Air Asia

[PattayaParent]

Just been looking at some flights on air Asia Bangkok to Ha Noi return fo 2 passengers.

When I first started booking AA 1 1/2 years ago the price was around $240 for 2 people which was great seeing as the fares on VN, Thai and Air France were that price for 1 passenger.

Now the same tickets are 16,000 Baht including priority boarding but excluding luggage and meals charges. On Air France the fare is 17,800 Baht.

So while still cheaper they're not the great deal they once were, unless compared to Thai which want 28,565 Baht!!!

[Thaivisa Travel]

This is not uncommon now. Low cost carriers adjust their prices very quickly on busy days and times, and it happens on Singapore and KL and domestic routes too that at certain times they are the same price as the other carriers on the route. There are days you can get to Hanoi for THB 2000 plus taxes! Air France maintain a standard rate throughout, and we totally agree with you that Thai have lost the plot, they are not adjusting their crazy fuel surcharges downwards and sooner or later they are going to have even more problems! 

[Florin]

Yeah, with LCCs it just depends when you want to go, you must have chosen either sometime soon or a time when Hanoi is busy for whatever reason. Booking in advance I can still get ~3.500 Baht (all taxes included) fares to many AirAsia destinations.

[PattayaParent]

I'm looking at a booking for January next year and although the 'fares' are coming in at around just over 2,000 Baht when the taxes and other add ons are included they come to 8,000 Baht a person.

[gunnyd]

Just got in on an AirAsia flight BKK to PEN, and they are getting ridiculous with the service charges. It's not like they are "high end". The seats don't recline, there are 2 extra rows on the old 737 we flew in on and there was little leg room for me even though I was in the first row. And 15kg luggage allowance, please. If I was on one of my regular trips fully kitted I barely get by the 50 Lbs that the US airlines use. With me being disabled I always get wheelchair assistance when I fly, and with the wife 4 months preggers with triplets, she needed one too. I was flabbergasted to learn that I had to pay 120baht each for assistance to the gate. I have never ever been charged for wheelchair assistace. Needless to say the poor wheelchair guys got a small tip, because I had to pay that, what should be unlawful, service fee. I felt bad for the guys, I usually tip well.

2 Guest 5,600.00 BT

Airport Tax 2,510.00 BT

Insurance Surcharge 200.00 BT

Administration Fee 900.00 BT

Fuel Surcharge 3,400.00 BT

Sub Total 12,610.00 BT

Services & Fees

Checked Baggage 100.00 BT

Sub Total 100.00 BT

These budget carriers need to take a lesson from Southwest Airlines. Right on their home page:

They have been at it since the 70s and I can still get a last minute flight from LAX to PHX for $70.

All I can say good about AirAsia is at least it was a short flight.

Edited September 15, 2008 by gunnyd

[davee58]

The only good thing about Air Asia is the priority check-in.

It is quite funny watching the people who paid it complaining that they should have been allowed to board the plane first.

[britmaveric]

^Actually find it more comical for the herd that thinks they are boarding first then they board the priority checkin. You can see the gutted faces.

[dumball]

I'm looking at a booking for January next year and although the 'fares' are coming in at around just over 2,000 Baht when the taxes and other add ons are included they come to 8,000 Baht a person.

The last 3 flights i have made PP , BKK , Bangkok air has been cheaper than Air Asia , tho still not cheap , also BA throws in a meal , are far more comfortable and CLEAN

[AlKing]

Check out the free ticket at Malaysia Airlines website. With ZERO fare, I still have to pay excess of 7,000 Bahts for hidden charges.

At the end, I paid 4,000 Baht (exclude tax) for AirAsia. After tax and surcharges, it still total under 7,000 Baht. I am now so confused about all those FREE ticket promotion.

Malalysia ZERO fare has ended. Now they are selling at 5 Baht (yes, FIVE Baht). Not such a good bargain afterall.

[wileycoyote]

Currently Air Asia gets my vote as they offer more services Suvarnabhumi-Chiang Rai ,than TG .

[mdechgan]

They used to be cheap.

I used to fly to Xiamen, they had a low advertising fee of about 999 baht. But if you add this and that like all the fees mentioned the price comes really close to a normal legacy carrier. However for a legacy carier their isn't a rush to board the bus or plane since seats are assigned. You wouldn't believe the rush I was in with a couple of hundred Chinese people. It was madness.

No food or drinks, overpriced on the plane. I think a cup of MaMa was like 80-100 baht per cup.

[Dea]

They used to be cheap.

I used to fly to Xiamen, they had a low advertising fee of about 999 baht. But if you add this and that like all the fees mentioned the price comes really close to a normal legacy carrier. However for a legacy carier their isn't a rush to board the bus or plane since seats are assigned. You wouldn't believe the rush I was in with a couple of hundred Chinese people. It was madness.

No food or drinks, overpriced on the plane. I think a cup of MaMa was like 80-100 baht per cup.

yup...add few hundreds baht you can get TG. Wonder what happen to that route? they changed it to HK instead to Xiamen? Anybody knows?

I recently looked at their price for BKK-JKT-BKK, twice as much from Garuda Indonesia. I choosed GA though it will fly in the middle of the night.