do...... get you from A to B, its a "bus service" ... if someone can't be bother to read the Terms and conditions re baggage etc...then thats your problem not AA's...

Budget airlines in europe and US treat their passengers a lot worse than AA

Another person who can't be bothered to read what has been said.

[twschw]

I don't think mrtoad paid for rude and insulting comments. That is the focus of his rant.

[lalana]

Great magazine,this one....might be of use/benefit to some of the posters here .......

seriously though,any chance guys of calling this thread a "score draw", agree to disagree +

swiftly move on to something new.....this topic it seems has had the arse ripped out of it and

surely nothing new or substantive can be added

[traveller5000]

.....this topic it seems has had the arse ripped out of it and

surely nothing new or substantive can be added

totally agree. this "poor me" thread has run it course. ...

let it rest

[jonniebkk]

Budget airlines in europe and US treat their passengers a lot worse than AA

That's certainly VERY true when it comes to their customer's eyes

[johnsonspot]

Budget airlines in europe and US treat their passengers a lot worse than AA

That's simply not true. If ANY personnel for any US airline started spouting racist crap, the <deleted> would most definitely hit the fan and splatter far and wide.

So tell me again what part of a Thai losing face allows them to hurl racist comments at customers? If any Thai said those things to me, my Thai wife would be over the counter trying to remove her face. I've stopped her more than once, but not dealing with AA as we refuse to fly with them for excessive lost luggage reasons.

Edited May 8, 2008 by johnsonspot

[THAILIBAN]

Never had a problem with A A staff.

Once at Swampy, the check in girl asked me to take something out of my bag, she waited, very nice attitude from her.

Only other prob is time keeping.

Last August I arrived about an hour and a half early at Swampy, the girl said my flite would be delayed, she asked me to sit at seats opposite as I may be able to get on earlier flite.

I sat, she called me over, gave me boarding pass. Great service.

I had to take my check in bags on with me, no probs, no weighing, again, great.

On my return trip, I slept in, left Chalong at the time the flight was due to leave.

Thought I would sleep over buy new ticket in the morning.

Lo and behold, the flite was later than me, great again.

Guess I am a lucky old sod.......PMPL.

I use A A extensively during my odysseys in the region, neva had a prob.

As I've said, this is my experience and I'm sure that many people have had lots of good experiences. I have used them a fair few times in the past, and I want to make this very clear, the in flight staff are very good!!! I have a problem with the poor service at check in at Phuket and Swampy.

I 100% agree with that..... the cabin-crews of THAI AIR ASIA (unlike their Malaysian and Indonesian counterparts) are very nice, friendly, have a good safety-attitude, and - if that counts - are as well quite cute. though, the ground-staff are a nuisance at ANY of Air Asia's branches, be at Bangkok, Malaysia or Indonesia....

I really wonder why they are not able to get proper staff for their operations....